Understanding Gender Politics in Literature: A study of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

Aamir Shehzad

doi:10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n11p734

Abstract

This paper attempts to analyze characterization patterns of male characters in female writing. The aim of this study is to explore the construction of female gender subjectivity while representing male characters in their novels. It has generally been considered that gender politics plays a very significant role in depicting male and female characterization in literature. Female authors engage themselves in over exaltation of female characters and display liking towards them by foregrounding the strengths of their female characters over their weaknesses; and reveal degeneration of male counterparts. Similarly male authors are inherently inclined towards male characters and reflect patriarchy in their works. It has also been analyzed that genuine representation of men by women writers and women by men writers, is not possible; there is always writer’s gender subjectivity involved in the representation of characters. Gender identity and gendered representation are the focal concerns in this analysis and I have selected Anne Bronte’s novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall for my gender analysis.This research concludes that gender – apart from biological sex – plays a vital role in determining male and female characterization in literature. Female gender characteristics permeate in the portrayal of male character, language and psychology. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n11p734

Highlights

Literature is generally referred as the representation of the contemporary life, as life transforms with the changing scenarios of time literature is influenced by these socio-political changes
It is assumed that every literary artist is somehow concerned with universalism, and depict objective and universal characters in their writings but these characters are neither objective nor timeless as they reflect history, culture as well as gender subjectivity
As the philosopher Simon de Beauvoir (1949) said all human beings are not born with tags of man or woman but it is society that makes them either man or woman (p. 118)

Summary

Introduction

Literature is generally referred as the representation of the contemporary life, as life transforms with the changing scenarios of time literature is influenced by these socio-political changes. Feminist Literary Theory is related to the influence of gender on writings and readings It often takes into account social discrimination and provides a critique to the patriarchal culture that is devised to favor males. This kind of analysis can be called feminist critique, which attempts to investigate the ideological hypotheses of any literary phenomenon It takes into account the stereotypical representations of women in literature and helps to transform these pre-supposition, as we know that women are generally associated with the characteristics of motherhood, like caring, loving, taking interest in household affairs, less rational, emotional, and sensitive and weak nerved, while the second type focuses on ‘the woman as writer’;. Inspite of everything Bronte’s female protagonist bravely walks out on her own, taking her son with her

Gendered Representation of Gilbert Markham

Conclusion