A study of the claims that eighteenth century author, ElizaHaywood, wrote her novel "The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless" as a means of promoting social reforms.
Abstract The paper describes the life of ElizaHaywood, an eighteenth century English author whose literary works were considered scandalous for the times she lived in in. The paper examines Haywood's novel, "The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless". It shows that modern scholarship elevates this novel as Haywood's most successful and most influential work. The paper examines how ElizaHaywood so successfully managed to meet her contemporaries in using the new genre of the novel to elicit reform, especially the reforms of women's educational standards and the position of women in marriage and family life.
From the Paper "There is no shame to be found in the propriety with which Haywood's evolution as an author took her, as those were the true restrictions experienced by women of her class and of her time. The early challenges and the heated controversy that were elicited by her early works may have left her in a historical position of obscurity but they prove she was making an attempt to alter a system that left female authors unrecognized outside of infamy. Looking back at her works and the biographical information available for her leaves a modern literary historian happily intrigued by her narrative and her life and there is nothing like a mystery to engage modern thought on historical evolution in literature or life."
The following paper examines ElizaHaywood's "The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless" and Henry Fielding's "Joseph Andrews and Shamela" 18th century novels that explored the social mores of high and low society at the time.
Abstract This paper explores how Haywood and Fielding approached the subject of education, particularly through Haywood's "The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless" and Fielding's ?Joseph Andrews and Shamela.? The differing objectives to educating the sexes as well as the possible consequences of obtaining an education are also explored.
From the Paper "Education is indirectly explored in Haywood's ?The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless.? The heroine spends her formative years in a boarding school, ?the governess of which had the reputation of a woman of great good sense, fine breeding, and every way qualified for the well forming of the minds of those young persons who were entrusted to her care. [Her father] was so well pleased with having placed his daughter where she was likely to improve in all the accomplishments befitting her sex." (Haywood, 9) Through the misadventures of Miss Betsy Thoughtless, Haywood implies that one of the reasons why a girl should be educated would be to enhance her chances of securing a good marriage (then the only means of climbing the social ladder or attaining an accomplishment recognised by society)."
Abstract This paper compares the characters of Eliza Doolittle from George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" and Euripides' Medea by considering their different strengths and weaknesses, and the modes of representation used to distinguish them. Some reflection is also given to the means the authors use to convey the nature of each character and the ways in which the changes within the character are expressed. Finally, an attempt is made to analyze the two characters through considering the ways in which they have changed by the end of the play.
From the Paper " Although many critics have described Medea as being a woman that is transformed from someone who is suicidal and depressed into a person who is driven by anger and revenge, it is clear that Medea had always been a determined, strong woman. She had often used her magic powers to obtain what she wanted; shown through her actions in helping Jason obtain the Golden Fleece, the murder of her own brother, and through manipulating the daughters of Pelias to murder their own father. Instead, Medea is portrayed through Euripides, as a woman that kills while being completely sane, through an anger that is fuelled by pure jealousy. She is a woman scorned."
Abstract This paper examines how ElizaHaywood's novel, "Love in Excess", suggests that passionate emotion is a universal sentiment. It looks at how the characters? thoughts posit that there is a universal language of love that dissolves the prominence of gender and how, at the same time, the novel works to enforce codes of amorous action that are inherently linked to gender, perhaps to suggest that these codes serve some purpose. It explores how the novel does not censure internal expressions of true passion, although it does at times suggest that sexual codes of conduct are necessary. Characters who overstep the boundaries of conduct too flagrantly generally censure themselves through self-destruction. The characters that self-destruct do so specifically because they take actions that transgress gender boundaries.
From the Paper "According to the narrator, love is its own agent; it is a force that acts independent and without regard for the people whom it affects. Because humanity has no control over love, it cannot be held responsible for the feelings it evokes. This force is so far beyond the cognitive capabilities of man that is "ceases to be worthy" of a simple definition or "that name" that society has given it. The idea that man becomes ?really possest with it,? posits love as a supernatural force. One usurped by this force can no longer be held accountable because he cannot be ?master of his actions.? The human being is little more than a victim, much as one might be victim to a "misfortune" such as ?poverty, sickness or deformity.? Essentially, love is a disease that anyone of "human nature" is susceptible to."
