Both Thomas Hardy's tragic novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles, set in squalid rural England, and Emily Bronte's gothic novel Wuthering Heights , set at two adjacent houses on the Yorkshire moors, ask whether flawed masculine constructs arise from the gender separatism prominent in contemporary society or from an inflexible class structure. Thus, these novels raise controversy over the portrayal of their female protagonists 1800s, and they describe a generation in which women had few choices and many obligations - a major concern of both Hardy and Bronte, who were eager to express their thoughts on the social conventions and decorum of the era. The disappearance of the female protagonist in both The novels are about their relationships with males In Wuthering Heights, Bronte establishes clear contrasts between the two sexes and seems to favor masculinity over femininity while depicting women as indecisive and unstable characters. Likewise, Hardy emphasizes the dominance of men in all aspects of society through their power and strength (both physical and mental). However, it is the morality of Tess, an exploited woman, the victim that is defended. Instead of condemning her for not conforming to social norms, Hardy celebrates her individuality and moral purity. This morality is all the more admirable when one considers the social disadvantages that being born into a poor rural working-class family entails. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Following the Romantic movement, Bronte reexamined the position of women in society; presents a world where men control women's personal and social outcomes within a social framework. Her exploration of gender roles in Wuthering Heights identifies the archetype of the "unclaimed creature" in unequal Victorian society: man. Edgar does not allow Cathy to leave Thrushcross Grange, which limits her intuitive character. This drives her desire to defy expected obedience, leading her to flee to Wuthering Heights while there being repressed by the "ferocious, merciless, wolf" Heathcliff, who subjects her to a superior patriarchal dynamism while cunningly using Linton's illness to put Cathy in the box that is his gender stereotype. Although his animal energy and passion are admired, he is certainly condemned morally as he "possessed something diabolical", represented when Nelly describes him as an "ominous bird" and "knave" and by Joseph as an "evil beast" . In a sense, then, Cathy's fate is determined both by the constricting oppression of her class seen in Linton's demands and by the domination of the powerful male Heathcliff. Just like Bronte, Hardy uses society which plays a vital role in the actions of men as we see embodies in Angel the inequalities of British society, so much so that his perception of women changes when he travels to Brazil, a land that rejects ideals and encourages diversity. “He mentally aged a dozen years” as he learns to modify his previous judgments of Tess's flaws. Angel is a loving man bound by the serious attitudes and assumptions of his family and social background. It is only when he leaves this environment that he is able to perceive the pettiness and prejudicial hypocrisy of his (and his community's) attitudes, allowing him to realize that "the beauty or ugliness of a character lies not only in his achievements, but in its purposes and impulses; its true history lies, not among the things done, but among theintended things." Hardy uses both Angel to highlight that in a corrupt and bigoted society, innocent women suffer both at the hands of ruthless and selfish men (Alec) but also suffer tragically at the hands of those who are essentially good but also trapped in their social prejudices (Angel becomes a "slave of custom and conventionality"). but upon returning from Brazil he opens his eyes asking for forgiveness: "Tess! Can you forgive me for leaving?" Brazil, in the late 1800s, was much more advanced in its treatment of women: "[...] there is no doubt that at the time there was less discrimination against women in education than in most countries in the world ” is structured through flashbacks in the form of dual narration by Lockwood and Nelly Dean. This creates contradictory narrative perspectives, which intrigue the reader and aid understanding of the plot. Allowing Lockwood and Nelly Dean to interact and room with the characters in Wuthering Heights and The Grange automatically creates a sense of darkness regarding their prejudices in the novel. “Who knew your father was emperor of China and your mother an Indian queen […]” Nelly's narration is compelling but at the same time highly erratic as she speaks as if she were gossiping with a friend. The narrator's unreliability shapes our view of Cathy's “imprisonment” by men because Nelly's hyperbolic opinion at some points in the novel suggests that men exaggerate their position and authority in society. Unfortunately, due to 19th century law, men could dictate everything; even if their decisions had been unseemly, no objection would have been raised against them: "In the legal field women were decidedly dependent, subservient and unequal." Bronte seems to be more interested in the dynamics of gender relations than in class conflict, but in a certain sense Heathcliff's background influences his