The Oppressive Force in Marriage - 1266 Words

In the novels written by Charlotte Gilman and Kate Chopin, the concept of marriage is contradicted from the romanticized relationship to a notion of imprisonment. Through the feminist perspective the reader gains a sense in which marriage may be the primary cause to gender oppression. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† Gilman’s central figure, who is unknown to the reader, is metaphorically imprisoned in a house in which the warden is her own husband. In contrast to this Chopin’s Character, Louise Mallard, gains a sense of liberation from a bleak marriage. It is clear that there two works illustrate how the characters are imprisoned through marriage. In both works there is a fine-line between the concept of domesticity and masculinity that ties†¦show more content†¦In addition to this in â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, Mallard is confined to the home due to her illness as her husband, Brently, is also away on a trip. This is an indication of what Kent attempts to explain in his article. The undisputed authority that Victorian men hold against women proves to connect to gender oppression and leads to the domestication of women. In addition to this, masculinity in marriage contributes to oppression of women due to the general idea of their need to for control or power over another. In â€Å"The story of An Hour† there is no indication of whether Mallard was passive or subservient to Brently but she felt the sweet sense of liberation when she thought she was a widow. She was ‘free’ of marriage, ‘free’ of her husband and ‘free’ in body and soul (Chopin 124). It is clear that male dominancy in marriage proves to be an oppressive factor to most women and in Mallard’s perspective she was ‘free’ from the oppression. The Yellow Wallpaper also illustrates this factor as John refuses to meet his wife’s demands to at least change the ugly yellow wallpaper instead of all owing her to move to a different room. The Narrator quotes, â€Å"He said that after the wallpaper was changed it would be the heavy bedstead, and then the barred windows, and then that gate at the head of the stairs, and so on† (Gilman 304). John refuses to these demands as he wished to remain in control of his wife. He notes how if he changes theShow MoreRelatedA Feminist Critique Of Bluebeard1565 Words   |  7 Pagesplot, Angela Carter rather writes about the oppressive realities of the institution of marriage. More specifically, Carter highlights the female narrator’s ignorant and romanticized notion of marriage, and its ability to manipulate her into an oppressive marriage. In doing so, Angela Carter directly refutes Charles Perrault’s notion that females are inherently flawed. Carter rather suggests that society’s distorted and ignorant perception of marriage facilitates female oppression. Therefore, CarterRead MoreThe Right For Same Sex Couples Should Be Protected Under The Constitution1041 Words   |  5 Pagesand religious institutions, there continues to be a heated debate about whether or not marriage should include the union of same-sex couples and if the rights of gay couples should be protected under the Constitution. Using Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’ â€Å"The Manifesto of the Communist Party†, I will demonstrate that Marx would refuse both the conservative and liberal wisdom and encourage the abolition of marriage as a whole. By doing this, we would be one step closer to obtaining equal rights forRead MoreSexual Revolution971 Words   |  4 Pagesintimate lives. The oppressive regulation of marriage and sexuality by states and cultures can really affect intimacy and incite sexual revolutions. 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It is through these portrayals that Marquez expresses his disapproval of machismo, which is depicted as vicious force that devastates the lives of those within the novel’s culture, as well as the lackRead MoreWasserstroms Arguments Relating to the U nimportance of Gender and Its Importance on Promoting Sex Roles1435 Words   |  6 Pagesnegatively affects the individual’s potential well-being. Additionally, Wasserstrom even goes on to say that sex roles are analogous to human slavery. Wasserstrom expresses how sex roles are oppressive and how they serve no use and no legitimate place in a just society. He states this because, according to him, sex roles forces people to lives which restrict excessively the opportunities of these individuals, and which do so in order improperly to enhance the lives and opportunities of others. It can be saidRead MoreRestricted freedom1105 Words   |  5 Pagescaptures the heights of emotions for a wife in an oppressive marriage. Many marriages in the late 19th century were similar to the one in this story, a tyrannically imposed marriage. This was an issue of the time period. Women were a man’s â€Å"property†; they were subject to the rules inflicted by men. In comparison, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† written by Kate Chopin describes the emotional distress and eustress of a woman who felt trapped in a marriage and in a life that was not lived in her own termsRead MoreKate Chopin s An Hour1323 Words   |  6 Pageswere viewed as emotionally and physically weak, a reason that men used to justify the subjugation of women and their need for â€Å"protection† under an onerous marriage. In The Story of an Hour, through peculiar sentence structure, feministic themes, and irony, Kate Chopin portrays the resentment of women towards the oppressive institution of marriage through Mrs. Mallard’s joviality for her newly discovered freedom- a product of her husband’s assumed passing. Body Paragraph #1- Literary Device: SentenceRead MoreThe Awakening Feminist Analysis1270 Words   |  6 Pagesoutcomes. Oppression is not the intention of society, though through harsh political and social standards one will feel compelled to make brash decisions. Kate Chopin, author of The Awakening, provides feminist criticism of traditional motherhood, marriage, and conformity. Edna Pontellier, the female protagonist within the novel, grows to desire independence and control over her life. Throughout the story, Edna epitomizes a feminist attitude by defying the regressive standards of the Creole cultureRead MoreMadame Bovary Essay1427 Words   |  6 Pagesindiscretion to reject a lifestyle imposed upon her by an oppressive patriarchal society. 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