In the 19th century, when both Moby-Dick and Joaquín Murieta were written, a separation of gender roles was common. Whereas men were responsible for work and money, women usually accounted for the domestic sphere and did not have much of a voice. At first glance, both Moby-Dick and Joaquín Murieta seem to support this view as women play a rather passive if not invisible role in the novels. However, an examination of the role of femininity shows that it is indeed a major part of both stories. In Joaquín Murieta, Ridge regards the love of a woman as support and refuge for men. Women show such a strong affection towards their men that they would never leave them alone and vice versa, men appreciate the loyal love of their woman which they can also count on in miserable times. Ridge also uses femininity to describe both Murieta’s appearance and his gentle character, for he is loved by women and treats them with respect. Melville, on the other hand, does not allow women an active role in the story. He puts emphasis on the ideal relationship between men on a whaling ship where they depend on each other and are in some way wedded. Women, on the contrary, are left behind by the sailors and represent the domestic sphere which mostly exists in the sailors’ memories and forms a sharp contrast to the adventures at sea. Whereas Ridge generally allows women a more active role in his story and at times presents them as almost equivalent companions of men, Melville ascribes a domestic role to the dependent widows and substitutes women for men, whales, and nature - all of them turning into symbols of femininity. In his novel Moby-Dick, Melville creates a generally male world. A striking fact is the frequent use of the words “he”, appearing almost 2000 times, and “man” or “men”, being used over 800 times. Words connected to “woman” or “wife”, however, only appear about 35 times in the book. On the whole, Melville does not allow women an active role, but commonly refers to them as “sailors’ wives or widows” (p. 43) being left behind by their men when they go on a long journey across the sea that might be their last. Melville repeatedly underlines women’s abandonment and dependence; for example, when he asserts that the Pequod is held by Captain Bildad and Captain Peleg but also “by a crowd of old annuitants; widows, fatherless children, and chancery wards; each owning about the value of a timber head, or a foot of plank, or a nail or two in the ship” (p. 73). [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Moby-Dick: A Male World
3. The Femininity of Whales and Nature
4. Male Relationships and Maritime Marriage
5. Joaquín Murieta: Women as Companions and Treasures
6. Conclusion
Research Objective and Core Themes
This paper examines and contrasts the representations of femininity and gender roles in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick and John Rollin Ridge’s Joaquín Murieta, focusing on how both authors utilize feminine symbolism and domestic values to construct their respective narrative worlds.
- Analysis of the marginalized role of women in Moby-Dick versus their role as companions in Joaquín Murieta.
- Exploration of how Melville replaces human female presence with symbolic representations like whales and nature.
- Investigation of male bonding and "maritime marriage" as central themes in Melville’s work.
- Comparison of Murieta’s respectful treatment of women against Ahab’s pursuit of vengeance.
- Evaluation of how femininity is associated with gentility, nobility, and moral motivation.
Excerpt from the Book
Representations of Femininity in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick and John Rollin Ridge’s Joaquín Murieta
In the 19th century, when both Moby-Dick and Joaquín Murieta were written, a separation of gender roles was common. Whereas men were responsible for work and money, women usually accounted for the domestic sphere and did not have much of a voice. At first glance, both Moby-Dick and Joaquín Murieta seem to support this view as women play a rather passive if not invisible role in the novels. However, an examination of the role of femininity shows that it is indeed a major part of both stories. In Joaquín Murieta, Ridge regards the love of a woman as support and refuge for men. Women show such a strong affection towards their men that they would never leave them alone and vice versa, men appreciate the loyal love of their woman which they can also count on in miserable times. Ridge also uses femininity to describe both Murieta’s appearance and his gentle character, for he is loved by women and treats them with respect. Melville, on the other hand, does not allow women an active role in the story. He puts emphasis on the ideal relationship between men on a whaling ship where they depend on each other and are in some way wedded. Women, on the contrary, are left behind by the sailors and represent the domestic sphere which mostly exists in the sailors’ memories and forms a sharp contrast to the adventures at sea. Whereas Ridge generally allows women a more active role in his story and at times presents them as almost equivalent companions of men, Melville ascribes a domestic role to the dependent widows and substitutes women for men, whales, and nature – all of them turning into symbols of femininity.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the historical context of 19th-century gender roles and introduces the comparative analysis of femininity in both novels.
2. Moby-Dick: A Male World: Discusses the exclusion of women from active roles in the novel and the portrayal of sailors’ wives as dependent figures.
3. The Femininity of Whales and Nature: Explores how Melville uses the female pronoun and domestic imagery to describe whales and the nature of the sea.
4. Male Relationships and Maritime Marriage: Analyzes the intense emotional and symbolic bonds between the male characters, particularly Ishmael and Queequeg.
5. Joaquín Murieta: Women as Companions and Treasures: Examines Ridge’s contrasting portrayal of women as active, respected companions who influence the protagonist’s moral path.
6. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, highlighting how Melville favors male bonding and nature symbolism while Ridge praises domestic love and female companionship.
Keywords
Femininity, Moby-Dick, Joaquín Murieta, Gender Roles, Herman Melville, John Rollin Ridge, Domesticity, Maritime Marriage, Symbolism, Male Bonding, Nature, Vengeance, Gentility, Companionship, 19th-Century Literature
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper explores the representation of femininity and gender roles within two specific 19th-century novels: Herman Melville's Moby-Dick and John Rollin Ridge's Joaquín Murieta.
What are the central themes discussed in the analysis?
Central themes include the contrast between domestic and adventurous spheres, the symbolic use of femininity to represent nature or morality, and the nature of male relationships versus male-female relationships.
What is the primary objective of the author?
The primary goal is to show how Melville and Ridge offer different perspectives on gender, where Melville largely replaces women with whales and male bonds, while Ridge treats women as integral, respected companions.
Which scientific or analytical method is employed?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis, examining textual evidence, word frequency (concordance), and symbolic narrative structures to interpret the treatment of gender in both books.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The body covers the exclusion of women in the Pequod’s world, the feminization of the ocean and whales, the homo-erotic undertones of male bonds, and the contrasting portrayal of female characters in Ridge’s work.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Femininity, Gender Roles, Maritime Marriage, Symbolism, and the specific titles/authors of the novels being studied.
How does the author interpret Captain Ahab’s relationship with his wife?
The author argues that Ahab is mentally and physically "married" to his pursuit of Moby-Dick and the sea, rather than his wife, effectively rendering him a widower despite his spouse being alive.
What is the significance of the "monkey rope" in the study?
The monkey rope is interpreted as a symbol of the intense, forced interdependence between Ishmael and Queequeg, illustrating the "maritime marriage" concept and the sacrifice of individual autonomy.
In what way does John Rollin Ridge deviate from Melville’s representation of women?
Ridge presents women as active, equal companions who wear men’s clothing and share in the adventures, whereas Melville portrays women as distant, domestic, and largely powerless entities.
- Quote paper
- Julia Deitermann (Author), 2004, Representations of Femininity in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" and John Rollin Ridge's "Joaquín Murieta", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/61095