Abstract The paper shows how Eliza Doolittle and the Dog-woman project almost opposite images of British womanhood. The author discusses how Eliza has been turned out by her father into the slums of London and how she longs to live in comfort and security - she thinks her dreams can come true if she can speak proper English. The author shows that the Dog-woman, on the other hand, unlike the Cockney flower girl, is practically a misfit, but not quite -she wears her size and oddness as though they were inevitable.
From the Paper "Shaw's depiction of Eliza is based more on Victorian England's class society and his main theme is challenging the proverb "You can"t make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.? Women were to be seen and not heard, hardly intellectual companions, and primarily chosen as wives for business, family or property reasons, and very well bred to attract a lord or an earl. Higgins clearly views Eliza as less than he, not only because she is a woman, but because she is poor and uncivilized in her speech and manner. Winterson's viewpoint is that women like Dog-Woman know how to survive and take care of themselves, are ingenuous and make the most of what they?ve been given, and with a flair, as opposed to the Twelve Dancing Princesses, whose fairytail marriages all end in disaster."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the the relationship between Higgins and Eliza in George Bernard Shaw's book 'Pygmalion'. The paper relates the Greek myth of Pygmalion to the character of Henry Higgins and discusses how Pygmalion and Galatea can be compared to Higgins and Eliza.
From the Paper "Although Higgins may have just viewed Eliza as a project, there was something in the beginning which did fascinate him. "Oh, I can't be bothered with young women. My idea of a lovable woman is somebody as like you [Mrs. Higgins] as possible. I shall never get into the way of seriously liking young women; some habits lie too deep to be changed." (Higgins, p. 71) Higgins also saw Eliza as a challenge. He saw her bad habits and for once actually thought these habits could be changed. As I mentioned earlier, Higgins found the local women to be a bore. He wanted someone more intellectually stimulating, well-mannered, and similar to his own mother. Underlying what society viewed as a duchess was also Higgins' upbringing which helped him to form his own notions of what a lady should be like. Whether he knew it or not, he subconsciously was teaching Eliza to be like the only woman he ever truly did know, his mother. He created a woman that he could love because she was created and taught under his specifications."
The paper is an analysis of Eliza from the movie "My Fair Lady" and Maria, from "The Sound of Music" and examines how they are portrayed at the beginning of the films, how their characters develop, and the final depiction of the two women.
Abstract The author of this paper examines the characters of Eliza from the movie "My Fair Lady" and Maria, from "The Sound of Music" both of whom would appear to be misfits in the context in which we find them. The author follows the development of these two, seemingly opposite, characters in the films and analyzes those aspects of their characters that determine how they are perceived and how our perceptions of them change as their characters change. The papers shows that, by the end of the films, Eliza and Maria are portrayed and perceived as totally different characters from those portrayed at the start of the films.
From the Paper "After the ball, however, Higgins praises himself! Eliza gets no credit for all the work she put in, and decides to go home before anyone realizes she has even left. When she goes back to the streets no one recognizes her. One man even says, "Can I get you a taxi miss? A lady like you shouldn't be walking around at this hour in the morning" (My Fair Lady). Eliza, once again, is treated as a misfit. She soon finds herself back in the high culture society, with Higgins apologizing for his actions. At last, Eliza is treated with respect. Although she is still a misfit, she is now established in society as "aristocratic" (Gates 5). Eliza overcame the obstacles, and figured out that if she wanted to be accepted, she had to stand her ground. This is a lesson that many of us need to grasp. Anyone can be seen as unfit in any culture, but it is not entirely the society's fault. Misfits must push to be accepted, no matter how long it may take."
