Great Expectations By Charlotte Bronte And A Raisin Of The...

Historically, governments, the medical establishment, and religion have challenged and impeded women from attaining a sense of power or a position of authority in society. From witch hunts to the system of coverture to the current sexualisation of women in media, certain conventional gender roles and stereotypes have been imposed upon women. Women have been depicted as â€Å"natural desires†, â€Å"the lower sex†, â€Å"bossy†, â€Å"innocent†, â€Å"passive†, â€Å"sexual objects†, but never or not too often as â€Å"strong†, â€Å"powerful†, or â€Å"the equal sex†. In the 19th and 20th centuries, women were oppressed and deprived of the fundamental principles that a man was reserved to. From marriage and sexuality to education and employment, women were undermined and intended to play a subordinate role to men. This oppressive gender ideology was present in some of the most significant books that were published during the time period such as Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Because of stereotypical Victorian ideals of motherhood, marriage, and femininity, female characters are expected to sacrifice certain aspects of their life—whether it’s ambitions, passion, or the liberty of choice—to take on the roles of a typical housewife and mother. However the characters’ reluctance to conform to these ideals and to male dominance emphasizes their strong internal values and independence, a trait that was rare in women in the