Sexual Economies In The House Of Mirth And In The Awakening
...those of female oppression by patriarchal society, of societal constraints with regard to female sexuality and freedom of expression, as well as of strict etiquette and virtuous habits of behavior. The prudish, sexually repressed Victorians guarded themselves against any temptation. Nevertheless, even in conservative marriages, the consummation of love and the creation of one's own home and family were inevitable. Sex and sexuality, therefore, were unavoidable issues for the Victorians. In fact, the proper ways to act within high society were taught by women themselves who wrote conduct manuals, ladies' magazines and novels (Benstock, 1994, p. 335). This female propriety concerned sexual matters, as well. On the other side, however, there were also women who decided not to conform to the social rules and boldly expressed their opinions. These women were in most of the cases writers or publicists, as writing was one of the very few activities that women were allowed to perform. Therefore, it is easy to see that the notions and values common in this period, like for instance Victorian sexual mores, chaste motherliness etc., wondered and outraged not only the 21st century societies, but also many Victorians - both female and male.
In the first part of my paper, I will present/depict the general position of women in the late 19th c. not only their traditional, socially accepted roles but also the new, rebellious ones. Then I am going to show Kate Chopin and Edith Wharton as two examples of Victorian womanhood, who suffered from the inner conflicts, tried to find their place in the society, and struggled for both physical and spiritual independence. The fourth part of the paper deals with Edith Wharton's novel and the portrayal of its female protagonist who is torn between the ideals of the materialist environment and her desire to love and be loved truly. In...
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