relationship with Cathy so much that the two issues are intertwined. On the other hand, “The desired effect – of which the writer need not be aware – is the perpetuation of unequal power relations between men and women.” Bronte does not intentionally seek to degrade women, but rather hopes to explore discrimination in society and how immorality and deception ultimately lead to the belittling of everyone. A significant phase of the novel is when Linton and Cathy argue: Linton says "He wanted everyone to lie in an ecstasy of peace" and Cathy "wanted everything to be too glittering and dance in glorious jubilee." She says that "her heaven would only be half alive" while he said that his "would be drunk." The juxtaposition of underlying images, metaphors, and antitheses within the dispute exemplifies how Linton controls Cathy's character by seemingly being thoughtful. This tactic is mainly depicted when Linton uses his illness as a powerful tactic to influence Cathy's actions, once again demonstrating the corruption and sometimes insidious control of patriarchal society. Bronte wishes to demonstrate how men's actions can be completely counterproductive in such efforts to simply dominate and control women. This conception is demonstrated by the naivety of Linton, who seems to misunderstand that Heathcliff is using his illness to persuade Cathy regarding his inheritance. Unfortunately, it may not be Linton's callousness but Heathcliff's terror that drives him to act this way towards women: "With his face flooded with tears and an expression of agony, Linton had thrown his numb body to the ground : he seemed shocked by terror." it is almost monstrous; his son fears what he might do to him if he doesn't do what he says: "Instead of filling thecanvas that there is hardly a scene untainted by his presence". It certainly seems here that it is Heathcliff's domineering masculinity rather than his social position that drives his behavior towards Cathy. Fundamental to the structure of the novel is sympathy of the author and readers for the mistreatment of women in the nineteenth century. At that time, Wuthering Heights was considered a highly corrupt narrative, as it addressed and threatened the disciplined and civilized behavior of human beings. This theme has a parallel in Shakespeare's works , who were a source of inspiration for Emily Bronte: in Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, the treatment of young women is quite ruthless. Shakespeare's most famous female characters were usually victims of men, a status that connoted the loss of their purity and innocence. Their inferiority was also significant from the point of view of the plot, since it helps us to better perceive the relationships between men and women: "Women were defined physically and intellectually as the 'weaker' sex, subordinate in every way to 'male authority." Hardy was equally interested in the difficulties faced by women both in relationships with men and in the development of their social role, writing forty years after Bronte, he too focuses on a rural environment, but here the changes brought about by Industrialization also affects women, creating tension. between "the pain of modernity" and nature. Hardy's use of the seasons reflects this conflict, as when he uses summer to parallel the burgeoning relationship between Angel and Tess (Angel even refers to Tess as a "fresh, virginal daughter of Nature.") Their relationship is therefore implicitly seen as "natural", only to be hindered by male arrogance and social prejudice. Tess is hypothetically “A pure woman,” but is socially subjugated as “Victorian society exacerbates an ancient harsh and hypocritical definition of virtue and exhortations for maidens to conform.” Social prejudice leaves no room for her to "right her wrongs" as "Once a victim, always a victim: that's the law." His tragedy is predestined because of the way society works; thus, it embodies the fact that "bad things happen to good people" and vice versa, as the offender is left without receiving repercussions for his actions while Tess is condemned for her "terrible sins". In this way, Hardy attacks the destructive nature of Victorian morality and hypocrisy. Of course, like Tess, Catherine is presented primarily as a victim, and although men's control over women is paramount, in Wuthering Heights the vital role of society is reflected in Nelly Dean's strategically characterized and dominant narrative voice as she personifies social norms . She never had a husband and was told to “watch her place,” demonstrating the social oppression of women. Society was dismissive of women's status and relative position. Women were forced to submit to men to obtain any form of social position. Catherine marries Edgar instead of Heathcliff for love, as she observes, "if Heathcliff and I were married, we would be beggars" and regarding Edgar "he will be rich and I should like to be the leading woman in the neighbourhood". This mentality could be interpreted to mean that women were selfish and demanded wealth and glory rather than that men were dominant. After the wedding, Nelly says, "It was not the thorn that bent the honeysuckles but the honeysuckles that hugged the thorn" – Bronte's use of opposite plant natural imagery here in relation to Catherine's personality. The idea.