The three articles or novels “Daisy Miller”, “The Awakening”, and “Roman Fever” are known to have described the critical role of women in society in the respective times when the novel was written. Despite the stories having different lines and presenting different aspects, the one thing that stands out is the similarities and differences in the manner the authors of every novel paint the picture of the roles that were played by women or the female gender at that particular time. The role of women has been entirely defined in different eras, and they have been portrayed differently by all three authors. The females were given specific responsibilities in society, and they were in to fit quite well in the roles in this particular time period.
In the first story, “Daisy Miller,” there is the first character who perfectly portrays the role of women, that is, the titular character. In the article, Daisy is seen as a character that goes beyond the overall expectation of society, and instead of being decent and what would be termed as respectful, she is seen to be flirtatious and does not care enough. The case of Daisy alone indicates that the women’s role is to paint a respectful picture and show enough care in society. “She seemed to him, in all this, an extraordinary mixture of innocence and crudity. She was ignorant; she was trivial, she was graceless; he had known, intellectually, women who showed a finer sense of honour, of propriety, of personal dignity, but he had never known a young girl who had so much the air of being frank and natural.” (James, 13). The women are not expected to speak freely or even interact with men openly, which is why Daisy’s character raises questions and even attracts condemnation from the conservationists in the society. The novel presents an end that is not favourable for daisy as she ends up being punished because she is unable to follow the directions and the overall expectation of society.
The next novel, “The Awakening”, also presents the character Edna Pontellier that is seen to challenge the traditional gender roles that were distinct for women. Edna is seen to go against the traditional gender roles set out to be embraced by women. In the novel, Edna is married to a wealthy man, and all that society sees women as is the position of wives and mothers. Edna does not appear to be satisfied with the roles, and she gets all out to go against them. A quote from the novel is, “Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life – that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions.” (Chopin, 3). The fight against the social norms is so intense, and she ends up paying the ultimate price of taking her own life as she tries to go against the social norms of society. In “The Awakening”, just like in another article “, Daisy Miller”, the role of women is confined in the family. When they try to go against it, they are subjected to so much resistance and critics from society.
The final novel that defines this particular role of women in a given time period is “Roman Fever”. In this novel, two female protagonists are Mrs Slade and Mrs Ansley. They are presented as social rivals and are engaged in a power struggle. Both are seen to be trying to dominate each other. There is one serious rivalry between these two individuals and it is the one thing that proves to be quite interesting. The history of the two characters is more complex than seen in this case. They have shared some form of romantic interests that were mutual at some point. In this story, the end of it sees the male characters shaping or defining the female roles in society. “The younger ladies were generally thought to be more brilliant than their mothers had been – or at least the other ladies’ mothers had been. They dressed more smartly, they had a keener edge of criticism, they seemed to ride abroad on the slightest provocation, and to be perpetually playing lawn tennis at some new country-club.” (Wharton, 276). The relationships between the various groups of females have been outlined in society, and the women are guided by the social norms that make them women responsible for caregiving.
The main comparison of the points of similarity between these three stories is how society defined the role of women. The females are supposed to focus only on families and being wives. They are tasked with caring for the men. It is ultimately a different case with the male taking the leadership mantle in the same society. There has been a significant struggle with the female trying to fight against the societal norms defined by the various regimes and eras in this case. All three present a story where the women are seen as confined within the overall expectation of society, and the women are expected to carry themselves in a given way.
Despite the similarity in how they resist and go against the social norms, there are some differences in how the women or the female characters in the stories bring forth their resistance. Daisy Miller and The Awakening present a situation where female characters are dealt with significantly because they lack conformity with the overall social norms. In the Roman Fever, things are different as the women at the end of it seem to settle on some middle ground.
These three works explore women’s positions and roles in various societies. The one thing that stands out and is embraced by various authors is the different themes related to women’s issues. The females’ roles are exposed to so many challenges and struggle to take their position in society. Women are seen to be unfairly competing against the people favoured by societal norms. Gender expectations put women in a highly compromised position to deal with challenges effectively. The three articles have agreed on the social norms but the one fact that comes out is their strong stand. The navigation through the gender roles in society has been made clear by the various groups.
The three works presented women as subjects of societal norms and expectations. The expectations of society on females are defined by the roles they are expected to execute and the manner in which they are supposed to behave. Females are also expected to be submissive; all they should be seen in is the execution of the various domestic roles. The female characters in the stories pose different resistance levels to try to contain the situation. In Daisy Miller, the character who makes the title is seen as flirtatious and open to speaking her mind. It is the same idea painted of the main character in the following story presented in The Awakening. The women are limited to deciding on their lives’ direction. The roles of the women are presented to be seen in the preparation of the various activities. The women are also presented as people who continuously and constantly.
Generally, these works have presented women as those who are tied between what society wants or the general expectation of women and society at large. The desires and ambitions of the stories were to define the various societal issues that confined women to the kitchen. The roles and responsibilities of women are mainly connected to their position in society, which is taking care of the children and serving their husbands. The stories also defined how the women’s roles and their positions in society were critical in shaping their role. Despite the actions of the women being met with significant resistance in society, they were a critical component in determining the direction the women take a position in society.
In conclusion, different societies have had different perceptions or social norms that define the direction women take. These three stories have been the precise definition of the social expectation and the general norms used in defining their position. The women were rebellious to the men’s forces; they actually post significant resistance to the society and the fact that the society was a little biased. The female characters are the real definition of the struggle against social norms. It is clear the struggle eve leaves society. The lives of the women shaped society and ensured the people were in a position.
Work Cited
Chopin, Kate. The awakening: and other stories. Oxford Paperbacks, 2000.
James, Henry. Daisy Miller: A Study. No. 82. Harper & Brothers, 1878.
Wharton, Edith. Roman Fever and Other Stories. Simon and Schuster, 1997.
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