Issues Regarding Gender Discrimination In Society In Literature - Research Paper Example

Issues Regarding Gender Discrimination In Society In Literature Introduction Ibsen in his play A Doll’s House and Gaspell in her play Trifles have taken up issues regarding gender discrimination in society. In the two plays of different genres the common theme of a male-dominated society is explored from different perspectives. While Ibsen focuses on marriage and the relationship between husband and wife and how the gender factor dictates the institution of marriage, Gaspell reconstructs the domestic world of women that is otherwise considered as trifle by men and impregnates it with significant meaning. A comparison of the texts shows that though they deal with the larger issue of the subservience of women and their revolt each author works from different philosophical basis. Ibsen condemns the stereotypical gender codes constructed by the patriarchal nature of society from the humanitarian postmodernist point of view while Glaspell is overtly feminist in her treatment of the theme. Deconstruction of gender codes in Ibsen’s play Ibsen begins the story with the conventional setting of an apparently ideal family upheld by the Western culture with the father as the protector and bread earner (Shideler). Ibsen points out the ideal only to disillusion by presenting the irony of such a concept. He subverts the gender codes that society has created and points out how wrongfully such false and erroneous notions can disrupt man-woman relationship. Ibsen focuses to bring forth the fact that the gender codes have no validity and should not be held as scriptures. In his play he deconstructs the patriarchal notions time and again to expose societal compulsions of role playing and how women become the worst victims of such unrealistic expectations and norms. His play centres on Torvald and his wife Nora where the husband Torvald believes in and religiously go by the fact that a man is the master of his household. He sways his authority over his wife and children and they obey him as something normal and natural. But it is the financial instability and Torvald’s inability to prove himself as the saviour that begins to raise doubts and questions about the ‘father-figure’ of the male authority. Ibsen has deliberately shown that it is financial independence of men and dependence of women that have actually been the reason for the empowerment of men and subjugation of women (Shideler). He in the course of his play shows that with the role reversal of the bread earner there is a shift of power. Ibsen tends to break all patriarchal myths by reducing them to be based on mere economical reasons. By making Nora take up the role of the bread earner and deal with all financial matters that are meant for men Ibsen makes his standpoint clear. But Ibsen does not ridicule the myth of the father-figure rather he tries to show that how the social concept has been exaggerated to the point of obliterating the other complementary concept of motherhood and given sole importance. Ibsen seems to be against the unequal and biased approach of society towards the constructs of the ‘father’ and the ‘mother’. He tends to point out that with time the concept of the father figure has undergone a change from being the loving protector to the authoritative and omnipotent autocrat. Therefore the search for the ideal father figure becomes the central theme of his play. Ibsen has captured a woman’s fancy of being loved and protected by a strong yet loving male persona (Shideler). Ibsen questions such wishful thinking and refers it to be an extension of the male-dominated structure of society and the way it has conditioned the thoughts of both the sexes regarding their respective roles. Nora wanted to be salvaged by a father-figure and wished it to be Torvald only to realize that she has herself to fight her battle against the odds of life (Shideler). She also realizes the limitations of patriarchal ideology which relegates women to the role of the wife and the mother and ignores her individual identity. It becomes evident in Nora’s words “I’ve been your doll wife just as at home I was Papa’s doll child” (A Doll’s House, p. 191). Ibsen takes up the issue of identity crisis in women who are known by their father’s name and then by their husband’s. But Ibsen makes Nora choose her own identity as writer who has the power to create and name and whose signature is considered with great respect. It is through Nora’s journey from a state of conformity to societal norms to that of disagreement and challenge against the gender codes that make the play truly feminist. Deconstruction of gender codes in Glaspell’s play Glaspell’s play Trifles is similar yet different from Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House. The similarity lies in the themes and the larger issue of gender discrimination on the basis of certain codes constructed by society. Glaspell throws light on the other aspect of women’s life that contributes to her identity and makes her world meaningful. At the same time she highlights on the sharp intellect, keen observation power and ability to correlate in women. The title of the play ‘The Trifles’ ironically becomes an indicator of the wrong notions about women created by the patriarchal society. She shows how the things those are being neglected by men as trifles and often considered to be of the women’s domain of knowledge become significant (Marsh). Gaspell’s story consists of two country women Mrs Peters “a slight wiry women, with a thin nervous face” and Mrs Hale who is “comfortable looking”. From the characterization it becomes evident that Gaspell has chosen stereotypical characters with the intention to make them stand out with their individuality by virtue of their intelligence and sensibilities. It is Gaspell’s attempt to deconstruct the gender codes by emphasizing on those those men generally think of as trifles and take for granted. In the play both the women accompany their husbands to the house of a country farmer who had been strangled to death. But while the wives gathered significant information from ‘a loaf of bread left out of the breadbox’, ‘a kitchen table half wiped’, ‘a quilt in progress’ and the ‘missing canary’ the men folk paid no heed to them (Trifles). As a result both Mrs Peters and Mrs Hale very well knew who had been the murderer on the basis of those trifles which could be used as evidences against the murderer, while the men were groping in the darkness for evidences in spite of suspecting the wife to be the murderer. Glaspell like Ibsen has tried to give women their share of credit in being intelligent and efficient rather than criticizing them for attempting to do those works which are ironically marked as men’s domain. Both the playwrights are against categorising activities on the basis of gender as has been proclaimed by the gender codes. Difference in philosophical approach between the two plays The point of difference between the two plays apart from being the plot line is the way the women protagonists react and respond to the gender codes. Nora in Ibsen’s play initially conformed to the patriarchal norms but gradually became disillusioned about them. She went ahead to establish her own identity not as a woman but as an individual who has her rights and free will. Ibsen’s approach is post modernist and he seems to decode and break the myths. On the other hand Glaspell’s play is predominantly feminist. The plot line makes it obvious. In the story the two women Mrs Peters and Mrs Hale knowing the culprit to be the farmer’s wife Mrs Wright choose to remain silent in order to save her. It was from Mrs Wright that they came to know the brutality of her husband and it was the least that they could do to help her. Glaspell conveys the message of unity and empathy among all women and at the same time harps at the intellect and cleverness to rise to the occasion without faltering (Marsh). Conclusion In conclusion it might be said that Ibsen has questioned the gender constructs that have been created prioritising the rights of men over women when both should enjoy equality. Ibsen has taken up the concept of the father figure as projected in the Western culture and shows how in reality very few men successfully play the part of the ideal father. Nora’s realization of reality and her desire to assert her own identity becomes the main issue in Ibsen’s play. Glaspell on the other hand has not gone into direct questioning of the established norms of society. But by weaving the story in such a fashion she has subtly yet distinctly went in to subvert the gender codes by ironically making the trifles significant. Her protagonists Mrs Peters and Mrs Hale do not go for direct confrontation but their silence in suppressing the evidences against Mrs Wright indicate their revolt against the oppression of women in the name of societal norms. Their support to Mrs Wright shows that women were gradually trying to reach out and unite in their pains and anger to bring a change in the perspective of people including both the sexes about women. Works Cited Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Plays. Boston: Small, 1920. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. Ibsen: The Complete Major Prose Plays. Trans. Rolf Fjelde. New York: New American Library, 1978. 119-196. Marsh, K.A. “Dead Husbands and Other "Girls' Stuff": The Trifles in Legally Blonde”. Literature/Film Quarterly 33.3 (2005) 201-206 Shideler, R. “Ibsen and the name-of-the-father”. Scandinavian Studies 69.3 (1997) 277-295 Read More