Essay plan on death in Wuthering Heights and Mrs Dalloway
How does Virginia Woolf present criticisms of societal conventions throughout the novel
How is death presented in Mrs Dalloway and Wuthering Heights?
All for this textbook (8)
Written for
A/AS Level
PEARSON (PEARSON)
English Literature 2015
19th Centure Novel - Tess of the D'Urbervilles
All documents for this subject (2)
Seller
Follow
aliceland
Reviews received
Content preview
Discuss how narration affects the presentation of gender in the
novels ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ and ‘Mrs Dalloway’.
In both novels there are patriarchal double standards that cause
gender inequality. The best example in ‘Tess’ is when Angel
confesses his sin of “plung(ing) into eight-and-forty hours’
dissipation with a stranger”, relieving Tess’s worries about how
Angel will react to her being raped by Alec, but Angel’s reaction is
devoid of sympathy and leads to Tess being abandoned.
Throughout Angel and Tess’s relationship, Tess’s guilt about her
secrecy is the driving factor in her hesitancy towards accepting
Angel’s advances, even though she reciprocates them. She feels
unworthy of him (“You would be better for him”, she says to the
other dairy maids) and makes several attempts to confess her sins,
the final attempt being on the morning of the wedding (“I am so
anxious to talk to you—I want to confess all my faults and
blunders!”), but is immediately put down by Angel (“No, no—we
can’t have faults talked of”). The relief she therefore feels when
Angel confesses to the same sin of pre-marital sex (“No, it cannot
be more serious, certainly,” she cried, “because ’tis just the same!)
is overwhelming, however Angel is unable to reciprocate the
forgiveness Tess shows him, despite her being a victim and him
being the instigator and active participant.
Similarly, in Mrs Dalloway, Woolf contrasts the thoughts of Peter
Walsh and Clarissa to display the gender inequality in society in the
early 20th century. The news that “Millicent Bruton, whose lunch
parties were said to be extraordinarily amusing, had not asked
her”, but only Richard, causes Clarissa to spiral as she begins
contemplating her aging and inevitable death. Clarissa fears
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller aliceland. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.44. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
