Margaret Atwood's use of Gender Bias
The constant struggle for gender recognition is apparent through out history. A variety of past and present literary works show the continuing struggle, in such works as, The Canterbury Tales and The Bible (McCombs 281-2). Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales reveals his gender bias against women. For example, two women described in Chaucer's Prologue to the tales are the Nun and the Wife of Bath. People see the Nun as corrupt because she wears jewelry, a forbidden ornament for a nun. The Wife of Bath has gaps in her teeth, which denote that she is greedy, disrespectful, and deceitful (Chaucer 91-99). The Bible also shows bias towards women. Many scriptures reveal that women are inferior to man (McCombs 282). As presented in the following quote: "As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord..." (Luke 2:22). Modern day novelists also show bias towards women in their works. Toni Morrison's Beloved, M!aya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and Zora Neale Hurson's Their Eyes Were Watching God, all show distressed and broken women who struggle against the bias. Another modern day novelist, Margaret Atwood has very strong beliefs in women's rights
This scripture shows how Atwood emphasizes that gender bias goes all the way back to Biblical times and will continue into the future (McCombs 282-3). The Victimization in Surfacing is not that far changed from that of The Handmaid's Tale. The narrator in Surfacing shows the love she has for her father and her boyfriend. She goes on a journey to find her recently widowed father and leaves with the pain she suffers as she reminisces about her childhood (Surfacing 201). Again, women are shown to be inferior when David humiliates Anna and proves to be Anna's ultimate cry of human pain (Surfacing 203). David makes the remark, "It turns me on when she bends over...don't you think she has a neat [rear end]" (Surfacing 90)? The need for love and the false sense of security love gives show how women have become victims of men. . Atwood's reputation comes from her presentation and view of women's issues in her many poems and books. The Handmaid's Tale is Atwood's first novel dominated by feminist concerns (Atwood 1-3). Also, critics see Atwood's earlier novel, Surfacing, as an example of a feminine journey (Masterpieces of Women's Literature 491). Margaret Atwood's two novels The Handmaid's Tale and Surfacing raise many issues about gender bias such as; women's reactions when not allowed to live as desired, women as the role of victims, and the value of the female in society. Lastly, the way society values females is in no way honorable in Margaret Atwood's two novels. Stereotypes are present in The Handmaid's Tale, "I thought about Serena Joy, sitting down there in the kitchen. Thinking: Cheap. They'll spread their legs for anyone" (The Handmaid's Tale 340). Also the idea that women are helpless is clear when the handmaids have people to bring them food, wait for them while they take a bath, and walk with them to the market. Society views women very similarly in Surfacing. According to Atwood women are not seen as individuals, since the narrator remains nameless in Surfacing it means
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Approximate Word count = 1357
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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