How Women Were Treated in The Victorian Age Compared to Now
Makowsky, Veronica A., and Veronica Makowsky. Susan Glaspell’s Century of American women: A critical interpretation of her work. Oxford University Press on Demand, 1993.
The article provides broad captivating sights of a woman’s life who overcame the obstacles against journalists who were female. She advocated for social democracy, fought against the principles of Greenwich Village free love, and amongst the initiators of the Provincetown Players. Moreover, she took part in sessions of the egalitarianism Heterodoxy Club, prioritized the concerns of women on the theatre as a scriptwriter and performer, and composed about a stormy period of American females with bravery and optimism. However, her discussion is frequently more submissive than being informative. The most exciting aspect of the article is the analysis offered by the author on what she terms as Glaspell’s growing usage of motherly representation. This involves a mode of viewing the world through living and being compassionate for children, which offers a foundation for accomplishment in the world. However, as she makes it clear, Glaspell was hardly capable of allowing her female characters to act on that principle in their names effectively. Makowsky positions Glaspell’s literature in its factual and social setting, with specific consideration to Glaspell’s representation of the role of women throughout American history. This fascinating reading salvages one of America’s fictitious authors from absolute insignificance, disputing acknowledged concepts about the situations that result in fictional prominence.
Templeton, Joan. “The doll house backlash: Criticism, feminism, and Ibsen.” Publications of the Modern Language Association of America (1989): 28-40.
The article is one of the modern literary texts that has prompted a methodical reaction that would protect the author from feminism, refuting that sheer gender might have a place in Ibsen’s universal art. On the other hand, it lays claims that Nora Helmer is too unpredictable, playful, deceitful, and uncharacteristic to be regarded as a female heroine. The disagreement that Nora signifies not only females but everyman is in itself based on gender. The disordered concepts that Nora’s criticizers portray on feminism and how it is related to art leads them to maintain similarly irrational points. However, their indictments against Nora, which recaps those of her foil and partner, establish both a grave misunderstanding and, involuntarily, a sort of false deconstruction that contradicts the piece’s soundness and value. Finally, the study on Ibsen’s life demonstrates that every claim is conflicting, and his intentions in A Doll House were systematically egalitarianist. The article offers fundamental aspects of literature through the usage of modern and contemporary works to illustrate how females were regarded in the Victorian period compared to now.
Tolhurst, Lisa. “Feminism and Women’s Writing.” Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature (2006). Literary Reference Center Plus.
The article illustrates the designation of women’s movement in relation to the ladies’ independence and their civil privileges as inhabitants that initially emerged in 1910 throughout the ladies’ suffrage programme. The movement was managed by Came Chapman Catt who was identified as the director of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. The innovative programme advanced the principles towards, as was specified by Cate, “a universal upheaval in opposition to all artificial obstacles which regulations and civilizations interject amongst females and human liberty.” This was geared towards empowerment of women in various fields such as education, economic and art. In large part, the ancient American female authors were different from their English colleagues primarily in their concern in devout difficulties and policies. The American females’ source arrived with the ancient pioneers such as Anne Hutchinson, who strode upon the theology domain dominated by men who conducted meetings for females, in her home. The article also illustrates how, despite women being defined by family and were denied voting rights, the 20th century opened a wide range of opportunities for every woman with professional objectives.