Although we have reached the twenty-first century, a period of sophisticated technology and progress, the debate about gender is still going on; it is present in many fields of our lives. Women and homosexuals, for example, are still facing impertinent treatment. It must have been even worse in the last century, the so-called fin de siècle.
The last century was concerned with reshaping the image of usual relationships and behaviour radically. Relationships were no longer clearly defined or restricted to a specific combination; also the same sex became challenging, even if this meant the disobedience of the conventional idea of sexuality. Moreover, stereotypes concerning female roles started to be violated. The preoccupation with the representation of the female in politics, such as the right to vote, was amongst the most important topics raised. This was due to changes of the people’s social and cultural life, evoked through the feminist movement.
This piece of work will deal with the presentation of gender in selected works of the following female writers: Virginia Woolf and her both rival and friend Katherine Mansfield, as well as Jean Rhys, the modernist writer who died only twenty-three years ago. Building up on theoretical facts, the meaning of gender in the first half of the last century as well as gender-related problems which the protagonists encounter will be elicited. Examples from the novels and short stories will be included.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Main part
3. Conclusion
4. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the representation of gender and the challenges faced by female protagonists in modernist literature, specifically focusing on how women navigated societal norms, patriarchy, and expectations during the early 20th century through the works of Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield, and Jean Rhys.
- The emergence of the "New Woman" and her departure from traditional gender roles.
- The impact of patriarchal structures on female independence, labor, and economic freedom.
- The intersection of gender, social alienation, and the modernist urban experience.
- Representation of homoeroticism and sexuality as challenges to societal conventions.
- The role of the "New Woman" as a pioneer for contemporary feminist progress.
Excerpt from the Book
Virginia Woolf embodied a highly engaged feminist, always concerned with ‘cultural, economic, and educational disabilities within […] a patriarchal society’ (Abrams, 1999, p.88).
She stated that women were unable to realize their creative potential, as they were repeatedly inhibited by men who saw their position only in domestic life. This became a main issue in the women’s revolution: fighting for the dissolution from housework, their ‘exclusive legitimate territory’, and the self-actualisation of their dreams (Fullbrook, 1990, p.97). Mary Datchet in Night and Day is a good example of that; she symbolizes a woman’s quest for independence and the right to earn her own money. Although she is doing unfulfilling amateur work as a typist without being paid, she is amongst the few emancipated women who run their own business; the ‘enjoyment of leisure […] would [be] intolerable’ for her (Woolf, 2000, p.76). The occupation of a typist, which is also referred to in Mansfield’s short story Pictures, was the only kind of employment women were allowed to perform if they could not entirely be prevented from working.
Katharine Hilbery, on the contrary, is unsure whether to be employed or not. As Mary says, Katharine ‘doesn’t understand about work. She’s never had to’, whereas she herself regards it as a ‘thing that saves one’ (p.412).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the gender discourse at the turn of the century and defines the scope of the essay regarding modernist female writers.
2. Main part: This section analyzes the works of Woolf, Mansfield, and Rhys, examining the depiction of the "New Woman," the struggle for independence, and the societal pressures exerted upon female characters.
3. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the significance of these modernist writers as pioneers who challenged patriarchal norms and paved the way for modern gender equality.
4. Bibliography: This section lists the primary literary sources and secondary critical works used for the analysis.
Keywords
Modernism, Gender, Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield, Jean Rhys, New Woman, Feminism, Patriarchy, Identity, Alienation, Sexuality, Homosexuality, Literature, Early 20th Century, Social Roles
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work examines the presentation of gender roles and the struggles for independence faced by female protagonists in early 20th-century modernist literature.
Which authors are analyzed in this study?
The study centers on the works of Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield, and Jean Rhys.
What is the central research objective?
The objective is to elicit the meaning of gender during the first half of the 20th century and to explore the gender-related problems that female protagonists encounter in their respective societies.
What methodological approach does the author use?
The author employs a literary analysis of novels and short stories, supported by historical and critical theoretical frameworks regarding gender, modernism, and feminism.
What does the main part cover?
The main part analyzes specific characters and themes, such as the "New Woman," the conflict between domesticity and employment, the influence of patriarchal authority, and depictions of homosexuality.
Which keywords define this academic paper?
The paper is characterized by terms such as Modernism, Gender, New Woman, Feminism, Patriarchy, and Social Alienation.
How does the author define the "New Woman"?
The author defines the "New Woman" as an independent, educated, and relatively sexually liberated figure who challenges traditional roles and orientation toward the domestic sphere.
How is the concept of androgyny used in the context of Virginia Woolf's work?
The author references Woolf’s reworking of the Coleridgian concept of androgyny to denote the need to redefine women beyond the binary of "unfeminine" and "hyperfeminine."
What role does the city play in these modernist works?
The big city acts as a space where protagonists can move through streets to reconstruct their identities and experience sexuality as something more fluid and provisional.
What is the significance of the "Life of Ma Parker" in this analysis?
It is used as an example to illustrate class difference and the inability of the literary class to communicate with working-class women, highlighting the broader gap in equality between the sexes.
- Quote paper
- Gaby Schneidereit (Author), 2003, The presentation of gender in relation to the works of Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield and Jean Rhys, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/78219