Tags: entertainment culture society higgins, phonetics clothing speech nun
This paper discusses the presentation of female characters in the two books "Pygmalion" by George Bernard Shaw and "Sexing the Cherry" by Jeanette Winterson.
1,250 words (approx. 5 pages), 0 sources, 2002, $ 42.95
Abstract The following paper asserts that both Shaw and Winterson assigned different attributes to their female leading characters in the novels 'Pygmalion? and "Sexing the Cherry". However, this paper contends that the purpose of creating such figures, such as Eliza and the Dog woman, is identical in both cases.
From the Paper "The two books Pygmalion and Sexing the Cherry are starkly different in their storyline and narrative techniques, yet the only connecting link is the dominance of female characters in both stories. For example in the Pygmalion, it is Eliza Dolittle who is the most important female character while Dog Woman plays the leading role in 'Sexing the Cherry?. We notice that these two women have been presented in a contrasting light, as one happens to be a self-conscious young woman who is beautiful and sophisticated while the other is an ugly-looking person and has been repeatedly described as a monstrous creature. This is because Dog Woman who happens to have no other name in the book is grotesque character with nothing lady-like about her. Her mannerisms, her language, her dialect and her tone are all rather crude and the woman is an epitome of unsophisticated characteristics."
Abstract In her 1797 novel, "The Coquette," Hannah Foster presents her critical analysis of female freedom and the politics of courtship and marriage within the restrictive confines of a conventional seduction novel. The paper shows that through her protagonist, Eliza Wharton, Foster creates a woman who goes against the social conformity of a virtuous life, questioning the restrictions that marriage placed on women.
From the Paper "The real, final decline of Eliza's physical and mental stability occurs when she learns that she is pregnant, "At the first discovery, absolute distraction seized the soul of Eliza, which has since terminated in a fixed melancholy" (Foster, 140). Eliza's moral redemption rests on her acceptance of the ethics of female self-sacrifice. Paradoxically, it is only by losing her fife that Eliza regains part of the power she relinquished from her seduction. On the other hand, her death finally puts her beyond the reach of the libertine who has pursued her, physically as well as psychologically, throughout the novel."
This paper compares and contrasts two sets of dramatic characters: Eliza and Higgins in George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" and Biff and Happy in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the characters in two plays, "Pygmalion" and "Death of a Salesman." Through this comparison, the reader gleans insights into the character development in each play and the resolved and unresolved issues in each play. The paper gives a brief plot summary of each play and describes the traits of the major characters. Also cited are the unresolved conflicts. The author concludes that both Eliza and Higgins in George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion," and Biff and Willy in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" consistently reveal only half-truths about themselves to each other, and to other characters in the play
From the Paper " If "Drama is the art of significant juxtaposition" (H.D.F.Kitto), that is to say that dramatic conflict springs from a dialectical opposition of ideas; e.g., a half-truth in debate with another half-truth, in analyzing two pairs of dramatic "opponent" characters, then, first Eliza and Higgins in George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and second, Biff and Willy in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman one may define the nature of the respective "half-truths" of these characters according to how their confrontations are dramatized and resolved (or not). I will explore the issue of whether the dialectic between either of these two pairs of characters, Higgins and Eliza and Willy and Biff, is ever resolved."
Tags: Death of a Salesman, Pygmalion, George, Bernard, Shaw, Arthur, Miller
Abstract This paper compares the concept of the public female sexual self, as portrayed by two 18th century writers: Eliza Hayward and Alexander Pope. The paper analyzes Hayward's text, "Fantomina," and Pope's text, "Eloisa to Abelard", citing examples from the texts and discussing their context in the work in order to compare the two texts and their authors.
From the Paper "Once this innocence is transgressed, Eloisa continues to burn with heat within, heat that suggests fire and damnation, although Pope does not openly condemn Eloisa as Haywood does Fantomina. Although Haywood has been described essentially as a conservative in her presentation of conventional morality, by suggesting such a hyper-sexualized public sphere, she herself paradoxically causes the reader to see sexuality where it might not otherwise seem to be lurking. The outer sexuality infiltrates the home, and even creates it within an innocent girl. In the message of almost all of the author's works, the house by day can be a scene of debauchery at night if strangers are allowed to enter it, just as it was in the case of Eloise (Pettit 2002, p.1)."
