The Male Dominance of Women in Madame Bovary and Midaq Alley Essay Example For Students

The Male Dominance of Women in Madame Bovary and Midaq Alley Essay In the twentieth century, the world was beginning to change. New ideas were being expressed, new opportunities were being presented, and the balance of power between males and females was starting to evolve. The role of women began its path of change in the early 1900s, gaining momentum as the century unfolded. Early on, it was a slow process, and men still held most of the power in society. In the novels Madame Bovary, written by Gustave Flaubert, and Midaq Alley, written by Naguib Mahfouz, a common theme is expressed through Emma and Hamida. Both women undergo the stresses of marriage, feel the pressures their societies place on women, and fall prey to the confusing difference between love and lust. In both of these novels, neither of the characters is able to truly escape from her internal struggles because of societys acceptance of mens power over women. We will write a custom essay on The Male Dominance of Women in Madame Bovary and Midaq Alley specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In the novel Madame Bovary, marriage plays a very significant role. Emma grew up on a farm and at the age of thirteen, boarded at a convent. There she was exposed to many books and novels that sparked her passion for romantic ideals. She married a man name Charles and soon found herself very opposed to the ideas and roles of marriage. She asked herself, Why-why-did I every marry? (Flaubert 50) It is interesting that Emma believes so strongly in romantic ideas but gives up so quickly on her marriage to Charles. It is not but months after the marriage that she begins daydreaming of what her life could have been like with a different man: She wondered whether some different set of circumstances might not have resulted in her meeting some different man; and she tried to picture those imaginary circumstances, the life they would have brought her, the unknown other husband. However she imagined him, he wasnt a bit like Charles. (Flaubert 50) Throughout the entire novel, Emma feels such disgust and hatred towards Charles that in order to escape from her feelings of resentment, she relies on her affairs with other men to support her romantic desires and give her a greater sense of freedom. After all, With me, Emma said, it was after I was married that the began (Flaubert 124). In Midaq Alley, Hamida never actually gets married, but through her engagement with Abbas and her connection with Ibrahim Faraj, she too feels the constraints of what marriage would be like. One day she recalled how miserable she had been the first time when Ibrahim Faraj said he did not want to marry her. She had asked herself if she really wanted to marry him. The answer, in the negative, had come immediately. Marriage would have confined her to the home, exhausting her with the duties of a wife, housekeeper, and mother; all those tasks she knew she was not created for. She now saw how farsighted he had been. (Mahfouz 255) Although she was never married, she was already experiencing the confinement and constraints of commitment, as she was tortured by a sense of imprisonment and humiliation (Mahfouz 257). Hamida no longer felt like a free woman. The relationship that she thought would end well actually ended terribly wrong. Ibrahim Faraj brought her despair and sadness and Abbas, whom she loved, died trying to protect her. From both novels, the reader can see the affects male dominance can have in a relationship. When the male has more power, the womans sense of freedom diminishes, making the relationship stressful and demeaning. When Emma is pregnant, she wishes for a boy: .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc , .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .postImageUrl , .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc , .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc:hover , .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc:visited , .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc:active { border:0!important; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc:active , .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4681dac80feebbb37fb286321d22d8dc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Beatrice and Benedick Relationship AnalysisHe would be strong and dark this idea of having a male child was like a promise of compensation for all her past frustrations. A man is free, at least free to range the passions and the world, to surmount obstacles, to taste the rarest pleasures. Whereas a woman is continually thwarted. Inert, complaint, she has to struggle against her physical weakness and legal subjection. (Flaubert 101) What Emma says here sums up exactly how she feels: men are free and women are not. She wishes only to have a boy so as to not subject a girl to the same struggles she experiences that of feeling continually thwarted. The irony of this situation is that she does