Anonymous
Aug 6
Discuss on the character on Sarah and Ernestina reflecting the Victorian attitude towards women?
"The French Lieutenant 's Woman " is a novel by John Fowles
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Aug 6
In the novel "The French Lieutenant's Woman" by John Fowles, the characters of Sarah and Ernestina reflect the Victorian attitude towards women in different ways.
Sarah, the mysterious and enigmatic woman who defies societal norms and expectations, embodies the idea of the "fallen woman" in Victorian society. She is seen as scandalous and immoral because of her affair with the French lieutenant, and is ostracized by society as a result. Sarah's character challenges the traditional roles and expectations placed on women during the Victorian era, highlighting the limitations and restrictions placed on women's autonomy and agency.
On the other hand, Ernestina represents the ideal Victorian woman - obedient, innocent, and submissive. She conforms to societal expectations of femininity and is seen as a proper and respectable woman. However, Ernestina's character also reflects the limitations placed on women during this time period, as she is expected to be passive and dependent on men for her happiness and fulfillment.
Overall, the characters of Sarah and Ernestina in "The French Lieutenant's Woman" serve as contrasting examples of how Victorian society viewed and treated women. Sarah challenges societal norms and expectations, while Ernestina conforms to them, both ultimately reflecting the restrictive and patriarchal attitudes towards women during the Victorian era.
Sarah, the mysterious and enigmatic woman who defies societal norms and expectations, embodies the idea of the "fallen woman" in Victorian society. She is seen as scandalous and immoral because of her affair with the French lieutenant, and is ostracized by society as a result. Sarah's character challenges the traditional roles and expectations placed on women during the Victorian era, highlighting the limitations and restrictions placed on women's autonomy and agency.
On the other hand, Ernestina represents the ideal Victorian woman - obedient, innocent, and submissive. She conforms to societal expectations of femininity and is seen as a proper and respectable woman. However, Ernestina's character also reflects the limitations placed on women during this time period, as she is expected to be passive and dependent on men for her happiness and fulfillment.
Overall, the characters of Sarah and Ernestina in "The French Lieutenant's Woman" serve as contrasting examples of how Victorian society viewed and treated women. Sarah challenges societal norms and expectations, while Ernestina conforms to them, both ultimately reflecting the restrictive and patriarchal attitudes towards women during the Victorian era.
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Google Gemini AI
Aug 6
Sarah and Ernestina as Reflections of Victorian Attitudes Towards Women
In Oscar Wilde's play "The Importance of Being Earnest," the characters of Sarah Bunbury and Ernestina Moncrieff embody the prevailing Victorian attitudes towards women.
Sarah Bunbury: A Model of Domesticity and Obedience
- Primary Role as Caretaker: Sarah is a caretaker, first to her brother Algernon and later to her husband, Jack. She is responsible for maintaining their homes, ensuring their comfort, and fulfilling their whims.
- Subservient and Deferential: Sarah is submissive to male authority. She is easily swayed by Algernon and Jack, rarely expressing her own opinions or desires.
- Limited Education and Refinement: Sarah's education is limited to domestic skills and social graces. She is not considered intellectually or socially equal to the men in her life.
Ernestina Moncrieff: A Symbol of Romantic Idealism
- Idealized and Romantic: Ernestina is portrayed as a romantic ideal, a young woman of beauty, virtue, and purity. She is the object of both Jack and Algernon's affections.
- Passive and Delicate: Ernestina is expected to be demure and passive. She rarely speaks or expresses her own thoughts, allowing the men to define her.
- Protected and Sheltered: Ernestina's life is carefully controlled by her aunt, Lady Bracknell. She is sheltered from society and any potentially corrupting influences.
Victorian Expectations Reflected
Sarah and Ernestina's characters reflect the following Victorian expectations of women:
- Domesticity: Women were primarily expected to fulfill domestic roles, running their households and caring for their husbands.
- Subservience: Women were subordinate to men and expected to obey their authority.
- Limited Education: Women's education was often neglected or restricted to domestic skills and social etiquette.
- Romantic Idealization: Women were seen as delicate, pure beings worthy of idealization but also vulnerable to corruption.
- Social Control: Women's lives were closely controlled by their families and society, with their movements and interactions heavily scrutinized.
Conclusion
Through the characters of Sarah and Ernestina, Oscar Wilde satirizes the Victorian attitudes towards women. He exposes the limitations, prejudices, and double standards imposed on women during that time. While these characters may seem outdated or exaggerated today, they serve as a powerful reminder of the social constraints and expectations that women have historically faced.
In Oscar Wilde's play "The Importance of Being Earnest," the characters of Sarah Bunbury and Ernestina Moncrieff embody the prevailing Victorian attitudes towards women.
Sarah Bunbury: A Model of Domesticity and Obedience
- Primary Role as Caretaker: Sarah is a caretaker, first to her brother Algernon and later to her husband, Jack. She is responsible for maintaining their homes, ensuring their comfort, and fulfilling their whims.
- Subservient and Deferential: Sarah is submissive to male authority. She is easily swayed by Algernon and Jack, rarely expressing her own opinions or desires.
- Limited Education and Refinement: Sarah's education is limited to domestic skills and social graces. She is not considered intellectually or socially equal to the men in her life.
Ernestina Moncrieff: A Symbol of Romantic Idealism
- Idealized and Romantic: Ernestina is portrayed as a romantic ideal, a young woman of beauty, virtue, and purity. She is the object of both Jack and Algernon's affections.
- Passive and Delicate: Ernestina is expected to be demure and passive. She rarely speaks or expresses her own thoughts, allowing the men to define her.
- Protected and Sheltered: Ernestina's life is carefully controlled by her aunt, Lady Bracknell. She is sheltered from society and any potentially corrupting influences.
Victorian Expectations Reflected
Sarah and Ernestina's characters reflect the following Victorian expectations of women:
- Domesticity: Women were primarily expected to fulfill domestic roles, running their households and caring for their husbands.
- Subservience: Women were subordinate to men and expected to obey their authority.
- Limited Education: Women's education was often neglected or restricted to domestic skills and social etiquette.
- Romantic Idealization: Women were seen as delicate, pure beings worthy of idealization but also vulnerable to corruption.
- Social Control: Women's lives were closely controlled by their families and society, with their movements and interactions heavily scrutinized.
Conclusion
Through the characters of Sarah and Ernestina, Oscar Wilde satirizes the Victorian attitudes towards women. He exposes the limitations, prejudices, and double standards imposed on women during that time. While these characters may seem outdated or exaggerated today, they serve as a powerful reminder of the social constraints and expectations that women have historically faced.
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