Analysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis - 948 Words

An Unconscious Reality The psychologist, Sigmund Freud, states that every human has a conscious and unconscious mind. In the unconscious mind it is said the people suppress their hidden feelings which may affect the way they think. Freud says one way humans express their hidden feeling is through dreams. This idea is the foundation for the dream interpretation of â€Å"The Metamorphosis.† Dreams have the capacity to encapture events that never happen in reality. They connect with how people reflect their true feelings about a situation or themselves. Throughout â€Å"The Metamorphosis†, the author, Kafka, uses Gregor’s repressed feelings incorporated with the dull setting and Gregor’s transformation to support the idea that Gregor is dreaming. The story’s main character, Gregor Samsa, is a traveling salesman who works strenuously every day to support his entire family since none of them provide for the family.. However, despite all of his hard work Gregor receives nothing in return from his family for his dedication to them. One day before work Gregor wakes up as a bug which is the first hint that this story is a dream. When describing a dream scenario authors often use dullness and fog to express the setting. One can assume that the narrator wants to portray a dream setting when he says, â€Å"he could have believed that he looked out of his window into a desert in which the gray sky and the gray earth merged indistinguishably† (Kafka 130). The gray is in this quote resembles the hazinessShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis 3979 Words   |  16 PagesAustin Day Professor Imali Abala English 357 18 February 2015 The Theme of Alienation in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis The Metamorphosis written by Franz Kafka in 1915 is said to be one of the greatest literary works of all time and is seen as one of Kafka’s best and most popular works of literature. A relatively short novel; the story explains how the protagonist, Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a vermin which completely estranges him from the world even moreRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis 1711 Words   |  7 Pagescertain theme that most readers can relate to. Franz Kafka, a renowned German-speaking fiction writer of the 20th century, uses a unique style of writing that many people believe is a telling of his own life story. In his well-known short story, â€Å"The Metamorphosis†, many similarities and connections can be seen between the main character, Gregor Samsa, and the author himself, Franz Kafka. A major comparison that can be made is the fact that both Samsa and Kafka died slow, lonesome deaths after being inRead MoreA nalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis1873 Words   |  8 Pageswriters take their creative control to emphasize the current state of the freedom and control of the individual. Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, various World War I poems, and Brecht’s Fear and Misery of the Third Reich show the lack of individual freedom and control that people had over their lives during the destruction that occurred in the 20th century. Published in 1915, Franz Kafka wasted no time in starting his discussion about freedom and control through the life of Gregor. After he awakes and realizesRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s Metamorphosis1985 Words   |  8 Pagestruly seen? Does one view one’s external self, or do they see a reflection of past experience? Not many have the value of altruism, but some do. Sometimes altruism can turn extremist though, to the point where it can be a negative thing. In Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, the main character Gregor Samsa is a workaholic that randomly one day awakens as a bug. Initially, Gregor sees himself with a condition, and then slowly tries to adapt to his bug transformation. Gregor did not put himself first when heRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis 1087 Words   |  5 Pagesmercy were ignored. Franz Kafka’s novella is not about a dictator but it alludes to a person close to Franz that was as close to a dictator that he ever go to. Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, is about a young man that wakes up one day and is a vermin and has to maneuver around his home and come to terms with his six itchy legs. It probably sounds like a load of fictitious ramblings that somehow became a classical novel. Wrong! Look a little closer and the secret message Franz Kafka wrote for his fatherRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis1500 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"In the morning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ verminous bug.† In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the opening sentence introduces the main character, event and the setting. Gregor Samsa is one of the only two characters who are addressed by name, this reflects his importance in the story because he is the protagonist and he plays a central role in the lives of his family and friends. Besides introducing the central character, this opening line has a dramatic impact on readers. It draws the reader straight to Gregor Samsa’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis, And Henrik Ibsen s A Doll s House1965 Words   |  8 PagesFeminist, and Freudian-argue different outlooks regarding the main characters and their deviance from the standards of society in Franz Kafka’s â€Å"The Metamorphosis† and Henrik Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House.