Betjeman’s idea of an optimal female is describe in all three poems, he represents all three women in what seems to be a socially acceptable. The women created in the poems appear as unusual and interesting yet administer a sense of power amongst them. He describes them as ‘nonchalantly’, shocked-headed’ and egocentric ‘listen to a lady’s cry’’. Betjeman prominently describes them as ‘feminine’ which is defined as ‘a set of culturally defined characteristics ‘ looking through the lens of society most of the females mentioned would be deemed as a typical woman in the 1900. Observing them closely they all are no more than familiar gender stereotypes. Notably, authors do fall back on the stereotypes within society, as they unintentionally assemble
…show more content…
The male member of the congregation refers to ‘the Mistress’ as ‘nonchalantly’ which suggests how elegant and ‘lady-like’ she appears to him. The word ‘Lenten’ in the title is associated with lent, discipline, sacrifice and fasting, the narrator in the story attempts to withdraw his thoughts of the Mistress by referencing to the components that make the church holy ‘tenor bell’ ,’ incense veil’ and ‘altar rail’. Perhaps we’d imagine the member to describe his ideal woman in a sacred and preserved tone yet he comes across as slightly predatorily and eager, as he demonstrates his obsession of ‘the mistress’ by elevating her to the likeliness of God by comparing ‘her voice as soft and deep/ As the Christ Church tenor bell’ indicating the true mindset of the Christian ,as a church bell is signified to call a congregation to worship in unity but here he seems to be worshipping ‘the mistress’ by making her the centre of all his beliefs and by sexually executing this female church figure. Although, it could be argued that Betjeman satires a member of the congregation by provoking his holy exterior to his customary secular thoughts, as despite his devoted and committed lifestyle, he is still confining to typical views in society especially as he does not uplift females’ due to the ‘mechanisms of patriarchy… which influence typical images of women
The male member of the congregation refers to ‘the Mistress’ as ‘nonchalantly’ which suggests how elegant and ‘lady-like’ she appears to him. The word ‘Lenten’ in the title is associated with lent, discipline, sacrifice and fasting, the narrator in the story attempts to withdraw his thoughts of the Mistress by referencing to the components that make the church holy ‘tenor bell’ ,’ incense veil’ and ‘altar rail’. Perhaps we’d imagine the member to describe his ideal woman in a sacred and preserved tone yet he comes across as slightly predatorily and eager, as he demonstrates his obsession of ‘the mistress’ by elevating her to the likeliness of God by comparing ‘her voice as soft and deep/ As the Christ Church tenor bell’ indicating the true mindset of the Christian ,as a church bell is signified to call a congregation to worship in unity but here he seems to be worshipping ‘the mistress’ by making her the centre of all his beliefs and by sexually executing this female church figure. Although, it could be argued that Betjeman satires a member of the congregation by provoking his holy exterior to his customary secular thoughts, as despite his devoted and committed lifestyle, he is still confining to typical views in society especially as he does not uplift females’ due to the ‘mechanisms of patriarchy… which influence typical images of women