The clear division of roles between males and females in the late 19th century Victorian era, display distinct characteristics that define how a man and woman are to behave. These attributes, or gender roles, determine the standard of society, and is what is considered to be acceptable behaviour. Author, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, more commonly known as Lewis Carroll, challenges the patriarchal gender roles in the Victorian Era by exchanging the typical attributes associated with males and females in his literary work of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Swapping gender roles is important, especially in the Victorian Era, as it serves as a means to pinpoint how extreme male-dominated or extreme female-dominated features are absurd, or almost
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Though the King’s decisions would typically demand unrivaled obedience, this quotation displays the Queens ultimate authority over the execution. The Queen commands the guards to behead Alice, and the King is the one who asks his wife to reconsider, thus implying that the Queen has more authority over the King, which leads me to my next point. Where a Victorian day female would show sympathy towards a child in danger, it is the King that shows concern towards Alice by asking the Queen to reconsider her demand of beheading the young protagonist. The combined sympathy towards Alice, as well as the fear of and compliance to the Queen of Hearts further prove how Carroll challenges Victorian Era gender roles by flipping them entirely.
Though men are not completely devoid of emotion, women tend to take on the role of a sentimental character. These sentimental characteristics reigns true of the Mock Turtle, a male creature who is seen as someone full of sorrow and sadness. Upon the introduction of the Mock Turtle, Alice notes …show more content…
Note that the attributions to Alice’s masculine imitations are believed, not to have come from a manly figure, but rather, to have come from the Queen of Hearts. This masculinization of the women characters prove the reversal of gender roles, and offers an alternate outlook on
Though the King’s decisions would typically demand unrivaled obedience, this quotation displays the Queens ultimate authority over the execution. The Queen commands the guards to behead Alice, and the King is the one who asks his wife to reconsider, thus implying that the Queen has more authority over the King, which leads me to my next point. Where a Victorian day female would show sympathy towards a child in danger, it is the King that shows concern towards Alice by asking the Queen to reconsider her demand of beheading the young protagonist. The combined sympathy towards Alice, as well as the fear of and compliance to the Queen of Hearts further prove how Carroll challenges Victorian Era gender roles by flipping them entirely.
Though men are not completely devoid of emotion, women tend to take on the role of a sentimental character. These sentimental characteristics reigns true of the Mock Turtle, a male creature who is seen as someone full of sorrow and sadness. Upon the introduction of the Mock Turtle, Alice notes …show more content…
Note that the attributions to Alice’s masculine imitations are believed, not to have come from a manly figure, but rather, to have come from the Queen of Hearts. This masculinization of the women characters prove the reversal of gender roles, and offers an alternate outlook on