† The Marxist viewpoint discusses a person’s objectivity in society and how it is affected by outside forces such as money, labor, and power. In Franz Kafka’s â€Å"The Metamorphosis,† the main character of Gregor undergoes several changes that affect the way he behaves and is perceived by people in his lifeRead MoreEssay on Analysis of The Metamorphosis1033 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of The Metamorphosis This story The Metamorphosis is about Gregor, a workaholic, who is changed into an insect and must then deal with his present reality. The hardest part of being an insect for him was the alienation from his family, which eventually leads to his death. In reading the short story The Metamorphosis, (1971),one can realize how small the difference is between Magical Realism and Fantastic. This literature written by the Austrian, Franz Kafka, is often debated overRead MoreThe Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka Essay1496 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The metamorphosis,† is a story by Franz Kafka, published in 1915 is a story divided in three chapters: transformation, acceptance, and the death of the protagonist. There are many interpretations that can form this tale as the indifference by the society that is concerned with different individuals, and isolation pushing some cases to the solitude. Some consider The Metamorphosis as an autobiography of the author, which tries to capture the lo neliness and isolation that he felt at some pointRead MoreAnalysis Of The Metamorphosis1501 Words   |  7 PagesBeveridge, A. (2009). Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Advances in psychiatric treatment, 15(6), 459-461. This brief article is written from the psychiatric perspective, pointing out that Kafka has always been of great interest to the psychoanalytic community; this is because his writings have so skillfully depicted alienation, unresolved oedipal issues, and the schizoid personality disorder and The Metamorphosis is no exception to this rule. While this writer tends to think that psychiatrists should

Comparing Emotions Love And Hate - 881 Words

Comparing Emotions: Love and Hate Emotions come with every thought and action that is had throughout the day. Whether it is an emotion towards an academic class, the nerves of meeting someone new, or even what is felt about the day as a whole; there is always an emotion that is being felt. The two most extreme emotions are hate and love. Most sub-emotions come from these two powerful feelings. Anger, happiness, sorrow, and anxiety can all be results of both love and hate. To most, these emotions seem like contradictory ideas. They have obvious differences to make them appear as opposites but, when broken down, they have a lot more in common than accounted for. Hate and love both contain powerful definitions, passionate emotions, artistic expression, cause and effect of one another, and complexity. According to Dictionary.com, the definition of love is â€Å"a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection.† W hen first read, this term can bring ideas of joy and fulfillment. There tend to be a lot more positive associations with love because of what has been told through movies, society, and personal experience. It is not always realized that many negativities, such as sadness and anger, can be associated with love as well. Hate, on the other hand, is defined by Dictionary.com as â€Å"to dislike intensely or passionately; to feel extreme aversion for.† However, when the word hate is mentioned, it does not have theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Jodi Picoult s The Storyteller1183 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Love can be simply stated to be the desire of the human being to integrate oneself with other selves in such a way that one starts feeling the pain and pleasure of another person as if of one’s own. Hatred can be defined as just the opposite – to derive pleasure in the pain of others, while feeling unhappy seeing others happy†(Singh 1) Emotions, by their very nature, warp perceptions and cloud judgement. Ever seen Star Trek? If you have, then you would have noticed Spock’s whole, unwavering useRead MoreAmerica s Paradoxical Love Hate Relationship With War1374 Words   |  6 PagesThis paper reviews America’s paradoxical love-hate relationship with war and how this relationship influences American warfare through the research and study of the interpretation and analyzation of American military models, policy and goal changes, the use of military technology, â€Å"American way of war,† and the relationship with, preparation for, and appl ication of war. In the two hundred years since 1775, there has been thirty-five years of fighting in what we consider major conflictsRead MoreThe Tell Tale Heart By Edgar Allan Poe918 Words   |  4 Pagesman. He had never wronged me.