give birth to a girl who eventually loses all of her freedoms. In Midaq Alley, the womens responsibilities are to focus on two things: their physical appearance and finding an appropriate man to marry. Such shallow criteria are not sufficient to find a compatible husband. When Hamida finally accepts Abbass invitation for marriage, he agrees to work for the British army in order to earn enough money to provide her the finer things in life. When Abbas leaves, Hamida finds Ibrahim Faraj, who enchants her with his riches and opportunities. The last night she is at her house: Her mind set to work, imagining her future food and how she would dress and adorn herself, her face beaming at the delightful dreamy thoughts the shoddy appearance of her underwear embarrassed her and her bronze face turned red Hamida made up her mind not to give herself to him until she had exchanged these shabby clothes for pretty new ones. This idea appealed to her, and all of a sudden she was filled with joy and passion. (Mahfouz 203) Male dominance of women sets certain restrictions, leaving women trapped and unable to break out of the clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s of society. These subservient roles are the main conflict in the stories of both Emma and Hamida. The power of love and lust is a very important theme in Madame Bovary. Rodolphe eloquently describes love: Yes, it comes along one day, all of a sudden, just when weve given up hope. Then new horizons open before us: its like a voice crying, Look! Its here! We feel the need to pour out our hearts to a given person, to surrender, to sacrifice everything. In such a meeting no words are necessary: each senses the others thoughts. Each is the answer to the others dreams. There it is, the treasure so long sought for-there before us. (Flaubert 162) Here, love seems like a magical, wonderful thing. But is it really love that Emma experiences in this novel? When Emma and Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½on meet again, he he must make up his mind to possess her (Flaubert 264). From this quote, the reader can conclude that love was no longer the pervasive feeling here. Describing Emma as a possession makes her seem more like an object than a person capable of expressing and receiving feelings. The same happens in Midaq Alley with Ibrahim and Hamida: himself had never known love whenever a new girl fell into his net, he played the part of the ardent lover-until she succumbed; after that he continued to court her for a short time. From then on he had made sure of his influence by making her dependent upon him emotionally and financiallywhen his mission was accomplished he dropped his role of lover for that of the flesh merchant. (Flaubert 256). As depicted in this quote, the reader is shown that men of this time period often confused lust for love. Women in the 20th century went through difficult times trying to evolve the roles they had been given. Both Emma and Hamida experienced many difficulties. From both books, the reader can see evidence to support the stresses marriage entails, the hardships of the womans role, and the twisted minds of some men when it comes to love vs. lust. Neither Emma nor Hamida was able to physically escape from these torments, but their resolve to change their circumstances sowed the seeds of change for a new way to a life in the future.

MacBeth †The Tragic Hero

MacBeth – The Tragic Hero Free Online Research Papers I do not think that Macbeth fits into Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. In defining a tragic hero, Aristotle clearly states that a tragic hero must be ‘renowned and prosperous’, not all good, nor all bad, and must realize his tragic flaw at the end of the play. While Macbeth definitely has a tragic flaw, he does not fit into these three categories. At first glance Macbeth might appear both wealthy and famous; at a closer look one would realize that when Macbeth and Banquo first stumble upon the three weird sisters they are both simply nobleman; equal in status to six other men mentioned in the play. Although Macbeth is a nobleman like many others, he is one of the most beloved by the king and trusted by the people. Duncan (the king) shows his favoritism to Macbeth when he makes him Thane of Cawdor (as the witches had predicted), and the inhabitants of Cawdor are thrilled to gain this trusted leader. Despite these facts, Macbeth is not very well known or rich at the point. Macbeth does eventually become king. If he had earned his kingship the way he did his thaneship, I would consider him ‘renowned and prosperous’, yet Macbeth became king by killing is faithful king Duncan, and his good friend Banquo; both acts that deserve decapitation, not royal placement. Aristotle said that a tragic hero should fall from royalty ; Macbeth does die as the king, but I believe that he truly ‘falls’ the first time he so much as thinks about murdering Duncan. It is hard to call a person (or character) all good or all bad, no matter what their actions prove; despite this, Macbeth’s actions are as close to all bad as one can get. Duncan’s murder was clearly cruel and unnecessary; yet because Macbeth is so ambitious to become king, it is somewhat justifiable, if the audience feels pity for Macbeth. Macbeth commits his second ruthless act of killing Duncan’s guards. Macbeth could have easily done without killing the guards, but his paranoia had already set in, and he wanted to make sure how much he adored Duncan. He explains this crime by saying â€Å"The expedition of my violent love outrun the pauser reason.