Many of Katherine Mansfield’s stories deal with relationship, friendship, marriage and family life. The male-female relationship always plays a major role in her stories and is an ever returning motif throughout her works. Nevertheless, the ways they are presented are always different but the same. The settings and the plot usually differ, bur the problems of male-female relationship, such as the dominating male character always return. Her own personal experience in her family background might be one reason for it.
Nevertheless, she did not always focus on relationship problems, she could also write perfectly about romances and romantic relationships, as in The Singing Lesson, Poison or Mr. and Mrs. Dove. This might have portrayed her own longing for a romance.
The focus of the following discourse is set on the unhappy relationships she portrayed in her works. It deals not only with the relationship itself, but also with the male characters and how they change or do not change throughout the story. The stories chosen are A Birthday and The Stranger. The reason for only choosing two is the limited space for the discourse, which makes it impossible to include a third story. At the Bay, for instance, would have been another perfect example for this issue. All of them represent alienation in a relationship and portray different reasons for this to happen. In order to characterize the relationship, not only the male protagonists will be highlighted, but also the female characters of the stories.
At the end the differences and similarities between the male protagonists and their relationship will be shown and worked out. The fact that this will be an own passage in the discourse will make the conclusion rather short, since the comparison of the two characters and their relationship also summarizes the discourse.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Stranger
2.1 John Hammond
2.2 The relationship between John Hammond and his wife Janey
2.2.1 Janey
2.2.2 The relationship
3. A Birthday
3.1 Andreas Binzer
3.2 The relationship between Andreas Binzer and his wife Anna
3.2.1 Anna
3.2.2 The relationship
4. Comparison between the two male protagonists and their relationships
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
This academic discourse examines the representation of unhappy marriages in Katherine Mansfield’s short stories, specifically focusing on "A Birthday" and "The Stranger." The research aims to analyze the complex psychological profiles of the male protagonists and the underlying alienation within their respective relationships.
- The role of gender-specific perceptions in domestic settings.
- Character analysis of John Hammond and Andreas Binzer.
- The impact of ego and self-centeredness on marital intimacy.
- The contrast between outward social appearance and inner emotional reality.
- Narrative techniques and the use of limited third-person perspectives.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 John Hammond
At the beginning of the story the outward appearance of John Hammond is being described as following
In the front of the crowd a strong-looking, middle-aged man, dressed very well, very snugly in a grey overcoat, grey silk scarf, thick gloves and dark felt hat, marched up and down, twirling his folded umbrella. He seemed to be the leader of the little crowd on the wharf and at the same time to keep them together. He was something between the sheep-dog and the shepherd.5
This description depicts the characteristics as well as the outward appearance of John Hammond quite well. Furthermore it is supposed to show the readers that John Hammond wants everybody to know that he is a “real” man, since this passage includes many hints and symbols connected to manhood. It starts with a simple description of his outward appearance, what he looks like and what he is wearing, which is very important for a first impression of a character. What could make this man quiet interesting is the mixture of him looking strong on the one hand and on the other hand being described as “snugly”6. But most importantly he is described in a way as an “alpha-animal”, which will become important later when the relationship to his beloved wife is being described. The metaphor of the shepherded and the sheep-dog points this out very well. He is not only the leader of the group, which would be the shepherd; he is also the one who keeps the group together, the sheep-dog. Also he is very wealthy and successful7 and seems to be quite outgoing when wife is not being around him (“the music he had praised so loudly”8). But this is only the outward impression of him. When looking at his actions and behavior in the course of the story, it turns out that he is not the man he wants everybody else to think he is.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the focus on unhappy relationships in Mansfield's works, identifying "A Birthday" and "The Stranger" as primary case studies for analyzing alienation and gender dynamics.
2. The Stranger: This section explores the biographical background and narrative style of the story, highlighting the protagonist John Hammond's obsessive behavior and psychological instability.
2.1 John Hammond: An analysis of the protagonist's outward appearance and his internal desire to project a strong, masculine image while hiding deep insecurity.
2.2 The relationship between John Hammond and his wife Janey: A detailed investigation into the strained communication and the husband's possessive nature within the marriage.
2.2.1 Janey: Characterization of the wife as a popular, calm figure who maintains an emotional distance from her husband.
2.2.2 The relationship: Discussion on how the revelation of a passenger's death triggers Hammond's jealousy, illustrating the fundamental gap between the couple.
3. A Birthday: Examination of the story's setting and narrative perspective, drawing parallels between the plot and Mansfield's own family history.
3.1 Andreas Binzer: Profile of the protagonist as a self-centered businessman who treats those beneath him with disdain and struggles to empathize with his wife's labor.
3.2 The relationship between Andreas Binzer and his wife Anna: Analysis of the gendered expectations and the husband's dissatisfaction regarding his wife's role and his own desire for a male heir.
3.2.1 Anna: Description of the wife's presence as pervasive yet physically absent, highlighting her role in the household.
3.2.2 The relationship: Insights into the transactional nature of the marriage and Binzer's tendency to objectify his wife to cope with his own anxieties.
4. Comparison between the two male protagonists and their relationships: A synthesis of findings highlighting the parallel weaknesses, egocentrism, and failure of communication shared by both men.
5. Conclusion: Final reflections on how the stories, despite their differences, utilize irony to expose the superficiality and deep-seated alienation in these domestic partnerships.
Keywords
Katherine Mansfield, A Birthday, The Stranger, Male Protagonists, Marital Alienation, Gender Roles, John Hammond, Andreas Binzer, Domestic Life, Psychological Analysis, Short Story Criticism, Emotional Distance, Narcissism, Marital Crisis, Literary Irony
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic work?
This work examines the portrayal of unhappy marriages in Katherine Mansfield's short stories "A Birthday" and "The Stranger," focusing specifically on the psychological traits and behaviors of the male protagonists.
Which thematic areas are central to this analysis?
Central themes include the alienation between spouses, the impact of gender roles on marriage, the projection of a "strong" male facade, and the underlying self-centeredness of the husbands.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The objective is to characterize these unhappy relationships by highlighting the differences and similarities in how the male characters perceive and interact with their wives.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis, utilizing a close reading of the texts combined with biographical and psychological perspectives to interpret the characters and their motives.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body treats each story individually, analyzing the husbands (Hammond and Binzer), the descriptions of the wives (Janey and Anna), and the specific dynamics of their respective relationships, followed by a comparative synthesis.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include Katherine Mansfield, marital alienation, gender roles, egocentrism, psychological analysis, and domestic conflict.
How does John Hammond's jealousy manifest in "The Stranger"?
Hammond's jealousy is rooted in his desire for exclusive possession of his wife. This intensifies when he learns she spent time with other men, such as the ship's doctor and the passenger who died in her arms.
Why does Andreas Binzer turn his wife into a "stranger" in his thoughts?
Binzer objectifies his wife to avoid empathizing with her suffering during childbirth; by seeing her as a stranger, he shields himself from the discomfort of the situation.
What role does the birth of a son play in "A Birthday"?
The anticipation of a male heir is central to Binzer's identity; he views his daughters as insufficient and believes a son is necessary for his business legacy.
- Citar trabajo
- Heinrich Mario Nink (Autor), 2008, Male protagonists and their marital situation portrayed in Katherine Mansfield’s “The Stranger” and “A Birthday”, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/125775