† Inferring it was a woman, the reader can develop an idea that the old man and narrator once â€Å"loved† each other. The acknowledged hate for the old man’s eye could have been developed from this love. Love and hate are prevailing themes in this short story and Poe uses them to reveal how destructive, the two emotions together, can be. It is not clearly stated what the relationship between the narrator and old man are, but it can be inferred that there was no real threatRead More The Use Of Animal Imagery In Othello Essay1040 Words   |  5 Pages In William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Othello† the use of animal imagery was evident throughout the telling of the story. Shakespeare explained several characters actions by comparing them to similarities in animals. The characters in â€Å"Othello† were often depicted as having animal-like characteristics. Some characters were even compared to animals by other characters in the play. By defining characters in terms of these characteristics one can get a clear description of what the character isRead MoreThemes Of Love And Hate1443 Words   |  6 PagesLove and hate are both an occurring theme in both Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare and Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. In this essay I will be comparing the similarities and differences of the way that the two texts portray the feeling of love and hate. The essay will be divided into different topics that I will be comparing, these following topics will be: death, passion, betrayal and one more. Romeo and Juliet was a play that was written by the famous English poet, playwright William Shakespeare whoseRead MoreEdgar Allen Poe s The Cask Of Amontillado1528 Words   |  7 Pagesgreatly towards the gothic themes of his work, conflicts of love and hate as well as self and the alter ego, have influenced his writing on death and delusional characters. 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In Act 1 Scene 1 Shakespeare introduces us to Romeo’s passionate desire towards Rosaline through the use of oxymoronRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet By William Shakespeare963 Words   |  4 PagesSteinbeck once said, â€Å"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.† Without the use of opposites, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet would just be another love story. By incorporating many different dualities into his writing, Shakespeare differentiates his readers the true emotions and identity of every single one of his characters. As Steinbeck compares Summer and Winter, he describes them in a way tha t show they depend on each other. Shakespeare creates The TragedyRead More Comparing the Themes of Wuthering Heights and Of Mice and Men1098 Words   |  5 Pages Comparing the Themes of Wuthering Heights and Of Mice and Men nbsp; nbsp; Wuthering Heights and Of Mice and Men are two novels that were written approximate hundred years apart by different authors living in different time periods. Wuthering Heights, was written by Emily Bronte who lived in England. Of Mice and Men was written by John Steinbeck who lived in California. Although they were written by different authors of different background, time, and place. One could neverthelessRead MoreLiterary Explication: Sylvia Plaths Daddy1201 Words   |  5 PagesConflicting Emotions of Sylvia Plath The speaker in the poem â€Å"Daddy† is someone who both fiercely hates her father but also passionately loves him. When she was younger, she compared her father to a god-like entity—always looking up to him and constantly seeking his approval. Her fierce hate towards her father stems from the deep rooted fear of him. The speaker is torn between these two polar emotions that have been constantly tormenting her and blames them on her unresolved emotions toward her

Gender and body image †Looking at women and men through the life course Free Essays

string(61) " be allowed out later than girls or more trust and leniency\." Throughout our lives we are governed by how we look and act according to society. One of the main leaders throughout history has been which sex a person belongs to. This governs our every aspect in life from a baby, through to adulthood. We will write a custom essay sample on Gender and body image – Looking at women and men through the life course or any similar topic only for you Order Now Opinion changes constantly to whether children should live a certain way and especially act certain ways at different ages and stages throughout life. We are socially constructed from the start of our lives, if a baby wears blue or pink determines societys view of how to treat the child and most importantly whether it is male of female. We are judged in our abilities and skills just by from which sex we belong to. It is one of the most influential factors in life, being male or female. I will be looking at the perceived differences between males and female body image and actions throughout the life cycle, from birth through to old age. One of the first things we notice about a person is which sex they belong to. Today due to changes in societies impressions and opinions on sex and sex orientation, it is generally possible to immediately determine the sex of a person that gives out first impressions and places stereotypes. Every culture distinguishes between male and females and this accompanied by beliefs and psychological and physical behaviours belonging to each sex. It is not a recent act to distinguish differences between the sexes. In pre-industrial Britain children were sent off to work at an early age between 6-7. They were kept apart and designated a job. At this age physicality’s of gender differences would not be differentiated because of no puberty growth in the children causing no differences in