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University of Groningen the Mirror Image Muda, G.E University of Groningen The mirror image Muda, G.E. IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2011 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Muda, G. E. (2011). The mirror image: The representation of social roles for women in novels by Charlotte Brontë, Kate Chopin, Edith Wharton and Jean Rhys. s.n. Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum. Download date: 26-09-2021 G.E. MUDA The Mirror Image THE MIRROR IMAGE Front cover illustration: Albert Roelofs, Toekomstdromen, [Future Dreams], 1906 Cover Design: Dr. J. B. Hemel Printed by: GrafiMedia, Groningen ISBN: 978-90-367-4648-9 (printed version) ISBN: 978-90-367-4647-2 (electronic version) Copyright: G.E. Muda (2011) Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden vermenigvuldigd zonder schriftelijke toestemming van de auteur. 2 RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN The Mirror Image The Representation of Social Roles for Women in Novels by Charlotte Brontë, Kate Chopin, Edith Wharton and Jean Rhys Proefschrift ter verkrijging van het doctoraat in de Letteren aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen op gezag van de Rector Magnificus, dr. E. Sterken, in het openbaar te verdedigen op donderdag 19 mei 2011 om 16.15 uur door Geertruida Elisabeth Muda geboren op 20 mei 1963 te Bergh Promotores : Prof. dr. H. E. Wilcox Prof. dr. E. J. Korthals Altes Beoordelingscommissie: Prof. dr. C. Ayers Prof. dr. M. G. Kemperink Prof. dr. S. Sobecki Contents PREFACE ..............................................................................................................................7 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................9 CHAPTER 1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................................22 1.1: The possible functions of narrative texts................................................................22 1.2: Norms, social roles and mirror images as elements of a text .................................23 1.3: Text perspectives ...................................................................................................27 1.4: Text side and reader side........................................................................................29 1.5: The reading process ...............................................................................................31 1.6: Textual strategies: ..................................................................................................35 1.6.1: Thematization ..............................................................................................35 1.6.2: Stabilization .................................................................................................36 1.6.3: Problematization ..........................................................................................37 1.6.4: Anticipation .................................................................................................39 CHAPTER 2 THE CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL CONTEXT...........................................42 2.0: Introduction............................................................................................................42 2.1: The socialization process of girls...........................................................................43 2.2: Contemporary thoughts on the education of girls ..................................................46 2.3: Class-specific and gender-specific socialization....................................................48 2.4: Daily practice.........................................................................................................53 2.4.1: The socialization of the girl in the family ....................................................54 2.4.2: The education of the girl in school...............................................................55 2.5: Women’s participation in the workforce and in politics ........................................62 2.6: The achievements of the British and American women’s rights movements ........64 2.7: Raising an awareness through novels.....................................................................68 CHAPTER 3 SHIRLEY OR THE CONDITION OF WOMEN IN THE ENGLISH MIDDLE-CLASS .........................................................................................................72 3.0: Introduction............................................................................................................72 3.1: The parish school or the private schoolroom .........................................................74 3.2: Bird of paradise vs snow-white dove .....................................................................79 3.3: Wherein matters make some progress, but not much.............................................84 3.4: The moral...............................................................................................................97 3.5: “God deliver me from my friends” ........................................................................99 CHAPTER 4 THE AWAKENING : PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG WOMAN.....................................................................................................................113 4.0: Introduction..........................................................................................................113 4.1: Psychomachy .......................................................................................................115 4.2: To dress or not to dress? ......................................................................................122 4.3: Nine months.........................................................................................................127 4.4: In perspective.......................................................................................................135 4.5: Mixed emotions ...................................................................................................136 5 THE MIRROR IMAGE CHAPTER 5 THE AGE OF INNOCENCE: EDITH WHARTON’S TRIUMPH ..............151 5.0: Introduction..........................................................................................................151 5.1: Innocence vs experience ......................................................................................153 5.2: Blue satin or red velvet ........................................................................................161 5.3: Marriage...............................................................................................................167 5.4: The woman question ............................................................................................174 5.5: Telling it slant ......................................................................................................177 CHAPTER 6 LIFE AFTER LEAVING MR MACKENZIE .................................................190 6.0: Introduction..........................................................................................................190 6.1: The reproduction of power systems .....................................................................192 6.2: Make-up and Clothes ...........................................................................................200 6.3: Angry young women............................................................................................208 6.4: The mirror image .................................................................................................214 6.5: Praise....................................................................................................................216 CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSION............................................................................................228 BIBLIOGRAPHY..............................................................................................................236 Primary literature ........................................................................................................236 Secondary literature ....................................................................................................237 APPENDIX........................................................................................................................250 Reviews.......................................................................................................................250 On Shirley (1849) by Charlotte Brontë................................................................250 On The Awakening (1899) by Kate Chopin .........................................................251 On The Age of Innocence (1920) by Edith Wharton............................................252 On After Leaving Mr Mackenzie (1930) by Jean Rhys ........................................254
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