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  • Essay / Female Stereotypes in James Joyce's Beauty and the Beast and Eveline

    A closer look at Joyce's "Eveline" and "Beauty and the Beast" from a feminist perspective shows the many stereotypes of women present as helplessness and need. of thrift, male oppression, only caring about appearance and female characters who are portrayed in a humiliating way, as stupid and weak. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In Eveline, a common stereotype is that women are helpless, damsels in distress, and in need of rescuing. Eveline's indecision and accompanying lack of action are a result of the role of women in society at that time. Society indirectly tells her that she is powerless and that is why she feels this way. This feeling of incapacity is part of the reason why Eveline is unable to make a decision and feels like she needs a male figure like Frank to "save" her from her current situation. Eveline sees marrying Frank as a way to gain esteem, which indicates to readers that she is somewhat helpless without a husband. In the text it says: “But in his new home, in a distant and unknown land, it would not be like this. Then she would get married – her, Eveline. People would then treat her with respect. In the text, readers see that she is trying to decide whether or not to leave. She reasons about her rights, saying things like: “Why would she be unhappy? She had the right to happiness. » This need to prove one's own desire to be happy is a consequence of the feeling of powerlessness due to the social repression of one's society. Society told her that she was supposed to be a caretaker and that she should be motivated by the needs of others rather than her own. Eveline takes care of her father and two children and feels guilty leaving for her own happiness, knowing that they depend on her. This puts her in a helpless situation as she is unable to determine her own future. Unlike Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Belle has an adventurous spirit but feels powerless because she wants more from her life than to remain trapped in what her small town has to offer. She declares in the film: “There must be more than this provincial life! » Belle wants to discover more than the local, narrow interests and perspectives of her village. By reading books, it seems to be an escape from his current reality and helps him gain a better perspective on life in his small town. She even tells the book's owner in one scene, "Your library makes our little corner of the world feel big." » The stereotype of a damsel in distress and needing to be saved is also represented, as viewers can see that Belle is being held hostage by the beast. From the opening of the trailer for the film "Beauty and the Beast", the audience is aware of Belle's societal expectations and what the occupants of the village think of her. Sunlight hits Belle, highlighting her beauty while the townspeople admire her physical appearance. They repeat how beautiful she is, creating an example for other women in society to aspire to. Although Belle is considered beautiful, we learn that most people in her village find her strange due to her love of reading. We hear of one of the women in town who admires her saying, "Now no wonder her name means her beauty, her looks have no equivalent" and in response three of the girls of the city say “but behind this beautiful facade, I fear it is rather strange”..