physical ability and strength yet girls would be sent to become servants while boys would be trained to be apprentices. In the sixteenth century boys were increasingly sent to boarding school, while girls were mainly kept at home, any small amount of girls who were sent to boarding school were trained for domesticity. Their father or their masters controlled any girls in a family, like an ownership. The males possessed them. Any money that was made was not their own to keep but passed on to their masters or their family for their parents personal use or placed back into the family for food and supplies. Both boys and girls were used for their bodies yet in completely different ways. In the early nineteenth century working class children would be used in working class factories for cheap labour. Boys would follow the men with physical work while girls were sold for prostitution. Girls where not seen to have many uses apart from their bodies or domesticity uses. This treatment of girls continued through the years in society. Towards the First World War girls were not sold for such explicit reasons but used in different ways (Humphries 1977). Families became dependent on the wages of their siblings. With men called to war the children would work to help the families upkeep. Girls would be expected to help their mothers with domestic tasks and to take the role of second mother for their younger siblings. While boys and young men where used for their physical abilities. By the twentieth century psychologists identified that childhood was a vital part of a persons identity. Freud dedicated his life to the study of people and the affect of childhood on their adult lives. Children could be scared for life because of their childhoods. This could explain judgements of people on sex opinions later in lives because of their upbringings, which had forced the stereo types into society. Post war brought the decline of infant mortality and the decline in birth rate. Children where not therefore depended upon for their help with the families income. Adults began to see children as pleasurable company. Children soon became the main focus of life. The division of home from the workplace resulted in an isolation of women and children. The home in middle-class households represented a haven from the competition of the market place and from the public world. Men would stay in the workplace and women and children were kept ‘confined’ and ‘protected’ in the home. This soon broadens from the middle-class household to the working class home. This image of the western family soon became the model norm of the western societies, which influenced many people throughout their lives. Female and male children are segregated and classed as different, which has continued up to the present day. From birth they are given different clothes and toys and are subjected to socialisation. Children were even segregated at school, boys may have been sent to a different school than girls and be taught different curricula. Children now share schooling and have moved closer together in the curricula but in many other ways they are treated differently. Although today boys and girls may study the same curriculum, some subjects are still labelled as being male or female subjects. Increasing anxieties about sexual threat in contemporary society, because of sexual abuse cases, has become increasingly popular; causing boys and girls to be treated differently. Girls are surveyed and controlled more than boys of the same age. Girls and boys are sheltered differently. Girls are protected from the real dangers of society but also the ones, which are possibly fictional, or of an adult’s exaggeration. Girls in particular are sheltered from the real adult world. The sexualisation of adults’ contact with children means girls are seldom allowed to walk alone, or spend much time on their own. This treatment causes girls today to be segregated from society from the start of their lives. This influences the way they live their life and attitudes they have towards their influencing adult guides. When children are allowed out ‘to play’, boys seem to be allowed out later than girls or more trust and leniency. You read "Gender and body image – Looking at women and men through the life course" in category "Life" Although childhood is seen as psychologically influencing on a persons’ life adolescence is both psychologically and physically changing. Adolescence is a time for psychological adjustments to the physical changes in the child’s body. For young girls and women it is normally related with developments of secondary sexual qualities such as breasts, and body hair. When we become adolescence’s we gain legal responsibilities. At the age of 16 a young woman can give consent to sexual intercourse with a man. Before this age a young woman will in the eyes of the law be seen as irresponsible and unable to give responsible consent. Also at the age of 16 a young man and woman may get married however although legally responsible to have a sexual relationship and possibly bare children, the young adults must have parental permission. Their responsibilities are too high to be married from their own choice at this age. The legal view on heterosexual relationships seems a reasonably understandable law, compared to the opinions on homosexual relationships. Homosexual relationships between men are not legal unless both parties are 18, however same sex