The Genesis of Feminism in Literature - 1115 Words

Feminism is a theory that all sexes should have political, economic, and social equality. Hawthorne was a writer during the Romantic Era in literature; one of the many individuals fired by their ideals sought to tell the world about them through their works (e.g. art, literature, music). Hawthorne was raised by his spouseless mother, which probably led him to believe women could be equal to men. Hawthorne grew up with â€Å"his mother became overly protective and pushed him toward relatively isolated pursuits† (Grade Saver 1). Whilst Hawthorne’s single mother life prospered, his odium for the belief of Puritanism started when he learned his association to Judge John Hawthorne, one of the judges who oversaw the Salem witch trails. Hawthorne†¦show more content†¦While, Hester is forced to live without a man to help her support her family, she supplies her family with adequate food to survive the harshness of the native colonies. Furthermore, she spends time and m oney the on less fortuned even though most â€Å"often reviled the hand that was stretched forth to succor them† (Hawthorne 69). Hester spends her spare time helping the poor and making clothes for them that after about seven years people start believing that the scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her breast means â€Å"Abel† because her social services These social services also render the town members to deem her the Sister of Mercy of their town. Hence if Hawthorne lets Hester live a life where she is not worried about daily rations then it is feasible that he believes women can sustain themselves if they want too, which makes him a feminist. Although it may appear Hawthorne favors anti-feminism because his choice of setting, it is also practical that he did this to prove Hester’s strength against her community’s prejudice. The settings that are chosen by an author are for the readers to anticipate what will happen in the story and for the reader to und erstand what the author believes. The story takes place in a Puritan settlement where religion is the primary law and everyone must abide by it. The Puritans mainly believe that there should be no woman alone and should always have a male companion no matter what. Puritan ideals mainly deter feminist ideologiesShow MoreRelated A Brief Overview of Feminism Essay563 Words   |  3 PagesA Brief Overview of Feminism Feminism can be roughly described as a movement that seeks to enhance the quality of women’s lives by impacting the norms and moves of a society based on male dominance and subsequent female subordination. Although feminist literary writings began to gain popularity in the 20th century, feminist characters have been around for ages. â€Å"Feminist criticism’s self transformations over the past several decades as it engages with both critiques from within and encountersRead MoreFeminism And The Post Modern Structure Of The 21st Century992 Words   |  4 Pagesare hotly debated and are ever present in today’s society, thanks to the rise of feminism and the post-modern secularised structure of the 21st century. Whilst it’s a very relevant question today, the question also carries huge importance through the years, perhaps even as far back as the 1600s with the first publication of Genesis, through to the 20th century with works such as Doctor Faust us. To begin with, in Genesis, God â€Å"created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male andRead MoreFeminism in the Old Testament- Article Reviews Essay1277 Words   |  6 PagesCreationsim.  Feminist -------------Theology. 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