Gender norms, or standards, which have their origins in social pressures or cultural perceptions, serve as the foundation for gender roles. In many societies, female roles are frequently equated with obedience, comfort, and complacency. The stories written by Constance Woolson Fenimore, Mary Wilkins Freeman, and Jaqueline Bishop highlight the harmful gender roles and discrimination that still remains a major topic for disputes and illustrate the fate of oppressed women. The female characters in these stories undoubtedly have different aspirations, motives, and contexts, but their attempts to achieve happiness and fulfillment by challenging gender roles are what unites them.
The protagonist, Louisa, in Mary E. Wilkins’s narrative A New England Nun, is compelled by societal structure to play the role of a woman who is waiting for her loved one to get married. Women in this century played a specific role in society and were expected to be “feminine”. They were either spouses or mothers who did the cooking and cleaning. Even if Louisa appears to be devoted to these imposed gender roles at first, she eventually seeks refuge in her own desires and deviates from the artificial societal roles (Wilkins). Being single your entire life because you prefer to be by yourself was a radical idea, especially for a woman. Louisa had preferences, schedules, and passions, and in order to be happy, she disregarded marriage norms. However, many women were indeed beginning to reassess housework as a means of self-sufficiency during that time. Freeman uses Louisa to depict a woman who defied societal expectations and was equally satisfied with her own solitude.
Constance Fenimore Woolson’s Miss Grief was released in the 19th century, a crucial time in English literature and a time in which a fair number of women made significant strides in an overwhelmingly male-dominated field. It is told from the viewpoint of a successful male author and exemplifies an aspiring female author’s, Aaronna, steadfast efforts to meet him and attract his recognition for her career. When Aaronna Moncrief says that her “father was much disappointed that I was not a boy, and gave me as nearly as possible the name he had prepared—Aaron,” she alludes to the problem of sexism (Woolson 445). Aaronna is characterized by the sexist and conceited male author, Joe, as a woman who “sacrificed her womanly claims by her persistent attacks upon my door” (Woolson 273). Direct displays of female rage were once frowned upon, and many would concur that they continue to be unacceptable today. Woolson demonstrates how such strong emotions inexorably come to the surface under the immense pressure of gender roles. Aaronna Moncrief ultimately sacrifices her marital life and well-being to follow her purpose as a writer.
Beautiful Things by Jaqueline Bishop is a short story about a man, Emmanuel, who constantly womanizes and sexualizes women, a man who no longer loves his wife because of her looks. “He liked the fact she did not have many friends, she was so soft-spoken, and she always walked home alone,” which fits into the stereotypical image of femininity (Bishop 265). When Emmanuel says that he liked his wife Urmilla best when “she dressed up in the colorful, silky cloth she wrapped tightly around her body,” the sexual objectification of women is made clear (Bishop 265). The gender roles that Emmanuel thinks are an attribute for a woman to be attractive are constantly expressed throughout the narrative.
Although Urmilla was an excellent housewife, she also felt pressure to have children, which was impossible despite their best efforts. The deeply ingrained role of motherhood affected a woman’s life by making her feel unworthy and allowing “doubt and confusion cloud her eyes,” in addition to making Emmanuel mistakenly think the worst of his wife (Bishop 267). Only Mavis, Emmanuel’s ex-wife, appeared to challenge the gender roles and protest the unfairness of the distribution of duties. He eventually left her because she insisted on him doing “chores around the yard” all the time (Bishop 268). The story’s primary theme is that of men’s irrational expectations of women, which paints a perfect picture and narrative that women are expected to follow.
Despite the fact that the oppressive gender roles and expectations are clearly felt by all the female characters in these stories, their responses, motivations, and fate vary greatly. Aaronna rejects 19th-century gender norms and the “feminine” path, much like Louisa, the protagonist of Freeman’s book, but not in order to find peace in solitude but rather to advance her career. They both decided to sacrifice marriage and motherhood for the sake of their ideals and desires, even though doing so was condemned by society because it was not the typical course taken by women. What is similar between the male characters of Joe and Emmanuel is that neither man realized their prejudice until it was too late. Urmilla and Aaronna share similar tragic death at the conclusion of the narrative, which demonstrates how adverse gender roles can be a lethal tool for women striving for recognition. Aaronna eagerly awaited for Joe to recognize her as a writer, while Urmilla desperately awaited her husband to appreciate her efforts.
Women are expected to accept jobs that fit the stereotype of what it means to be a woman, sacrifice for their marriages, and carry out wifely responsibilities. At least, that is what gender roles in society aim to impose. The way that women are portrayed in stories as rebelling against discrimination varies, depending on whether they are pursuing a career, refraining from marriage, or meeting a tragic end. The stories by Bishop, Wilkins, and Woolson, however, emphasize the need to reevaluate women’s roles and contributions to society while ensuring equality and considering their peculiar needs and desires.
Works Cited
Bishop, Jacqueline. “Beautiful Things.” All about skin: Short fiction by women of color. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, 2014.
Wilkins, Freeman Mary Eleanor. A new England nun: And other stories. Gregg, 1967.
Woolson, Constance Fenimore, et al. Miss Grief and other stories. W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.