Using A Feminist Lens: Complete A Compare And Contrast Essay

Using A Feminist Lens Complete A Compare And Contrast Essay That An

Using a feminist lens, complete a compare and contrast essay that analyzes the powers of the patriarchy in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess,” or Maxine Hong Kingston’s “No Name Woman.” Select two of these three works. Examine how figures of the patriarchy in their respective stories respond to women who upset patriarchal norms. Analyze how the men empower themselves and use concepts from feminist literary theory to illustrate your points. The link

Paper For Above instruction

The examination of patriarchy within literary texts reveals the complex ways in which male figures exert control over women and reinforce societal norms that marginalize or silence female agency. In comparing Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess,” we observe contrasting yet interconnected depictions of patriarchal power, especially in the ways men respond to women who threaten their authority. Both works offer profound insights into gender dynamics, yet they diverge in tone, context, and the methods through which patriarchal control manifests and sustains itself.

“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a pioneering feminist exploration of the oppression of women through medical and societal mechanisms. The story’s protagonist is confined by her husband, a physician who embodies the patriarchal authority that dismisses her perceptions and agency. The narrator’s mental health deterioration, symbolized by her obsession with the wallpaper’s pattern, illuminates the damaging effects of patriarchal suppression. The husband’s response to her breakdown—restraint and control—reflects a desire to maintain dominance and suppress female independence. His authority is reinforced through paternalistic attitudes, encapsulating the broader societal tendency to silence women’s voices under the guise of care and protection.

In contrast, Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” presents the image of a nobleman asserting control over his wife, emphasizing how patriarchal power is embedded within aristocratic privilege and aesthetic authority. The Duke’s monologue reveals his possessiveness and the use of societal status to justify his actions against a woman who perhaps defied his expectations. His response to his wife’s perceived misconduct—an implied act of disobedience or lack of submission—is to dominate her memory and, by extension, his control over her existence. Browning’s portrayal demonstrates how patriarchal figures use emotional and authoritative manipulation to suppress female agency and secure their dominance within both personal and societal domains.

Both texts exemplify how patriarchal figures respond to women who challenge gender norms—through suppression, control, and silencing. Gilman’s husband attempts to cure his wife’s mental illness by denying her autonomy, effectively infantilizing her under paternalistic control. Browning’s duke, meanwhile, employs verbal domination to redefine his wife’s reputation posthumously, asserting his superiority and right to shape her narrative. These interactions exemplify feminist theory’s critique of patriarchal power structures, which rely on control mechanisms that diminish women’s independence and reinforce male dominance.

Moreover, feminist literary theory concepts such as patriarchal authority, male gaze, and female repression are instrumental in dissecting these works. In Gilman’s story, the wallpaper becomes a symbol of the imprisoned female psyche, the struggle against patriarchal confinement. The male characters exemplify the perceived benevolence and authority of patriarchy, which ultimately leads to the narrator’s psychological breakdown. Browning’s duke reflects the male gaze—objectifying and controlling the female subject—while also exemplifying the internalization of patriarchal dominance over women’s bodies, reputations, and autonomy.

Furthermore, these stories reveal how patriarchy sustains itself through the suppression of female agency, often justified by notions of masculinity, protection, and societal tradition. Gilman’s portrayal criticizes the medical and societal institutions that perpetuate female subjugation, while Browning critiques the aristocratic patriarchal order that valorizes male control and emotional dominance. Both authors illuminate the destructive consequences of these power dynamics, advocating for a reevaluation of gender roles and a challenge to patriarchal authority.

In conclusion, “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “My Last Duchess” serve as compelling literary critiques of patriarchal control and its impact on women. Through their nuanced portrayals of male authority and female resistance, the works underscore the importance of feminist perspectives in understanding gendered power relations. They demonstrate how patriarchal figures respond to women who defy norms—by silencing, controlling, and objectifying—thereby perpetuating inequality. Feminist literary theory provides vital frameworks for analyzing these texts, exposing the mechanisms through which patriarchy sustains itself and highlighting the ongoing need for gender justice and equality.

References

• Gilman, C. P. (1892). The Yellow Wallpaper. The New England Magazine.
• Browning, R. (1842). My Last Duchess. In Men and Women, and Other Poems. Thomas Y. Crowell & Co.
• Kingston, M. H. (1975). No Name Woman. In The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. Vintage Books.
• Connell, R. (2005). Gender and Power: Society, the Person and Sexual Politics. Stanford University Press.
• Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Routledge.
• Freud, S. (1905). Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality. Basic Books.
• Foucault, M. (1978). The History of Sexuality, Volume I. Pantheon Books.
• Miller, J. (1979). The Passion of Interpreting: Feminist Literary Theory. Columbia University Press.
• Showalter, E. (1985). The Female Malady: Women, Madness, and English Culture. Virago.
• Zizek, S. (2008). Violence. Profile Books.