The role of gender is a topic in which both “1984” by George Orwell and “ Death Of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller display. The relationship between men and women are both stereotypically portrayed, where the male is in dominant and the female is the follower. The reason for such portrayals are linked to the fact that both novels display the historic theme of sexism. It was only after World War 2 that women started to partake in jobs that only men were allowed to. “1984” was written in 1948 while “ Death of a salesman” was written in 1949.
In George Orwell’s “1984” the author portrays the women he creates as shown an insight into the weaker sex who are often degraded as sexual beings with vulnerability. Orwell stereotypes the female characters,…show more content… Julia is revealed as weak, and not able to help her self up. This is shown when ‘she held out a free hand’ toward Winston expecting him to help her up. This is a representation that Julia is the weaker sex, she is not independent or strong. She is displayed as a sexual object in the novel. She has had many sexual partners and even Winston seems infatuated by her “naked, youthful body”. In a world where sex is banished only for the purpose of reproduction, Orwell used her stereotypical ‘nimble’ figure to make sex is a sense of rebellion. Julia is exemplified as an easy character that loves her man and simply uses sex for fun as a rebellion. The novel on a whole is a male paradigm and Orwell assumes that sexually active women are just for pleasure and only mothers are to be shown admiration. In general George Orwell allows his misogynistic beliefs that women belong in the home, which is exactly the type of idea that the society at the time…show more content… The characters view on life is completely dependent upon what is considered society’s norms at that time. Women were the weaker sex while the husbands were the primary breadwinners and above all dominant in the decision making. Success for a man id considered someone who could support their family, and make enough money to retire on. If they were unable to do that, then they were considered a failure to their sex. While the women had no expectation to be successful, they are to stay at home and raise the kids, according to what the husbands wishes