Looking Back Upon Civil Rights, WomenS Campaign For Suffrage

Looking back upon civil rights, women s campaign for suffrage and equal standing in society shines as one of the most important movements in US history. The literature of this time reflects the ideals from the movement. The 1890s marked the beginning of the Progressive Era; a period dictated by the emergence of women from all levels of society entering the public sphere and becoming self advocates. In 1892, Charlotte Perkins Gilman authored The Yellow Wallpaper, a piece that symbolically represented the era. By the 1940s women had gained the right to vote and had begun to work, much to the chagrin of men. In 1947 Tennessee Williams produced his classic play A Streetcar Named Desire. While similar in their quest to bring women’s struggles†¦show more content†¦Blanche’s writing shows her dependency on men and conflicts with the sentiment of the self-supporting woman that arose in the 1940s. While she attempts to depict herself as an independent woman, it is thin ly veiled and shows that her self-image is completely dependent on how men view her. Women during these time periods, despite their desire for equality, were still expected to stay in their â€Å"lane.† Blanche, upon arriving, veers sharply away from that lane, and it is Stanley who fights to put her back in her place. During â€Å"Poker Night† Blanche is a nuisance to Stanley. She plays the radio, takes a shower, and even steals Mitch from the game. In this instance Blanche breaks away from her prescribed gender role of subservience and disrupts â€Å"the man’s world.† However, this is instance of independence is nullified moments later. As she conversates with Mitch she once again shows her dependence on men. â€Å"Blanche waltzes to the music with romantic gestures. Mitch is delighted and moves in awkward imitation like a dancing bear† (2321). Blanche oversexualizes herself in an effort to gain his approval and boost her self-esteem. Unlike Blan che, who is constantly masquerading as independent woman, the narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper follows a natural progression away from her assigned gender role. Early on she is trapped in a room much like a prison, â€Å"for the windows are barred for little children†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1671). This can be tied to the her husbandShow MoreRelatedWomens Rights Movement3386 Words   |  14 Pagesreality. If you were not born of white male decent, than that phrase did not apply to you. During this period many great leaders and reformers emerged, fighting both for the rights of African Americans and for the rights of women. One of these great leaders was Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton dedicated her entire life to the womens movement, despite the opposition she received, from both her family and friends. 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