...Imane Rhaleb English 132-23 Mr. Scott Still 2 May 2013 Achieving Society’s Prescribed Definitions of Femininity and Masculinity: Is One Harder to Accomplish than the Other? In Marge Piercy’s “Barbie Doll” and Sharon Olds’ “Rite of Passage,” both authors discuss the roles that a female plays and the roles in that a male plays. “Barbie Doll” describes the implications and consequences of society’s definition of femininity and how the character was affected by it. Contrasting to that poem is “Rite of Passage,” which serves to portray the coming of age of a young boy into manhood, all set within the backdrop of a birthday party. While each of these poems describe the different roles in which men and women can act on, both Piercy and Olds make the point that there are pressures that come with fitting into the right character. Furthermore, both poems’ messages extend into today’s society as many young adolescents struggle with achieving the fixed notions of femininity and masculinity. Both women and girls are socialized into society’s definition of feminine behavior. The innumerable social pressures that are put onto women to be conventional to certain ways of looking and behaving are consequentially destructive. In Durham’s research, she examined and observed a group of girls’ conversations in a middle school in the southwest region of the United States. She noted that many of these young girls are influenced by what they see on magazines such as YM or Seventeen...
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...Science ISSN 1712-8056 Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture Http://www.cscanada.org Http://www.cscanada.net E-mail: css@cscanada.org; caooc@hotmail.com Vol.5 No.5 2009 10/31/2009 Hamlet’s Femininity L A F É MINIT É D E HAMLET GUO De-yan1 Abstract: The charm of Hamlet over the centuries largely lies in Shakespeare’s subtle treatment of Hamlet, and many critics have interpreted Hamlet’s tragedy as a result of his indecisive character, his obsession with philosophical thinking or his Oedipus Complex. This essay holds that Hamlet’s struggle with his femininity also contributes to his tragedy. Hamlet does exhibit some masculine traits such as courage, rationality and aggressiveness, but at the same time he is agonized to find that he is as weak, emotional, passive and dependent as a woman. In whatever cases he is placed either as a prince, a son or a lover, he is more identified with women than with men. Such a discovery tortures him and produces in him some sense of self-negation and self-hatred. Because of his deep-rooted patriarchal concept of gender identity, Hamlet cannot make a compromise with the feminine traits in him, and it somewhat prevents him from taking a masculine action to avenge his father. Key words: Hamlet; Femininity; Masculinity; Tragedy; Self-Hatred Résumé: Depuis des sicècles, le charme d’Hamlet se trouve largement dans un traitement subtil de Shakespeare de ce personnage et de nombreuses critiques ont interprété la...
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...ruffled tutu. Such outfits are arbitrarily classified as “feminine”, although there is nothing intrinsically feminine about them. Although children quickly learn to identify gender by clothing. E Not only do we construct and interpret the reality of the external world through the application of names and symbols but the same names and symbols gradually construct us. Social constructs also influence more profound matters of conduct, personality and intellect. To conform to a culture representation of femininity, women may thing of themselves as being- and act as thought they are “physically weak”, incapable of understanding electronics and preoccupied with getting married and having babies. If women are assumed to be incapable of learning mathematics, they will not be taught mathematics. -as children, we learn to view ourselves and to behave according to others perceptions and expectations of us. Cultures vary widely in their attribution of characteristics to femininity and masculinity. - Understandings about the meanings of symbols are conveyed through language, art, and literature, folklore and popular media. -The ancient greek philosopher “Artitotle” in his books “politics” classified women and children together. Since he believed that neither had fully developed rationality, he concluded that the male should rule both females and children and be responsible for them. This attitude, pervasive in...