† Assuring everyone that this was a crime of passion for the love of his king. While this too can be viewed as necessary to thwart off suspicion, this crime is hypocritical, and makes a mockery of the deceased king. After Duncan’s death, Macbeth is awarded the position of king; still he is not satisfie d. Macbeth is haunted by the witches prediction â€Å"Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none†, and in order to secure his position as king will last through generations Macbeth hires three murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. The fact that Macbeth kills his best friend without a second thought is horrendous, but Macbeth commits this crime to soothe his guilt stricken mind, so this murder can also be dismissed by the audience, because it was to save Macbeth’s sanity. After he kills Banqo, Macbeth becomes very suspicious of Macduff as well, and is desperate to have him killed. Macbeth discovers that Macduff is in England, and can not be harmed at that location; outraged Macbeth sends for murderers to kill Macduff’s wife, children, and servants. Before this one, Macbeth only murdered when he had a reason too. Killing the innocent family of Macduff takes away any pity the audience has for Macbeth, and makes him a horrible murderer. This last murder bring s me to believe that perhaps Macbeth’s tragic flaw wasn’t only ambition, but a thirst for blood as well. Aristotle’s tragic hero must also realize how his or her tragic flaw has led to their downfall. It is possible that when Macbeth says: â€Å"Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing.† He is recognizing how little he has done with his life. I think that this speech spoken by Macbeth is only signifying is disrespect for life, and how short and worthless it is to him. Because life means so little to Macbeth I think that it is easier for him to take it from other people, and not understand their pain. All in all I do not think that Macbeth does not fit Aristotle’s mold of a tragic hero. Aristotle suggests that after seeing a play including a tragic hero, one should feel uplifted; while watching Macbeth slaughter innocent people I felt disgusted by his evil deeds. Perhaps Shakespeare did not write Macbeth to cleanse people, but to make people see how doing evil things may bring them what they want, but will never bring them happiness. 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Provide relevant detailed analysis of sony in its global context Essay

Provide relevant detailed analysis of sony in its global context - Essay Example Today, the Sony brand exemplifies a unique combination of popularity, strong identity, recognition, and excellent communication of the brand values and mission to the consumers. In the meantime, the company should be more attentive to the cultural aspects of its brand development in the global contexts. That Sony is one of the strongest and most popular global brands cannot be denied. Throughout the years of successful performance, Sony was able to move its brand onto the new level of consumer recognition and turn the Sony brand into an indispensable component of its organizational and marketing culture. The importance of the Sony brand to the future of the company is difficult to underestimate. Every year, in April, new employees join Sony to become its members and contribute to the development of the future successful trends. â€Å"And what I always say to them is that we have many marvelous assets here. The most valuable asset are the four letters, S, O, N, Y† (Sony). The company does everything possible not only to raise brand recognition among consumers but to ensure that employees in all company divisions worldwide have a clear understanding of the company’s brand messages and values. Some executives feel a strong need to communicate and re-articulate the interr elationship between the brand and the culture, in which it works (Sony). Others are confident that it is high time Sony leveraged its brand beyond products and created a customer-centered brand identity, which would serve an effective driver of consumer recognition and satisfaction with Sony products. Today, however, it is important to reconsider the relevance and efficiency of the Sony brand through the prism of the principal theoretical concepts. The significance of the global brand organization, the construction of brand equity, brand measurement, and the importance of culture for the development of global brand identity will create on objective