Gender Stereotypes And Expectations In Literature

Everyone knows that boys only want one thing, and girls, above all else, must protect their virtue. Society, through such means as literature, popular culture, and tradition, has perpetuated these gender stereotypes and expectations for much of history. Unconscious and conscious assumptions about gender shape how readers perceive sex in literature; men are typically considered lustful, whereas women are considered loving. However, the subjects of sex, love, and lust in literature, as demonstrated in poems written by Robert Burns and Andrew Marvell, become increasingly nuanced when gender stereotypes and expectations are questioned and removed. Gender roles, expectations, and stereotypes have shifted and become less clearly defined†¦show more content†¦He says that â€Å"the youthful hue / sits on [her] skin like morning dew,† but that this fresh beauty will soon fade (Marvell 584; 33-34). The description of this woman supports stereotypes of both genders. The man is lustful, and his tactic is to appeal to the woman’s shallow vanity. He appeals to her desire for love by almost offhandedly tacking on how he would like to know her heart (Marvell 583; 18). Additionally, he says that, should they act upon his lustful desires, they would be â€Å"like amorous birds of prey† (Marvell 584; 38). The contradictory image of loving raptors enforces the stereotype of a predatory man spouting any lovely lie to get a woman in his bed. â€Å"A Red, Red Rose† by Robert Burns is not as overtly sexual as â€Å"To His Coy Mistress.† However, Burns was notoriously promiscuous, and his subject matter was often of a sexual nature. It is safe to say that his purpose in this poem was a sexual purpose. He says his â€Å"luve’s like a red, red rose / that’s newly sprung in June† (Burns 935; 1-2). He also describes his love as a beautiful song being â€Å"sweetly played in tune† (Burns 935; 1-2). He uses this flowery language to appeal to women’s stereotypical love for beauty and emotion. He additionally appeals to an overemotional woman by using hyperbolic language to describe his love. He claims that he will love this woman until all the seas dry up and â€Å"the rocks melt wi’ the sun†Show MoreRelatedGender Socialization And Social Control1508 Words   |  7 Pageslarge, gender socialization is a major contributor to identity and self- concept. Gender therefore becomes a characteristic that defines other’s perceptions and evaluations of us. People come to manage gender along with aspects of other aspects of the self by making sure that we are acting in gender-appropriate way (Goffman, 1959, Libby). In itself, the self is a product of social forces and it emerges through socialization. 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