Victorian Masculinity Analysis

In this paper, I will explore various discourses that shaped the understanding of male gender in medieval England and the notion of masculinity in Canterbury Tales.

In a patriarchal society, women are expected to conform to social restrictions by demonstrating reverence and obedience to the males in their lives. Shakespeare's tragic play, Romeo and Juliet, explores the effects of patriarchal authority exerted over women and how the patriarchal structure left no escape from it, save death. Through Juliet, Lady Capulet, and the Nurse, Shakespeare establishes a common understanding of this type of society, but illuminates three different reactions to the social oppression by portraying the responses of a passionate lover, an idyllic housewife, and an attendant.

During the 1500s Women’s roles in society were not equal to men. The play portrays female characters as weak, inferior, superficial, rebellious, and impulsive. Juliet, protagonist, was impulsive and

Throughout literature women are often displayed as idealized characters. Women in the eyes of society are plagued with the stereotype of being kind, nurturing, and tender individuals while men are established as ambitious, assertive, and tough. However, when the time comes for women to possess the qualities of men and men of women, a turnaround of events can occur. Women were the individuals that then shape the males into their ending personna. Shakespeare's Macbeth, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby demonstrated the reversal of gender roles through portraying women as the instigator of the male character’s ultimate demise.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet defies the “stereotypical gender normality’s” that were present in 1595. Throughout the play, the two main characters, Romeo and Juliet, continuously oppose to the gender-based normality’s that are expected of them. They defy the gender-based stereotypes surrounding love and relationships, the gender roles around marriage. Even the character's way in which they end their lives are more “suited” towards the opposite gender.

Masculinity is not a single-definition trait; it relies on an ever-changing spectrum which can never be truly measured because of all the different factors having to be considered. The “manly” man of the 1800’s, who’s emotions were hidden to display strength, would no longer be considered the “ideal” male in society. As shown in the ads of Suistudio; feminist ideals have permeated into the “thick coating” of the masculine archetype. No longer is “femininity” in need of the male protectorate as a sturdy platform to build a steady life on in an ever-changing world, for they are becoming one in the same. Suistudio’s recent ad campaign shows that preferred-masculinity is changing from its traditional firmness to a strength shown by a man’s emotional comfort within an evolving world while protruding the outward appearance of physical health.

In today’s society, masculinity has changed throughout time. Fast forward one hundred years ago, masculinity is defined as being strong and having a good paying job. But as the world is changing so is the representation of manliness. You don’t have to show your dominance over men or women today, but you should support your family nowadays and we have all been brainwashed by the thought of masculinity from our ancestors. As men our reputation is always being valued but now it isn’t so much about our reputation but about caring for one another and especially for our families. Perspective of manhood is also a significant factor in portraying what masculinity is in the eyes of other people. Masculinity has been shown through money, appearance, and providing protection for your family members but as we shift into the modern world, masculinity is not seen as displaying the most discipline but caring for one another by taking out some of your time to help one another. Throughout the paper, I will be writing about my interviews from a broad spectrum of ages from one of my younger sisters to my dad with not friends not at Seb’s in between so I can get what it really means to be a man from all ages.

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, we see that it defies most traditional gender roles in the play by allowing his characters to surpass the

Also to reinforce gender roles in the 1950’s femininity and masculinity were fair from equal with one another. No truer way for a husband to prove his manliness and sense of worth by decking out his prize wife like a Christmas tree. One of the oldest social statuses was the trophy wife lifestyle. Male machismo achievement was the males work, and the women cook, clean, and make babies. Page may feel about husbands glossing up their wives by saying, “Lavish spending was "symptomatic of the superfluous life-style of the rich.

To read Babio without recognizing the gender politics at work in the play would disregard much of how the play itself creates meaning. So much of the play’s plot and character dynamics are related to the way gender functions in this play. One major theme of Babio is the idea of masculinity and how masculinity is defined. Through the portrayal of Babio as an effeminate character, Babio is able to define masculinity through absences in Babio’s Character. Consequently, Babio makes the additional point that lovesickness is not an intrinsic aspect of medieval masculinity, despite the fact that love sickness is often attributed to men.

Historically, gender stereotypes have run rampant within works of literature, a reflection of social stratification in the real world. This is true of William Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”. In this piece of literature, women are supposed to be gentle, fair, and caring while men are meant to be strong, courageous, and macho. Though Shakespeare’s characters understand their archetypal, assigned gender roles, Shakespeare draws attention to instances his character’s challenge their designated characteristics. One character who often challenges her call to be society’s stereotypical woman is Lady Macbeth.

Romeo as we all know was born into a Noble family, but a feuding family no less, who have endured a harsh and long conflict with their rivals the Capulets. Much unlike the rest of the family, he grew up a sensitive and caring boy with a unique love for reading, walking in the gardens, and of course his innate love for women. It was at this time of growth that I met him as a child and soon I would become his tutor. Quite more often than not, Romeo would visit me during the night or a summer afternoon in my cell to discuss and confide with me the problems and issues he faced. Through these dialogues we engaged in over the years I came to learn the kind of person Romeo was, and the

Juliet's masculinity is prominent throughout the play, from the beginning of the relationship to the end of her life. Romeo’s femininity is more difficult to distinguish, it does add another level to the character that many readers seem to ignore. The comparison of sacrifices and complexity of their personalities allows the audience to enjoy the multi sided spectrum of roles each partner plays. The prominence of gender roles in Romeo and Juliet is a rewarding subject to research and creates a better understanding of one of the most famous love stories of all

William Shakespeare, in his play Romeo and Juliet, portrayed two young individuals trapped in the times when freedom to choose personal destinies was highly restricted. They lived in a very patriarchal environment, where women had no chance to experience youth, and men were expected to resolve conflicts with swords instead of words. Romeo and Juliet did not resonate with the expectations pressured upon them. The couple was quite unique compared to the others surrounding them – Romeo was not too interested in proving his manhood, and Juliet was not just a passive female figure accepting everything that was thrown her way. Juliet possessed some masculine characteristics, whereas Romeo was more feminine than it was acceptable back then. Possibly,

Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre displays cases of physical and social restriction, along with instances of avant-garde emotional freedom in terms of Jane Eyre’s freedom of choice in leaving Mr Rochester and rejecting St John River’s proposal.