Question1
Literature works are often written to reflect on the existing events and occurrences in society. As such, literature should depict the struggles of the people and their strengths in an informative way besides advocating for the issues affecting the members of the society. For a long time, politics has shaped the societal governance system and largely determined the social and economic problems that people face. For instance, Cuban citizens have suffered great economic problems owing to bad leadership and military dictatorship over the years. As a result, they have suffered high levels of poverty due to the politics of the country. Therefore, given the great connection between literature and the social wellbeing of the people, it is important that literature should deeply address the politics of society. Literature needs to contribute to political and social issues of the day. The relevance of literature to any given society depends on how it addresses the sociopolitical issues besides being instrumental in finding solutions to such issues.
Question 2
For a long time, history and historical events have greatly shaped the development of literature, particularly when written by women. For instance, their experiences influenced the type of works that they write. Sheila Rowbotham is an example of a female writer whose writing was largely influenced by historical events. Her book “ Hidden from History,” is informed by the suffering of women in the postmodern era. It is based on special events such as enactment of laws that gave women an equal voice in society ( Pearson, 2014) .
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Similarly, Allen Lane’s literary works are largely influenced by historical events such as the cold war. Her book entitled “ Women, Resistance, and Revolution” was premised on the happenings of the cold war as it mirrored the utopic vision that women have hard since the cold war ( Drewitz, 2015) . It further demonstrates the extent to which such a vision has been progressing over the years. In summary, women in literature have largely been concerned with how historical events shaped the lives of fellow women in different parts of the world.
Question 3
The theme of family has been central to the works of women from the historical times with the actors depicting the theme differently. Kate O'Brien presented a conservative view of family. In her 1931 book “ Without My Cloak ,” Kate presents family as an institution in which the society approves of ( Drewitz, 2015). From a woman’s perspective, Kate portrays the family as a necessary responsibility for women. She demonstrates that the women of her time were obliged by society to marry and start families. Whether a family is good or not, any woman was a preserve of the community and not the individual woman in question. A similar theme is espoused in the novel ‘ The Lovely Bones’ by Alice Sebold published in 2004. The novel demonstrates several issues that women were encountering at the beginning of the 21 st century. Like in Kate’s novel, it demonstrates women who feel trapped in families and marriages. However, the women in this novel have devised a way of coping such as infidelity without the feeling of being trapped. Abigail’s character exemplifies such women engaged in infidelity as a way of managing their supposed responsibility if being tied to society’s expectations ( Pearson, 2014) . The novel “ Rebel Queen” by Michelle Moran published in 2016 equally espouses the theme of family. It presents a different outlook to the family from the women’s perspective expected to work and earn a living for their families. For instance, Durga Dala works as a queen’s guard to earn a living for her family and pay for her sister’s dowry. Therefore, the three literature works demonstrate how the family has evolved.
Question 4
The writers we have read address the changing views, roles, and attitudes of women over time. The 20 th -century ones demonstrate the view that women had about families especially with their obligation of starting families and demonstrating loyalty. Kate O'Brien shows that women of the early twentieth century considered themselves condemned to the roles of home caretakers ( Fisher & Silber, 2003) . However, the writers of the early 21 st century demonstrate the increasing liberty among women. Writers such as Alice Sebold show a struggle by women to liberate themselves from the cultural roles and gain individual freedom (Lanier, 2018). The engagement of women in infidelity, as well as rising cases of divorce, demonstrates the perception of this struggle. The contemporary women writers depict women as ones that consider themselves as equal to their male counterparts in society.
Question 5
Significant similarities exist between the poem the “ Birthday of the world” by Marge Piercy written in the 21 st and the poem “ Phenomenal Woman ” by Maya Angelou written in the 20 th century. In both poems, the authors seek to motivate women to aim higher in their respective areas and attain excellence. In “ Birthday of the world ,” Piercy questions her contribution to the struggle of freedom for women. She says that it is time to take stock of her contribution to the struggle of the freedom of women (Wright, 2016). In essence, she challenges other women to take a similar stand and evaluate their contribution. In “ Phenomenal Woman, ” Angelou offers herself as an example of excellence to women. Therefore, the two poets seek to challenge women in their respective eras to aim higher.
References
Drewitz, I. (2015). The Contribution of Women Authors to the Discovery of People of the Female Sex Since 1945. Studies in 20th & 21st Century Literature, 9(2), 33-45.
Fisher, J., & Silber, E. S. (2003). Women in literature: A guide to gender issues . Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Lanier, W. H. (2018). Women in literature . Minneapolis, MN: Core Library, an imprint of Abdo Publishing.
Pearson, J. (2014). Women reading, reading women. Women and Literature. 14(5), 80-99.
Wright, G. (2016). Women poets and men’s sentences. Early Modern Women and the Poem, 3(1), 1-22.