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...A submissive woman is one who is born with the desire to surrender her will, mind, spirit and body -her very self- to someone she perceives as stronger, wiser, whom she is able to trust completely and who shares this inherent need. The D/s (Domination/submission) relationship can be more emotional, cerebral and honest than many so called 'vanilla' (non-D/s) relationships. Being submisive does not make you a doormat or mean that you must be passive in every aspect of your life, or be submissive in any way to anyone you may meet. On the contrary being submissive can ultimately make you a stronger woman. Most submissive women are strong-willed and intelligent. Being submissive to one man affords a woman the opportunity to embrace her man; to follow the man's lead, to please her man, to support and back him, to submit to him sexually, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. When the two meant for one another are finally able to meet, they will grow together in all aspects of life and feel more fulfilled than ever before. For a woman to submit is a beautiful thing indeed. To find that special man to submit to is just as beautiful, for it is not easy. These submissive feelings are always there beneath the surface. It takes a dominant man to recognize, nurture and bring out those vulnerable feeings. How to Be Submissive for Love Firstly, please don’t be fooled by the flashy title. I’m not encouraging women to play dumb, be in a ‘housewife’ role, or be helpless and have no opinions...
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...throughout the play she provokes him to do specific tasks when he fears that he has gone too far. The theme of gender is a prominent theme that exposes the personalities of the different characters and forwards the plot of the play. Characterization is an essential element to help the viewers connect with the characters and further the understanding of the story. To begin with, at the beginning of the play when Lady Macbeth fears that her husband might not be up for the brutal task of killing another person, she says, “unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top – full of direst cruelty” (1.5.40-42). This quotation shows that Lady Macbeth wants to become more cruel. Lady Macbeth is saying she wants to be stripped of her femininity to become more masculine because in her mind to be cruel is a more masculine trait that her husband lacks. Secondly, Lady Macbeth states that she would be cruel enough too kill her own child in order for her husband to advance to become king. Lady Macbeth says, “I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done this” (1.7.56-59). Again this quote is showing Lady Macbeth’s cruelty, she cannot wait for Duncan to come over so she can have him murdered to help Macbeth become king. Lastly, The third quotation that reveals each characters personality, is a quote from Macduff saying, “O gentle lady! ‘Tis not for you to hear what I can speak; The...
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...such situation has parts of bot h sex, they usually consider themselves to be the sex that is assigned at birth. When a child is born a hermaphrodite, the gender at birth is determined by the combination of X and Y chromosomes. The X,X chromosomes combination produces female organs on the inside and external sexual organs that mimic those of a male. “The clitoris is enlarged and may resemble a small penis.” (Spencer A. Rathus, 2011) An individual who was born this way may have a hard time identifying with their gender identity. A hermaphrodite can be classified as a female based on the chromosome combination, but have a hard time identifying with the female gender because of the external sexual organs. According to the masculinity and femininity continuum, some individuals are considered to be more masculine and feminine than others. For example, a female who goes against a male for his position in the workplace would be considered more masculine. According to the text “A person who is highly masculine, whether male or female, may also possess feminine traits- and vice versa.” (Spencer A. Rathus. 2011) In my life, the number one factor that...
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...protective of her flowers and places a wire fence around them. She makes sure that "no aphids, no sow bugs or snails or cutworms"(page 351) get in there. The bugs represent harm to the flowers, and just like a good mother she gets rid of them before they can harm her children (plants). The chrysanthemums are a symbol of like children, and she is very proud of them. When Elisa's husband gives her attention and compliments her flowers that she had grown she gets happy and proud. Elisa is happy and pleased that she can grow these beautiful flowers. Elisa's pride in her ability to grow the flowers gives her the reinforcement that the flowers are a replacement for her children. The second part of the story the chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa's femininity and sexuality. The picture of Elisa taking care of the flowers as if they were her children is a feminine image. Elisa`s masculine image is also seen in her "hard-swept and hard-polished" home (page 354). The image is carried into her relationship with her husband. Elisa feels that Henry doesn't recognize or appreciate her. These feelings cause her to be antagonistic towards Henry. Henry fails to see his short-comings but Elisa does not point them out to...
