In consequence of the poem’s overwhelming sensual imagery combined with biblical allusions, Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market, which describes the plight of sisters Laura and Lizzie after they are tempted by the fruit of… Continue reading
In today’s stereotypical relationship, it is considered taboo for couples to pass gas, use the bathroom, or even vomit in front of each other. Jonathan Swift, sarcastic poet and political novelist, writes a… Continue reading
The motive behind Jonathan Swift’s poem, “A Lady’s Dressing Room” has long been debated. Most interpretations, past and present, rely on the belief that Swift, himself, was a misogynist, and for good reason.… Continue reading
The science fiction/crime procedural The X-Files (1993-2002) established itself as not only a popular culture phenomenon but as a staple of “quality television” – series that are fundamentally “high” culture and intelligent. The show boasts three… Continue reading
Men can’t be sluts. Sure, someone will occasionally call a guy a “dog,” but men simply aren’t judged like woman are when it comes to sexuality. -Jessica Valenti “If you have a vagina,… Continue reading
Disney’s line of princess-themed films have come a long way in terms of the portrayal of their leading female characters. Early films like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty feature damsels in distress who simply… Continue reading
Mary Astell is a firm believer that women’s rights are just as important as a man’s. In her essay Some Reflections Upon Marriage, she argues these positions. Mary Astell grew up in Newcastle… Continue reading
William Blake’s poem Visions of the Daughters of Albion presents the rape of young Oothoon and the responses to this violence from Oothoon, her love Theotormon, and her assailant Bromion. Many scholars see substantial… Continue reading
Daniel Defoe’s bestseller, Robinson Crusoe, marked the beginning of stories obsessed with the “survival of the fittest.” However, going beyond the concept of survival, Robinson Crusoe became influential by defining its title character,… Continue reading
The symbol captured by the figure of The Lady of Shalott within famous works of art help to embody her as an artwork itself: a living piece of life held captive by her… Continue reading
This painting was done by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres in 1808, and visually exemplifies expectations of female passivity and domesticity spurred by eighteenth century cultural shifts. Some consider Eliza Haywood one of the more… Continue reading
Eliza Haywood’s “Fantomina; Or, Love in a Maze” is a satirical piece on gender and society in the 18th Century. Haywood’s unnamed heroine is “a young lady of distinguished birth, beauty, wit and… Continue reading
While it is important to note Ayesha’s role in defying the typical Victorian gender structure of what a woman should or ought to be, I was more interested in seeing the way that… Continue reading
