Compare how Hardy and Shaw present women Essay Example

living conditions she endures in a small room with old and damp wallpaper. The only visible luxury is a poor bed heaped with covers, making us sympathize with her situation. Moreover, Shaw highlights Eliza's transformation in appearance after being taken under Higgins' wing, showcasing her beauty and leaving an impression.

"remarkable distinction and beauty" is noted as a result of improved living conditions. This is further supported in act three where Mrs. Higgins' guests rise in a flutter upon seeing her.

During the Victorian era, women were often viewed as inferior to men and considered to be their property. In George Bernard Shaw's play, Eliza's father serves as a prime example of this. He claims ownership of his daughter, stating "this girl belongs to me," and proceeds to sell her to Higgins for a mere five pounds. Although the dialogue may appear comical, it sheds light on the harsh realities and mistreatment women like Eliza faced. Shaw emphasizes the innocence of women who were naively used by men for financial gain.

In Pygmalion, Eliza is not harmed despite being "sold" because Shaw intended the play to be lighthearted and comedic. The women in Tess similarly faced a lack of control over the men in their lives as seen when Joan Durberfield dressed up Tess in hopes of her attracting Alec for marriage and improving their economic situation. Hardy emphasizes the desperation of women who use their daughter's beauty as a means of attracting men for money, highlighting that it is not just men who "sell" their daughters. As Joan admired her work with Tess's appearance, it is clear that women also use their daughters as a tool

for attraction: "Her mother's pride in the girl's appearance led her to step back like a painter from his easel, and survey her work as a whole".

Joan's actions towards Tess may be done with affection, but there are deeper motives involved which serve as an indication that the novel is a tragedy. The consequences of Joan's selling of Tess will be terrible. Both Shaw and Hardy depict women as being easily manipulated and controlled by men, often being portrayed as "puppets" or "dolls". In Pygmalion, Higgins views Eliza as an experiment. According to him, it's the most absorbing experiment he has ever taken on. Shaw also suggests that Eliza is merely a live doll without her own mind and agency, calling her a "pretty pair of babies playing with your live doll". Eliza's parrot-like conversation also reinforces her lifelessness and rudeness, being forced to stick to only two topics.

Shaw illustrates that having fine clothing and a posh accent alone do not define a lady. Eliza's skills are artificial, as noted by Higgins, who says, "no more artificial duchesses". Mrs. Higgins recognizes that Eliza's success is a result of both Higgins' art and her dressmaker's efforts. Eliza must not allow herself to become too consumed with material things in general.

Hardy illustrates the way Alec treats Tess during their first encounter. Tess is somewhat enamored with Alec's charm and blushes as he speaks. Alec takes advantage of this. Tess is seeking employment because she feels responsible for her family's misfortune. She mournfully states that since she killed the horse, she should do something. Thus, she turns to Alec for assistance. He realizes this and manipulates her until

she appears to be in a half-hypnotic state. The "kiss of mastery" serves to underscore the fact that Alec constantly controls Tess. Hardy and Shaw point out the paradox whereby men blame women for their beauty and attraction but criticize men for failing to take responsibility for their actions. Hardy effectively portrays this through Alec.

In the text, Tess is accused of causing the downfall of the speaker who feels bewitched by her beauty. Despite her refusal, he insists that she led him on, which is a common excuse. This is portrayed comically in Shaw's play, but it carries significant meaning as highlighted by Eliza's continuous defense of her purity despite being a flower girl. Similarly, in Hardy's Tess, there is a focus on Victorian beliefs and the concept of "pure women." Both texts show how women are affected by hardships and how they react to them, further emphasizing their feminist stance. Shaw's book title, "A Romance in Five Acts" is also ironic as there is no romance between Higgins and Eliza.

Both Tess and Eliza exhibit a strong sense of independence and desire to have control over their own lives. They refuse to accept the social norms imposed upon them by the male figures in their lives, considering them to be unethical. Tess takes on the power of judgment typically held by men, as she is aware that the law cannot provide her with protection from being raped or offer any form of justice or retribution. She ultimately takes matters into her own hands and punishes her rapist, much like she defied the norms of Christianity to ensure that her deceased infant went to heaven.

Despite Tess

having hands that were deemed unfit for administering sacraments or justice in her era, she is destined to meet her demise because of them. Eliza, who was never considered a lady due to her origins as a flower girl, makes it evident to Higgins that...

According to the protagonist, the difference between a lady and a flower girl is not in their behavior, but in how they are treated. This is communicated to her partner as she explains that his treatment has led her to leave. Both women are independent and able to determine their own futures, and consequently, they accept the consequences that come with their decisions. One of the women sells flowers and is not willing to trade her newfound status as a lady for anything else. Despite not having a desired ending, both women are in control of their actions and have created their own destinies. This feminist assertion is evident in the works of Hardy and Shaw.