Group+paragraphs+around+essay+(feminist+view)

Group 1 paragraph The scene in which Anna discovers Elizabeth Bradford attempting to murder her mother’s newborn baby depicts the way women of the 17th Century suffered under the tyranny of men. “I do it only to save my mother from my father’s wrath.” This illustrates Elizabeth’s concern for her mother’s safety rather than the life of a child, displaying the controlling and violent nature common amongst men of this era. Mrs Bradford and her daughter are faced with many decisions regarding this “bastard born of adultery” all of which, resulting in consequences, causing them to suffer. “Elizabeth says “DO you think I want to kill it? My mother’s child who shares my blood?” This is a result of her father’s control and intimidation over the women of his family. Women’s suffering throughout the 1`7th Century as a result of make dominance is therefore clearly demonstrated within this scene.

Group 2 paragraph As one of the protagonists in the novel, Mompellion’s treatment towards women is one of the main ways Brooks portrays the general treatment in the 17th Century. We discover that Elinor and Michael’s marriage was never consummated, as he viewed himself as ”the image of God in the Kingdom of the home” and took it upon himself to ensure Elinor “was cleansed or else risk the loss of her for all eternity.”

Group 3 paragraph

“I crumpled at my father’s feet”. Throughout the novel we see Anna suffer under the wrath of her father. This is evident from Anna’s childhood where she witnesses acts of cruelty displayed by her father against both her mother and herself. “My father lead her around taunting her, yanking her hard on the chain, so that the iron sliced he tongue. “ A fear of her father remains in Anna until the death of her father. This treatment of women is seen to be socially acceptable in the time of the novel and so women are forced to suffer in silence under the tyranny of men.

Group 4 paragraph Mompellion’s faith caused Elinor’s suffering and what he believed were the best intentions in circumstances of the death of Elinor’s unborn child. She endured the suffering because of the significance of her relationship to Mompellion as ….submissive partner and servant of God. I this era, women’s opinions were undermined “ignorant woman” and religious devotion was a great part of the social foundation of society.

Group 5 paragraph An example of Anna’s suffering from the tyrant in which her father upholded against her was within the scene in which her father beats her and her mother brutally. The men at the tavern tell Anna she would ‘learn a thing or two at the knee of your father”. This is an example of the hierarchy in which separated men from the women is exhibited in this quote. The men tell Anna she is incapable of learning by herself, and that the only way she will be successful is in the hands of a male. Fear had betrayed Anna as she ran home weeping and shaking; when her father was drunk, he drank until he was insensible. (Expression issues here)

Group 6. paragraph Brooks draws attention to the powerlessness of women through the character of Mrs Bradford. (Obviously incomplete)

Group 7 paragraph In this scene we see the wrath of Mompellion. Brooks explores the views of feminism in the 17th Century during this scene by making it evident that females are essentially somewhat of a lower class than men. This is shown when Mompellion unleashes his anger on Jane Martin, for the “sin” that she has committed and in comparison has not accused Albion Samways for his equal part in the situation. “His voice was oddly flat, sad, if anything certainly not angry as I and Albion had expected.” Anna recalls that Mompellion is calm and understanding towards Albion.

Group 8 paragraph Anna, along with her mother also is cowed by the brute force of Josiah Bont. In the seventeenth century however, a man s wife and children were both loyal and obedient figures to him as the man was the head of the family. “I said you’d learn at me knee and you’ll damn well do as I tell ye.” There are many instances in the novel that Anna recalls being fearful of her father throughout her childhood years. “I crumpled at my father’s feet and in a tiny voice begged his pardon. He laughed then, his pride saved by y perfect humiliation.” Anna also is taunted with the memories of how she saw her mother being treated by her father.” She had worn the helmet a night and a day as my father led her around, taunting and yanking hard on the chain so that eh iron sliced her tongue. Brooks as a woman herself is sensitive to the position of women and the way they were treated.

Group 9 paragraph “I have something very few women can claim, my freedom.” Through the characters of Anys and Mem Gowdie, Brooks demonstrates how women suffer under the tyranny of men in the 17th century. Brooks resents Anys and Men Gowdie as independent, strong women who portray the freedom this is taken away by the husbands and fathers of most women in the village. “Her daughters’ in law wearily followed behind their husbands.” Mem and Anys are not “shackled” to their menfolk.

Group 10 paragraph Elinor Mompellion has suffered under the harsh actions of her husband. The Mompellion‘s marriage has been profoundly compromised by Mompellion's perverse rationalisation of celibacy as retribution. Brooks displays this through the way he punishes her as the more he “made her love me, the more her penance might weigh I the balance to equal her sin”. Brooks expresses her view through Anna’s reaction towards Mompellion’s confession about his treatment of Elinor. Anna therefore withdraws as she “pulled the sheet around her body.” “Now that I knew what had been in her mind”, Anna is sympathetic and empathetic towards Elinor’s relationship with her husband as she now has a greater understanding of Michael Mompellion. (Last sentence – very dodgy expression.)