Key Issue Two: Representation of Gender in Gothic Writing (Nkechi, Natali, Rosa, Raitha)

Representation of gender in gothic literature:

https://oibwithmrsc.blogspot.com/

General info:

• Set in the 18th and 19th century + gender roles were extremely strict and rigid with a male dominant society

• Stereotypical representation of both genders + social norms of the time

• Gothic literature: real evidence of gender  

• Named after the location where the tales often take place: old manor houses, castles and abbeys (monasteries) considered “barbarian” architectural forms when compared to the classical forms

• Often concerns the struggles of women in an overbearing patriarchal society

Presence of a huge separation between the representation of men and women.

• representation of marriage: seen as cold-man and woman are emotionally distant and quite formal. 

Men:

• Have a certain type of power over women (obeying to their husband)=> Strong and sense of masculinity 

• Represented as monsters (ill physically and mentally)

• Vilains (use sexuality as a weapon)

• Often controlled by seductive+desire

• Centers around the archetype of the landed-gentry: lords and kings of their estates, and representative of the male society's rule over women. 

• Had power and often demanded female characters into unthinkable acts and assaults on their virtue, including forced marriage and criminal acts. These demands often force the female into hysterical emotions: fainting, screaming or utter terror.

• Prominent money makers of the household and held important religious, political and public positions. 

• Men belittle women, seen as superior intellectuals

• 
  

Women: 

• Represented as victims (fragile, pure, rarely productive, screaming, running, easily scared)

• Pure => virgins+values (use their purity to manipulate)

• Rewarded for their femininity and punished for showing masculine traits such as intelligence or unrepressed sexual desires 

• Anxieties concerning marriage, childbirth, and independence

• Objects of desire, maternal figures

• Archeypes, such as the persecuted maiden, femme fatale and the virtuous mother figure

• The character's resolve and identity is often determined by the type of male tyranny inflicted upon them.

•  This exploration of female identity within a society that oppresses them defines their role in the Gothic genre. How their dignity and values remain, and often win, while male characters often break in their desire for, and need of, the female characters, is where roles diverge, taking a feminist turn in a male-dominated literary society.

• Expected to be the homemakers, staying at home to take care of the house and children. 

=>Masculinity is just as stereotyped as femininity and like female characters, a male character who goes against the norm is seen in a negative way .

¤Information from links¤

Gender Represented In the Gothic Novel : 

• Presenting women in a particular light can often have a profound effect upon a text, completely altering a reader’s interpretation

• Two main female roles within Gothic literature:

- The predator: dangerous yet powerfully attractive + helps portray the pain/pleasure paradox that has come to be synonymous with Gothic lit.

- The victim: fragile and vulnerable + gives the heroes something to rescue + is often the prize for their brave endeavours (attempts). 

• Occasionally Gothic writers seem to blur lines between these stereotypical characters in order to add depth, uncertainty and suspense. 

Picture of Dorian gray:

• How are men portrayed ?

(Men rule over the novel: 

The novel is presented from a male point of view. 

The picture of Dorian Gray explores various facets of masculinity : the artist, basil, the aristocrat, lord Henry and the young dorian Gray, representing the perfectness of youth.« youth is the only thing worth having »p24.

They each represent a different aspect of masculinity at the time but could also suggest the 3 capacities a man had to develop.

-> in addition, in the first few chapters we are only introduced to male characters. The reader is not even aware of the women in the novel. 

Women are underrepresented ; not a lot of characters- 

overpowered by man and are governed by their emotions

Seem to be governed by their emotions

Sibylle: an actress and Dorian likes her. 

Intellect is more developed in male characters than female characters. 

=> the preface: quite a male point of view

Use of « he, for the critic, himself, man »

Presence of a tension between men at the beginning of the novel. Sense of jealousy of Basil between the relationship Henry has with dorian. 

-> question on the relationships between men. Are they attracted to each other? 

Does oscar wilde want to portray a diff image  of the men? It is an explicit analysis maybe to not be censored for his time.  

Gender in Gothic Literature - literatureessaysamples.com

Diverging Roles of Men & Women in Gothic Literature - Pen and the Pad