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...Girl By Jamaica Kincaid Reading Response Question: What does this story suggest about the ideas of womanhood and femininity? The short story Girl by Jamaica Kincaid has many suggestions on how exactly womanhood be. The mother is very convinced that her daughter is going down a road of promiscuity and if she doesn’t change her ways, a slut she shall be. The instructions the mother gives are specific and they come quickly. Throughout the entire story, the daughter only responds once. Both responses prove that the daughter is naïve. She says, “but I don’t sing benna on Sundays at all, and never in Sunday school,’’ and she says at the end, “but what if the baker won’t let me feel the bread?” The exact responses prove that the daughter is trying to take the information in at her best ability but she is too young to get that full message that her mother is sending her. Her mother continuously says, “the slut you are bent on being,” because of how she acts which seem to be just childish acts that all children go through at a young age. Her mother’s obsession with femininity comes into play when she says, “ don’t squat down when you play marbles,” and “this is how you love a man.” She wants her daughter to find her womanly identity and master the art of womanhood without have to depend on a male. Not once did he r mother mention the help of a man when catching food or fixing things around the house. The mother believes strongly in independence and she feels that her daughter...
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...Disney's Beauty and the Beast can be seen as a very honest way of depicting how society feels about the gender roles of men and women. Firstly, of the main characters, two out of the three are in fact males. The interesting thing about this balance is that despite there being a higher number of males in the film, they are both shown to be at least partially villainous. Throughout the entirety of the film, the only two characters, main or otherwise, who truly embody and possess typically masculine characteristics (chivalry, a wish to fight to protect women, strength etc) are both depicted as being wrong, evil, and negative. The first of these two men is Gaston. Gaston is by all accounts, the villain of the piece. His great crime? He believes that he has a duty to woo Belle, something which in context is not such a bad act. He believes, according to the long espoused value of men being the ones to make the first move, of men being the ones who are forced to take the rejection when it comes and of men being the ones who are forced to make themselves entirely powerless in the relationship, that he should try to make Belle love him. This value is not a misogynistic value, and is in fact a value that has been endorsed throughout the entirety of time, as it places women on a pedestal as special and deserving of extra privilege. Gaston's other crime, as far as watchers of the film (and in fact Belle, the only character in the piece who is really deserving of positive reactions in full...
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...Sociology of Gender Gender is defined as the social distinctions between masculinity and femininity. People often use the terms gender and sex interchangeably. The former is defined above, whereas the latter is defined as a determination of male or female on the basis of a set of socially agreed-upon biological criteria. Music Videos such as Stupid Girls and If I Were A Boy by singers Pink and Beyonce respectively demonstrate clearly the assumptions or categorizations we evoke simply by using the terms girl or boy. Although the topic of gender in sociology is vast, this paper focuses on how gender is reproduced and how the gendered body is displayed in society. There are three ways in which gender is reproduced in society. It is reproduced through the family, education and the media. From birth begins gendered expectations. According to the social norm, the color pink is mainly associated as a feminine color and the color blue masculine. Family and friends who go to see the birth of a baby girl fill the hospital room with pink balloons, teddy bears with pink ribbons and if a boy was born the room would be filled with presents which are blue in color. Growing up, girls receive presents such dollhouses and kitchen sets which reinforce their femininity. Parents raise their boys and girls differently. Even though research shows that boys at an early age (around 2 years) are just as interested in playing with the same toys girls play...
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...roles “set not only by society but set by physiology”. “The current trend is for dads to be more hands on. But for all we know it may be proven in a hundred years time that that may be a negative thing for the upbringing of children,” he said recently on Seven’s Sunday Night program. “They’re there to be protective. A man has to have a good job; he has to do well at school so he can get a good job and support his family. A woman has to be loving and caring,” he said. As a 29-year-old single woman, many of my peers don’t appreciate my traditionalist views. I’d rather dodge a flying pair of high heels thrown at me in anger than pin a man under a pair of mine. Feminism has achieved victories for women, but could it be at the expense of femininity, chivalry and attributes of the opposite sex that instinctively attract us to each other? In his book The Way of the Superior Man, David Deida describes attraction between the masculine and the feminine as “sexual polarity”, referring to varying degrees of strength and vulnerability. “This force of attraction is the dynamism that often disappears in modern relationships. If you want real passion, you need a ravisher and a ravishee. Otherwise you just have two buddies who decide to rub genitals in bed,” he writes. Earlier this month, TopGear presenter James May...
