Kai's English Journal

Both the characters and the narrator speak of women as possessions – “There was no recovering Miss Taylor”. a reflection of society’s view on women in the 18th & 19th centuries.

“Miss Taylor had begun to influence his schemes” – “The aunt was a capricious woman, and governed her husband entirely” – these two quotes show a reversal of gender roles; the man (at least at that time) was in charge in the relationship, whereas in these two examples it is evident that Austen is putting the women in the powerful positions.

“there was scarcely an evening in the week in which Emma could not make up a card-table for him [Mr Woodhouse]”

The positions of power which Miss Taylor, the aunt and Emma find themselves in would have been considered controversial in the 18th and 19th centuries; the treatment of women in the 1800’s is sometimes compared to a form of slavery – being ‘owned’ by their fathers (or other male relatives – brothers etc) and then by their husbands, and the father was usually offered a dowry in exchange for their daughters hand in marriage.

“enjoyed a most uncommon degree of popularity for a woman neither young, handsome, rich, nor married.” – this reflects upon the shallow view society had towards women at the time (and perhaps to this day), which meant that a woman’s popularity relied heavily, if not wholly, on their looks.

“her youth had passed without distinction, and her middle of life was devoted to the care of a failing mother, and the endeavor to make a small income go as far as possible.” – this comments on the limited job opportunities for women in the 18th and 19th century.

“she was a great talker upon little matters… full of trivial communications and harmless gossip” – a resemblance to the first impression of Mrs Dean in Wuthering Heights, who was assumed to be a provider of idle gossip at first by Mr Lockwood. reflecting society’s view of women’s conversational and intellectual capabilities.

“young ladies for enormous pay might be screwed out of health and into vanity… where a reasonable quantity of accomplishments were sold at reasonable price, and where girls might be sent to be out of the way, and scramble themselves into a little education, without any danger of coming back prodigies.” – a comment on the inequality at the time of the education system. the little amount of education that women received (which usually consisted mostly of social protocols), and how they were seen as being in the way.

“somebody had raised her from the condition of scholar to that of parlour boarder.” – a woman to be seen as a specialist of anything intellectual was seen as a “condition”, whereas a woman in the position of parlour boarder (a person who permanently lives with a family, sometimes a pupil) was seen as a positive thing. This is a comment on the inequality of the genders.

I am now reading Emma, by Jane Austen

I have just finished Wuthering Heights.

Significant events/ characters

Catherine Heathcliff – stands up to Heathcliff when he refuses to let her and Mrs Dean leave The Heights. “‘We will go!’ she repeated, exerting her utmost efforts to cause the iron muscles to relax; and finding that her nails made no impression, she applied her teeth pretty sharply” – this shows her determination despite the fact that Heathcliff is much bigger and stronger than she is.

Linton Heathclif – stereotypical gender role reversal – “‘Oh’ he sobbed, ‘I cannot bear it! Catherine, Catherine, I’m a traitor too, and I dare not tell you! But leave me and I shall be killed!” – the man is stereotypically the hero, saving the damsel in distress, whereas here Catherine Lintion is the one taking the role of hero and Linton is taking the role of damsel in distress.

Linton’s continuous manipulation of Catherine Linton is another another example of the stereotypical woman and man role being inverted. Linton constantly groaning and moaning and even “wail[s] aloud for very pity of himself”.

Isabella Linton is a somewhat minor character in regards to her appearences in the book, but she allows major plot progression. she raises Linton for much of his life singlehandedly, shows strength and intelligence in the length to which she is willing to go to escape Heathcliff. Isabella allows Brontë to challenge the thoughts of women by society, as a woman leaving er husband was something that was very frowned upon in the 1800s.

the stereotypical roles of the genders are challenged by Emily Brontë in Wuthering Heights; both Catherines are self-reliant, determined characters with strong personalities – a characteristic commonly associated with males, whereas characters such as Edgar Linton and Linton Heathcliff possess characteristics stereotypically associated with women.

The young Cathy Linton has just visited Wuthering Heights.

Feminist attributes in the book:

– Catherine Linton’s (formerly Earnshaw) fierce and unrelenting nature.

– Cathy Heathcliff’s (formerly Linton) independence and strength to stand up to Heathcliff. – “I’ll put my trash away, because you can make me if I refuse.” Answered the young lady, closing her book, and trowing it on a chair. “But I’ll not do anything, though you should swear your tongue out, except what I please.”

– the  pressure put on woman by society meant that Catherine could never marry Hearhcliff because it would  “degrade” her to marry him.

– Mrs dean is assumed to be a gossip (gender stereotyping) – and is then proved to indeed be a gossip. – stereotyping from both Lockwood and the author.

– Mrs dean is called a “worthy woman” only after she goes to get food for Mr. Lockwood.

– Mrs Earnshaw is referred to as nothing more than “Mrs Earnshaw” and “wife”. – shown as judgemental.

– Mrs Dean cared for the Earnshaw children and described doing so as taking on the “cares of a woman”.

– “she did not yell out” – Catherine’s strength of character when being bitten by a dog is evidenced.