English Works
Feminist/Historical Criticism Unite Within Individual Desire and Group Responsibility
Henrik Ibsen, author of A Doll House and Arthur Miller, author of Death of a Salesman, explicitly demonstrates great conflict between individual desire and group responsibility. Many characters in both texts portray a role of narcissism and selfishness. However, digging a bit deeper, its inevitable to find the true existence of these motives are not out of selfishness, but instead due to the prior responsibility toward a group or partnership. By examining history and the distinct roles of both men and women, it becomes clear that Ibsen and Miller both portray a great understanding of individual and group relations.
Since early times women have been uniquely viewed as a creative source of human life. Historically, they have been considered intellectually inferior to men as well as major source of evil and temptation. For example, in Greek mythology, it was a woman, Pandora, who opened the forbidden box and brought plagues and unhappiness to mankind. Early Romans described women as children, forever inferior to men. The attitude toward women in eastern culture was more favorable. Women were not deprived of property rights or individual freedoms by marriage. Certain religions required obedience of women toward men. Women had to walk behind their husbands. Women could not own property. Widows could not remarry. In both the east and the west, male children were preferred over female children. From a young age, women were expected to be perfect dolls. They grew up with aspirations that they would grow up to marry a perfect man that would be everything they ever dreamed about. Men marrying at that time still seemed to have romanticized dreams. Once married women would feel disappointed that they did not have this perfect relationship, they'd delve into becoming the ideal mother and wife. They worked to become what they had been taught by society was their job....
Please login to view the full essay...