Living in a patriarchal society could be described as living in perpetual confinement, where traditional gender roles are the indestructible shackles that allow no escape. Consequently, if one wants to be accepted, one has to conform to the rules set by patriarchy. Differing from the norm can bring about horrible consequences, such as being belittled, despised and the most horrible one of them, being shunned by the community one is part of.
In this essay, my purpose is to show how damaging traditional gender roles can be, focusing on how Rip Van Winkle and Dame Van Winkle differ from the norm and how they are perceived by their community, as a consequence. In order to reach my goal, I am going to make use of the theories developed by Simone …show more content…
Moreover, he has failed in his role as a provider, which according to Tyson is the failure hardest to take as a man: “Failure to provide adequate economic support for one’s family is considered the most humiliating failure a man can experience because it means that he has failed at what is considered his biological role as provider.” (87). It can also be said that he exhibits woman-like behaviour, if one takes into account his lack of authority, his fear to be forthright, which is, as observed by Tyson: “inferior, beneath the dignity of manhood.” (88). Consequently, he not only failed as a father, as a provider, but also as a man: “On an individual level, much of what we associate with masculinity hinges on a man’s capacity to exercise power and control.” (Kaufman …show more content…
Under normal consequences, she would have been seen as a heroine for going to great lengths to assure her family’s welfare, however, because she is not the embodiment of what the traditional gender roles stood for, she is looked upon as a shrew, a tyrant. As Tyson held:
“The main female characters are stereotyped as either “good girls” (gentle, submissive, virginal, angelic) or “bad girls” (violent, aggressive, worldly, monstrous). These characterizations imply that if a woman does not accept her patriarchal gender role, then the only role left her is that of a monster” (89)
If women do not succumb to the role they have been assigned, no matter the reasons, they are turned into antagonists, the villains of their stories. So, it should not come as a surprise that Dame Van Winkle’s death brings relief to everybody, especially her own husband: “There was a drop of comfort, at least, in this intelligence.” (Irving
In this essay, my purpose is to show how damaging traditional gender roles can be, focusing on how Rip Van Winkle and Dame Van Winkle differ from the norm and how they are perceived by their community, as a consequence. In order to reach my goal, I am going to make use of the theories developed by Simone …show more content…
Moreover, he has failed in his role as a provider, which according to Tyson is the failure hardest to take as a man: “Failure to provide adequate economic support for one’s family is considered the most humiliating failure a man can experience because it means that he has failed at what is considered his biological role as provider.” (87). It can also be said that he exhibits woman-like behaviour, if one takes into account his lack of authority, his fear to be forthright, which is, as observed by Tyson: “inferior, beneath the dignity of manhood.” (88). Consequently, he not only failed as a father, as a provider, but also as a man: “On an individual level, much of what we associate with masculinity hinges on a man’s capacity to exercise power and control.” (Kaufman …show more content…
Under normal consequences, she would have been seen as a heroine for going to great lengths to assure her family’s welfare, however, because she is not the embodiment of what the traditional gender roles stood for, she is looked upon as a shrew, a tyrant. As Tyson held:
“The main female characters are stereotyped as either “good girls” (gentle, submissive, virginal, angelic) or “bad girls” (violent, aggressive, worldly, monstrous). These characterizations imply that if a woman does not accept her patriarchal gender role, then the only role left her is that of a monster” (89)
If women do not succumb to the role they have been assigned, no matter the reasons, they are turned into antagonists, the villains of their stories. So, it should not come as a surprise that Dame Van Winkle’s death brings relief to everybody, especially her own husband: “There was a drop of comfort, at least, in this intelligence.” (Irving