relationships between two women are legal at any age. It is evident from these figures that young men and women have a different statues in law reflecting different assumptions about masculinity and femininity. Young people become legally responsible for their actions from their age of 10. This makes youth today so much longer than it was many years ago. This extended period in the youth phase causes extensive protection from the parents. One explanation for this could be the increasing choice by children to stay in education for a longer period of time. The number of young people choosing to go into higher education increases because of more opportunities, larger choices in courses and the range of training schemes increases. It is apparent that young people especially women seem to be spending longer being trained and educated, and then having greater uncertain futures because finding full-time work is increasing remote. This is especially apparent for young people because they are most affected by unemployment. Young women have come through time from not being educated to spending more time in education than young men. Government reports have stated that young women do considerably better in school than young men due to a stronger ambition to be successful and ability to concentrate their efforts into studying. It is generally stated that adolescence is a period of stressful experience. However an anthropologist Margaret Mead challenged this. She studied adolescent women in eastern Samoa (1943) and found no evidence of role confusion, conflict or revolt. Suggesting that adolescence was not world-wide and biologically determined but ethnically variable, and that the stresses of this time could be socially determined, and because of confusing status to which, young people find themselves consigned by particular communal forms. It is a wide-ranging protest from adults to complain of adolescent deviant behaviour however this suggests that it is the western societal norms which push adolescents to be seen as irresponsible and problematic to society. Adolescence is a particular distressing time for young women. Trying to conform to societies views of how to behave and to trying to keep their reputation with friends and partners at the same time makes life very traumatic. The behaviour of teenage women is partly the result of being treated differently from boys through their life. As was stated earlier women are seen as more in need of care and protection. Parents ‘police’ their daughters more strictly than their sons. This then is linked to the ideological definition of ‘appropriate behaviour of women’. Sue Lees (1986) has shown how boys control young women in the public eye through threat of labelling them sexually promiscuous. It is expected of young men to copulate but for a young women to continue with the same behaviour would result in such labels as ‘slag’ or ‘slut’ and ‘scrubber’ or an ‘easy lay’. This labelling is less to do with the actual sexual action rather than to the extent to which young women’s behaviour deviates from the normal ideas of femininity. For example a female should not be seen using foul language or rough behaviour as they could be classed as a ‘tom boy’. Sexuality is classed in very different ways. Both sexes are concerned with reputation; the basis on which it rests is very distinct. For boys sexual reputation is enhanced by varied experience boasting to their friends for all the girls they have ‘made’, for a girl reputation is to be guarded. It is to be under threat not merely if she is known to have sex with anyone other than with her steady boyfriend but also if she goes out with several different boys, or dresses in a certain way. To remain a ‘nice’ girl a young woman must suppress any sexual desire, and instead conform to the dream image of romantic love and complete monogamy. This double standard serves to constrain the public and private lives of young women to ensure conformity based on a model of sexuality, which ultimately takes its form from the ideology of the nuclear family. Feminist sociologists’ arguments showed that post ideas that suggestions of femininity and masculinity classed as natural were actually of a social origin. Young people apparently learn roles. Mc Robbie and Garber stated that young women didn’t ‘rebel in the same way which young men did but instead used the ideal romantic fantasy as a form of escapism. Sue Lees (1986), Christine Griffin (1985) and Clair Wallace (1987) have looked into the theory of the role that romantic love fantasies have in young women’s lives. They are apparently not deceived by characters lives portrayed in women’s literature, but actually have realistic ideas of married life. It was also believed that young women have tactics of resistance for example ‘tom boys’ or pregnancy, which are not in the ‘nice’ girl stereotype. They state that an important aspect in young girls lives is their status and independence inside and out of the family that could be achieved by them acquiring a job by themselves. Sharpe (1995) study contrast to an earlier study found that young women interviewed no longer saw marriage and parenthood as their only goal in life. These studies show a change in young women’s views and opinions; however, it causes views of people to think young girls are rebelling against the norms of society because family life is not their first objective in life. The media is one of the most