Feminist Criticism In August Wilsons Fences - 732 Words

Within August Wilson’s Fences, the conflict between the authority figures within the Maxson household was prevalent. At this time in history, misogyny was widespread, and men typically held a large majority of the authority positions in society. Some scenes from Wilson’s Fences would include times in which Troy Maxson would depict seemingly oppressive authority over his family members. Troy often acted in a rather arrogant manner, which contributed to the strong sense of patriarchy that was present in the Maxson household at times. Contrary to this, Wilson included scenes in which Rose showed superiority over her husband. Applying feminist literary criticism to these specific scenes can allow the reader or viewer to analyze the†¦show more content†¦Analyzing the ways in which a piece of literature includes feminist ideologies can bring out the potential messages that the creators of these productions were attempting to portray, while allowing the reader to critique the literature from a feminist perspective. Rose can be viewed as a symbol of feminism in the setting that Fences took place. She demonstrated the power that females can possess and act upon, even when the majority of female individuals are oppressed and discriminated against within society at the time. Rose fit the stereotypical image of a mother, in which she played the role of a stay at home mom, that cooks food and takes care of the children, while earning no pay. Although she held a rather powerless position, Rose still managed to show her dominance at times within her household, in which she asserted jurisdiction over Troy when she needed to. Many scenes throughout Fences illustrate feminism, and the way in which Rose defends equality between males and females within her home. Although Rose was able to illustrate the authority that women can have within society, Troy possessed an abrasive and caustic personality, in which he often scolded his wife, showing male dominance and patriarchy. Fences is set in the 1950s, a time in which men typically reigned over women, and that was simply the way society worked. Men typically held a majority of the authority in their households, as most of themShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagescoerced labor and many mobility controls. By the 1860s, most European nations had dropped their exit, domestic movement, and passport controls.17 Empires that still maintained controls, such as Russia, Japan, and China, were subject to relentless criticism. At the same time, the authority to manage mobility shifted away from localities to central governments as nation-states insisted on their power to register, count, deport, and monitor the peoples within their borders. Revolutionary France is