The Feminine Mystique, a landmark book by feminist Betty Friedan published in 1963 that described the pervasive dissatisfaction among women in mainstream American society in the post-World War II period. She coined the term feminine mystique to describe the societal assumption that women could find fulfillment through housework, marriage, sexual passivity, and child rearing alone.
Historical variations in masculinity and femininity also exist, further serving to emphasise that gender roles are a socially constructed creation. Cheng (1999:298) reiterates this stating that, “(a)s history changes, so does the definition of hegemonic masculinity”, emphasising how variable social constructions of gender roles are. In the.
The egemonic male is seen as anti-feminine because of the social pressures he is presented. A male’s fear of being labeled as feminine is primary in defining hegemonic masculinity as anti-femininity. The competitive male who seeks dominance over others and especially females, demonstrates the strong aversion a male has over becoming a.
Feminism is a complex set of ideologies and theories, that at its core seeks to achieve equal social, political, and economic rights for women and men.Feminism refers to a diverse variety of beliefs, ideas, movements, and agendas for action. It refers to any actions, especially organized, that promote changes in society to end patterns that have disadvantaged women.
Femininity (also called womanliness or girlishness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls.Although femininity is socially constructed, some research indicates that some behaviors considered feminine are biologically influenced. To what extent femininity is biologically or socially influenced is subject to debate.
The stereotypical gender roles given by the society are female being feminine and male being masculine. The social expectations of male masculinity and female femininity are described by Mc Cubbin and Blum Dahl, former professors at the University of Minnesota, as “Men should be brave, strong, ambitious and aggressive, while keeping their feelings under control; Women should be gentle.
Assessment objectivesAO1: ArgumentPoints that you could mention in your essay could include:- A land divided between 2 daughters- The sexist way in which Lear speaks of Goneril- The fragility of Lear’s masculinity, with references to Lear’s maternal instinct- Cordelia’s representation of femininity and female purity - Patriarchy restored at the end of the playBe sure to clearly separate.