Marriage Is At The Forefront Of Feminist Literature

The topic of marriage is at the forefront of feminist literature. Throughout our readings, the question of marriage was thoughtfully explored in terms of sovereignty in the relationship and what the results of marriage are for each sex. Emily Dickinson depicts marriage as comparable to slavery and attempts to discard traditional gender roles. Mary Wilkins Freeman, however, embraces the feminine but depicts marriage as the culprit in repressing femininity and sovereignty. Fanny Fern attempts to discard traditional gender roles, much like Dickinson, however she does so through humor. While each author approaches the topic of marriage differently, all seem to share the opinion that marriage steals a woman’s independence. Dickinson’s poem number 357 starts: â€Å"She rose to His Requirement - dropt.† Her personal attitude toward the role of women in society at the time can be interpreted as negative given that this poem appears to be about a woman who is losing herself through marriage. The opening line of poem portrays a negation of her status in the words â€Å"rose† and â€Å"dropt.† The emphasis is clearly on the word dropt as she rises to serve her husband, she drops her own identity. Dickinson provides a satirical tone to the poem when she belittles â€Å"The Playthings of Her Life† (line 2). The playthings are the dreams, goals, and abilities of every woman and by describing them in such a way she has portrayed them as insignificant. She is no longer allowed to value these thingsShow MoreRelatedBreaking Away From Society: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Essay1228 Words   |  5 Pagesaddress a more important issue of the time: marriage ideals. During this time, marriages were nothing but a masquerade. Husbands and wives hid behind their commitment, and were overly focused on the appearances and opinions of society. 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