influential aspects to people’s lives. It is used to inform, sell, advise, and help the readers and many other uses. Young women are important customers of media resources. There are magazines, which particularly target young women and influence their lives. The magazines give advise on romance, hygiene and behaviour according to societies rules at the time. 80% of magazines are articles about fashion and appearance pushing young women into a proposed look. They steer young women to see romance as standard and as an ultimate goal in life to have a ‘normal’ steady monogamous relationship leading to marriage and all as typecasts with a male companion. According to these magazines the main interest of their teenage years is in getting a man’. The young women become immersed into the ideology of romance and of ‘falling in love’. Adulthood is associated with taking up full status in society, having sexual relationships, getting married, having children, having a full time stable job, and living in an independent household. When we become an adult we associate it with citizenship status -the right to vote, to take loans, or to enter legal contract we are given responsibility and trusted. This legal responsibility is associated with the turning of age to 18. There are many physical body aspects, which are also associated with adulthood. Such as first menstruation, and first sex. This today is more associated with the teenage years because of younger people having sex earlier and young girls developing into women earlier so the legal opinion of an adult may not be the same as a physical adult. The transition of adolescence to adulthood can be more meaningful for women than young men generally because young women marry earlier, have sex earlier and many other things earlier than men. It is often said than young girls mature earlier than young boys. It is a stressful time for women when the beginning of sexual activity occurs. It is a time of pride and manhood for males while traumatic and cautious for women. Not to be seen on the one side as ‘frigid’ or a promiscuous ‘slag’ on the other (Cowie and Lees 1985; Halson 1991). Marriage, childbirth and parenthood are also parts of adulthood that are given different meanings from men than women. This seems to be because although attitudes are changing in society today women in the main have the foremost responsibilities and usually end up interrupting their careers to care for children. Today it is increasingly popular for single parent families which again is mostly women taking the responsibilities, the majority of about 90% of single parent families are headed by women. Baring children is also seen as hindering a women’s working career and leisure life. The process of pregnancy changes a women’s body, and although both men and women’s bodies change in the life course this can be seen as the biggest change a women can experience. Increased hormones and the gradual growth of the baby stretches and changes the women’s normal body shape. This change, during pregnancy and after can affect a woman greatly because of opinions of what a woman should look like. It is looked upon badly if the bulge during pregnancy is on show when in the public eye. It is a nature event that is seen as part of a women’s’ meaning on earth. However, it cannot be looked upon, only in disgrace. Is it a disgusting view to see a woman pregnant? Or is it disgusting to see a woman out of shape, from societies view of what a woman should look like, as I suspect it could be. Women’s careers are perceived as more intimately tied to their biology and reproductive cycles than are men’s. Men’s bodies are defined by their performance and action in the labour market and public life. Their reproductive functions and their bodies are seldom referred to and are seen as unproblematic. Women’s body shape and reproductive functions are constantly studied and are sometimes referred to as determining their lives (Ussher 1989). In the media it is women’s bodies that are used to sell their products. A car advert will usually at some point show a young stereotype of a woman draped over their product in order to sell it. It is unusual to see a man or even a larger woman used in the same way. Women’s lives are constantly referred to by their menstruation. They are frequently seen as ‘victims’ of ‘ragging hormones’ either because of ‘pre-menstrual tension’ or because of menopause. Each case supposedly causes women to ‘suffer’ from temporary indisposition that can sometimes become ‘insanity’! This then could be the reason why it is used for reasons of moodiness, road accidents and even cases of murder. On account of these biological ‘problems’ women’s lives are intervened with medical attention and even seen as a kind of disease. Women can be recommended hormone replacements therapy and hysterectomies as a solution to menopausal problems and are given special diets or hormone treatment for pre-menstrual tension. Unlike male bodies women’s are somewhat controlled by medical science from the moment of first problems with menstruation or with the need for birth control through to menopausal problems. Some women may never need medical assistance, but most do at some point in their lives. â€Å"Imagine what might have happened in a world with different cultural and moral attitudes towards gender and responsibilities for family planning and children. It is not beyond imagination that we would have