1. Find out what “The Woman Question” referred to (see page 14)
The woman question referred to society’s uncertainty as to what the correct place of women, in the context of the time, were. Was it right for men to determine their wives’ fates by considering them to be their legal possessions? Was it the right thing to limit the extension of married women’s roles by preventing them from owning property, protecting their own wages or writing their own wills without having to ask for their husband’s permission? “The woman question” motivated people’s interest in whether or not a woman should be allowed to determine her own destiny.
2. Find and mark all references relating to being a governess in Jane Eyre.- Page 71: “she had stood me in the stead of mother, governess, and, latterly, companion.”
-Page 76: “and fixing that day fortnight as the period for my assuming the post of governess in her house.”
-Page 81: “A more reassuring introduction for a new governess could scarcely be conceived.”
-Page 82: “this is not like what I have heard of the treatment if governesses”
-Page 85: “he commissioned me to find a governess for her.”
-Page 88: “I suppose he had considered that these were all the governess would require for her private perusal.”
-Page 97: “I am the governess.”
-Page 137: “Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor and plain.”
-Page 150: “Why, I suppose you have a governess for her”
-Page 230: I shall continue to act as Adèle’s governess”
3. Read and comment on excerpts from Poovey (see page 15)
The governess had to deal with putting aside her needs and desires as both a woman and human, in order to maintain a position that possibly could have promise for a somewhat more profitable life than the ordinary middle-class housewife. Although her goal was to attain as much independence as possible, the governess had to purposely boycott her personal liberty and still, after sacrificing that which was most important to her, she had to endure the ridicule
and criticism from the rest of society. Her situation exemplified inferiority due to the fact that the governess position was something between the “middle-class mother” and a “working-class woman”; thus not having significant importance or much worth of its own.
The woman question referred to society’s uncertainty as to what the correct place of women, in the context of the time, were. Was it right for men to determine their wives’ fates by considering them to be their legal possessions? Was it the right thing to limit the extension of married women’s roles by preventing them from owning property, protecting their own wages or writing their own wills without having to ask for their husband’s permission? “The woman question” motivated people’s interest in whether or not a woman should be allowed to determine her own destiny.
2. Find and mark all references relating to being a governess in Jane Eyre.- Page 71: “she had stood me in the stead of mother, governess, and, latterly, companion.”
-Page 76: “and fixing that day fortnight as the period for my assuming the post of governess in her house.”
-Page 81: “A more reassuring introduction for a new governess could scarcely be conceived.”
-Page 82: “this is not like what I have heard of the treatment if governesses”
-Page 85: “he commissioned me to find a governess for her.”
-Page 88: “I suppose he had considered that these were all the governess would require for her private perusal.”
-Page 97: “I am the governess.”
-Page 137: “Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor and plain.”
-Page 150: “Why, I suppose you have a governess for her”
-Page 230: I shall continue to act as Adèle’s governess”
3. Read and comment on excerpts from Poovey (see page 15)
The governess had to deal with putting aside her needs and desires as both a woman and human, in order to maintain a position that possibly could have promise for a somewhat more profitable life than the ordinary middle-class housewife. Although her goal was to attain as much independence as possible, the governess had to purposely boycott her personal liberty and still, after sacrificing that which was most important to her, she had to endure the ridicule
and criticism from the rest of society. Her situation exemplified inferiority due to the fact that the governess position was something between the “middle-class mother” and a “working-class woman”; thus not having significant importance or much worth of its own.
No comments:
Post a Comment