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...are very deferential to figures of authority and generally accept an unequal distribution of power | | People readily question authority and expect to participate in decisions that affect them. | Individualism Individualism – the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. High | | Low | individuals are expected to take care of only themselves and their immediate families. | | represents a preference for a tightly-knit framework in society in which individuals can expect their relatives or members of a particular in-group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty | Masculinity What motivates people, wanting to be the best (Masculine) or liking what you do (Feminine). Masculinity | | Femininity | social gender roles are clearly distinct: Men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success; women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life. | | social gender roles overlap: Both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life. | Uncertainty Avoidance The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these High UA | | Low UA | maintain rigid codes of belief and behaviour and are intolerant of unorthodox behaviour and ideas | | maintain rigid codes of belief and behaviour and are intolerant of unorthodox behaviour...
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...Stereotypes can be defined as an overstated belief about an individual or a group based on their appearance, behavior or beliefs. Though our world seems to be developing in many other ways, it seems almost impossible to liberate it from stereotypes. Today, the media is so powerful that it can make or break an image of a person and also can change the views of the audience. The majority of people conform to those roles very early on, but sometimes the line blurs between femininity and masculinity. The media contributes to the blurring of the lines between the two. The media likes to show men who are strong, athletic, and independent. There are commercials for men that are rather neutral in emotion, or with fast-paced action. However, there are ads that show women being athletic and independent. Most of what the media says about women is that they are nice, pretty, delicate, and they wear their emotions on their sleeves. As one grows older, both sexes endure an incredible amount of pressure from the media to fit into their gender roles. If men show any feminine traits they are considered weak and are often not taken seriously. On the other hand, society views women with masculine qualities as hard-nosed or strong. Society is more lenient on women for not conforming to gender roles than they are for men. For example, society is less tolerant of men with feminine qualities than women who have masculine qualities. It is common to see a commercial for a household cleaner which involves...
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...feminine shaped artifacts may contribute to several other groups believing that goddesses had previously existed. “A growing number of archaeologists and anthropologists and other scholars, including historians, theologians, literary critics, and social theorists, have seen in these artifacts proof than human societies worshiped an all-powerful Great Goddess from whom the many goddesses of the historical period are descended” (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 102). The article by Edwina Ings-Chambers is about modern day fashion which is inspired from garments supposedly worn by ancient Greek goddesses. The fashion styles which include designer brand names such as Prada, Donna Karen and Yohji Yamamoto, are designs which promote beauty, femininity, strength, power and confidence. In the article,...
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...Kin Kang Dr. Tredennick English 330 12/20/13 Cymbeline as Mother When reading through Shakespeare’s tragicomedy, Cymbeline, I tended to want to find the archetypal vices in the heros of the play. Among the most honorable characters: Posthumous, Imogen, Guiderius, and Arviragus, we find that only Posthumous seems to have the only recognizable character flaw in bargaining off his wife for gold. In almost all respects, the children of Cymbeline are perfect characters within the Elizabethan patriarchal ideal. The three of them have an incomplete parentage in the play, having an absent mother, and being displaced in the case of the boys. With the role of motherhood being so very important to child-development, the question becomes: how did these perfect characters get this way without the essential role of the mother? Of course in the heavily misogynistic society, the mother plays the part of enemy even in parenting, as the female body and character is something that must be conquered in order to successfully rear virtuous sons. In this play, this challenge is sidestepped by Cymbeline’s claim to motherhood. In Cymbeline, Shakespeare creates a familial fantasy within which the role of the mother is fully excised from the gender play of traditional Elizabethan parenthood, fostering purely masculine childrearing. Cymbeline takes on the role of the mother, embodying a purer space for child development that rids itself of the female body: the source of contamination to the ideal...
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