ended up with a male contraceptive pill, a medical treatment for male menopause and a classification system of multiple sexes (Oudshoor 1994). One of the most traumatic times in a person’s life is the process of ageing. No person wants to loose his or her looks, shape or mind. For men it is loosing their hair or gaining that ‘beer belly’. For women physical attractiveness is the most important feature and loosing this is a major source of anxiety. Women spend thousands of pounds on creams, potions, dieting, exercise and even plastic surgery. Men today are also increasingly purchasing these types of items but it is generally women that advertising is focused on (Arber and Ginn 1991). It has been questioned what is persona purpose in life? One of the proposed reasons is to reproduce, to keep the population. Men are seen to do this throughout their lives, so women who have therefore passed the menopause could be seen as having no use anymore for their reproductive functions and therefore are uninterested in sex. Doctors are more likely to recommend hysterectomies to women than men. In medical textbooks women’s ovaries are described as ‘shrivelled’ or ‘senile’ metaphors, which, imply they are ‘useless’, or ‘past it’. Women are classified by their biological position in and throughout their lives. Pre-menstrual’ in their youth, ‘pre-menopausal’ in their thirties, ‘menopausal’ in their forties and ‘post-menopausal’ in their fifties, its as though their reproductive organs control women’s lives. Women who have children find themselves defined in terms of their roles as mothers and carers. On the other hand childle ss women are seen as frustrated mothers and somehow incomplete. It is as if a woman’s ultimate goal is to bare children. A childless woman is classed as having psychological inadequacies or a lack of feminine qualities. Today many more women are pursuing careers rather than starting a family, this is seen as selfish whereas men are not exposed to such punishments. It is seen as acceptable for a man to never be a part of a family. Women’s lives are seen as shaped by their biological bodies and the changes these bodies undergo. Men’s lives by contrast are seen as shaped by their achievements. Throughout our lives we are governed by our sex and opinions made by society which label us according to our sex. These labels are started through opinions made from birth, which stay with us until death. How to cite Gender and body image – Looking at women and men through the life course, Essays

MEDEA Analysis Essay Example For Students

MEDEA Analysis Essay A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. ii. Trans. Shelley Dean Milman. London: J.M. Dent Sons, 1922. JASON: I ought not to be rash, it seems, in speech,But like the skilful pilot, who, with sailsScarce half unfurled, his bark more surely guides,Escape, O woman, your ungoverned tongue.Since you the benefits on me conferredExaggerate in so proud a strain, I deemThat I to Venus only, and no godOr man beside, my prosperous voyage owe.Although a wondrous subtlety of soulTo you belong, twere an invidious speechFor me to make should I relate how LoveBy his inevitable shafts constrained youTo save my life. I will not therefore stateThis argument too nicely, but allow,As you did aid me, it was kindly done.But by preserving me have you gained moreThan you bestowed, as I shall prove: and first,Transplanted from barbaric shores, you dwellIn Grecian regions, and have here been taughtTo act as justice and the laws ordain,Nor follow the caprice of brutal strength.By all the Greeks your wisdom is perceived,And you acquire renown; but had you stillInhabited that distant spot of earth,You never had b een named. I would not wishFor mansions heaped with gold, or to exceedThe sweetest notes of Orpheus magic lyre,Were those unfading wreaths which fame bestowsFrom me withheld by fortune. I thus farOn my own labours only have discoursed.For you this odious strife of words began.But in espousing Creons royal daughter,With which you have reproached me, I will proveThat I in acting thus am wise and chaste,That I to you have been the best of friends,And to our children. But make no reply.Since hither Iolchos land I came,Accompanied by many woes, and suchAs could not be avoided, what deviceMore advantageous would an exile frameThan wedding the kings daughter? Not through hateTo you, which you reproach me with, not smittenWith love for a new consort, or a wishThe number of my children to augment:For those we have already might suffice,And I complain not. But to me it seemedOf great importance that we both might liveAs suits our rank, nor suffer abject need,Well knowing that each friend avoi ds the poor.I also wished to educate our sonsIn such a manner as befits my raceAnd with their noble brothers yet unborn,Make them one family, that thus, my houseCementing, I might prosper. In some measureIs it your interest too that by my brideI should have sons, and me it much imports,By future children, to provide for thoseWho are in being. Have I judged amiss?You would not censure me, unless your soulWere by a rival stung. But your whole sexHath these ideas; if in marriage blestYe deem nought wanting, but if some reverseOf fortune eer betide the nuptial couch,All that was good and lovely ye abhor.Far better were it for the human raceHad children been produced by other means,No females eer existing: hence might manExempt from every evil have remained.