Powerful female characters in literature

Su Min Song

Prof. Kyle Brebner

IERW (04)

7 October 2015

Powerful female characters in literature

Have you ever been oppressed or looked down upon just you are a woman? Can you endure this poor treatment? Actually, in the 19th century, women were ignored and treated contemptuously. However, there are two women who opposes these unfair circumstances. They are Nora in A Doll’s House and Eliza in Pygmalion. These two novels have a big impact on the society back then. Nora and Eliza, main characters of each novel affect society at that time as a symbol of women’s liberation movement. Nora and Eliza have similarities that they both embody the independent women however they also have differences in their situation and behavior.

First of all, Nora and Eliza are both survivors that escapes from the oppressive clutches of men. Nora who is the main character in A Doll’s House lives under her husband’s repression. Although macarons are her favorite food, she cannot eat macarons free from all anxiety because of her husband Helmer. He treats Nora like a child, in a manner that is kind and patronizing. He does not see Nora as an individual but rather as a toy or a doll to be teased and admired. However, in the end of the story, Nora walks out on her husband and three children for the search for the self. Similarly, Eliza who is the protagonist of Pygmalion is used as a human guinea pig by Phonetics professor Higgins. Higgins lashes out at Eliza, and she has been dependent on him. She works as a street vendor selling flowers before living in the house of Higgins. After experiment, she becomes a lady of the top class. Even though, she can get a comfortable life in the event of marriage with Higgins, she abandons comfortable life and leaves his side. Nora and Eliza both start a new life by giving up all of many things.

However, there are important differences in situations and behavior between leaving of Nora and Eliza. Eliza is young woman and single, also she has a friend who loves her named Freddy. In the end of Pygmalion, Eliza leaves Higgins and she is going to marry Freddy. Existence of Freddy brings her relief from anxiety. On the other hand, Nora is a married woman with three children. She comes to see her position in her marriage with increasing clarity and finds the strength to free herself from oppressive situation. Moreover, she has three children but she makes a difficult decision that she gives up the motherhood and leaves her children for her own freedom. Besides, she has no one left to turn to when she leaves her husband which is different from Eliza. Nora resembles Eliza, but there are distinct differences between the two.

These two women who look alike but have differences were a crucial turning point in the history of literature. Furthermore, the independent women, particularly as it’s embodied by Nora and Eliza, have a strong influence on society and women’s liberation of that time. Although, Nora and Eliza are fictional characters, they have a great power to change the perception of women in men’s world.