The Representation of the Role of Women in 'The Turn of the Screw'

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2018 im Fachbereich Didaktik für das Fach Englisch - Literatur, Werke, Note: 1,3, Universität Paderborn, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Few, if any historical time periods were characterized by such profound change, penetrating all areas of political, social, and cultural life, as was the Victorian Era in England and Great Britain. The British Empire with its colonies spanned the whole globe and new influences, needs, and inventions partly called for and partly brought about change in all shapes and forms. One very important part of this overall change was the fight for women's rights and the starting change of the traditional gender roles. Many people fought for women's right to vote, more rights inside of a marriage, and much more, leading to the first wave of feminism. Of course, a topic of such social importance was not only discussed in political debates but permeated through many aspects of the life of the time, one of which being literature. Many authors reflected traditional gender roles in their works, by showing female characters behaving in new and uncommon ways or putting them in difficult situations. This paper analyses the role of women during the Victorian Era as shown in Henry James' novel 'The Turn of the Screw'.