Abstract This paper discusses how the patriarchal institution of slavery is the central inspiration of resistance that Celia must confront to gain her humanity and feminine identity in "Celia: A Slave" by Melton A. McLaurin. It looks at how Celia provides a heroic example of a woman that found a source of strength in her humanity and female identity to fight against her owner and rapist. By comparing Celia to other literary African-American heroines such as Harriet Jacobs and Eliza Harris, the paper attempts to shed some light on the ideology of resistance to the violent patriarchy of slavery.
From the Paper "The ramifications of Celia's role as a slave woman are defined early in the story, as Celia is raped by her master, John Newsom, after her initial purchase. Celia was essentially attacked and forced to fight for her life when this violent and deranged individual disavowed her rights, even under local law. However, many of the town's people did next to nothing to prevent these rapes against Celia, providing the source of resistance for her inevitable legal struggles to regain her feminine dignity and sovereignty in this patriarchal court system. "
Abstract This paper discusses an article that explores socio-constructivism, a creative student-centered approach to teaching in today's American arts classroom. The author notes that although the article, "Teacher Research in the Socio-Constructivst Art Classroom" by Eliza Pitri is often repetitive and pedantic and contains a detailed description of the components of socio-constructivism as well as practical instructions for teachers who wish to implement it. The paper concludes with a brief analysis of how the use of this approach might impact pedagogy in the author's school.
From the Paper "Expanding upon the work of earlier scholars, Pitri maintains that the socio-constructivist approach recognizes that people construct knowledge from the events and phenomena they come across in their lives. Citing a handful of scholars who have devoted themselves to the study of socio-constructivist epistemology and its implications for classroom instruction, Eliza Pitri writes that learners who actively pursue knowledge instead of simply sitting in a desk passively absorbing knowledge as articulated by someone else are learners who aggressively integrate new information and experiences into their pre-existing knowledge base; along the way, they revise and re-interpret "old" knowledge as part of an ongoing effort to reconcile it with "new" knowledge...."
Abstract ElizaHaywood and Henry Fielding both wrote 18th century novels which explored the social mores of high and low society at the time. What is intriguing is how they approached the subject of education, particularly through Haywood's "The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless" and Fielding's ?Joseph Andrews and Shamela.? The differing objectives to educating the sexes are explored as well as the possible consequences of obtaining an education are proffered.
From the Paper "Education is indirectly explored in Haywood's ?The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless.? The heroine spends her formative years in a boarding school, ?the governess of which had the reputation of a woman of great good sense, fine breeding, and every way qualified for the well forming of the minds of those young persons who were entrusted to her care. [Her father] was so well pleased with having placed his daughter where she was likely to improve in all the accomplishments befitting her sex." (Haywood, 9) Through the misadventures of Miss Betsy Thoughtless, Haywood implies that one of the reasons why a girl should be educated would be to enhance her chances of securing a good marriage (then the only means of climbing the social ladder or attaining an accomplishment recognised by society)."
From the Paper " The collection When We Are Free, edited by Dale M. Haywood, Timothy G. Nash, and R. John Amin, is a book about freedom, as the editors note in the Preface. They state that their book is "an unapologetic endorsement of freedom and all of its corollaries" (vii), but a central issue in the book is economic freedom and how it relates to those corollaries--individualism, morality, the rule of law, responsibility, private property, free markets, limited government, and enterprise. In keeping with this theme, the book is divided into sections that develop the idea of capitalism as the economic ideal and freedom as a necessary condition for capitalism. The readings develop the ideas of the importance of property and its relationship to human life, the role of government, systems of economic organization, the specific nature of the American system, and various elements.."
