The Revolution of Womanhood
Introduction
The Remarkable Creatures is a book written by Tracy Chevalier, who voices out her perception of women’s involvement in the revolution through her characters in a town called Lymes Regis. The emergence of the women sphere is a multiplexed phenomenon that is recognized right in the town of Lymes Regis. In this town, man is seen as enslaved for success with the trait of aggressiveness, compelling, rational, competitive, and draws all his attention to his work. Women, on the other hand, are brought out to be typical of virtuous. Presumably, women are characterized by submission, purity, piety, and domesticity. This paper is an overview of the Chevaliers book exploring the revolutions made by women in the Lyme Regis age and the author’s portrayal of the changes made by women.
History of Women in Education
The town of Lymes Regis’ ideology did not stress the significance of education in women,
and the primary focus was to educate men in the town. Men, in the book of The Remarkable
Creatures are regarded as the best fit for the school, as they are assumed to be vigilant
enough to learn. Women’s education, on the other hand, is a controversial topic and an
obnoxious step. Women’s core importance is founded in doing their domestic chores and
performing their motherly roles in society, as pointed out by Elizabeth, who learns of the
perception of women in Lymes Regis. However, the book of The Remarkable Creatures
accommodates the wave of feminism education with women enrolment in education, as
illustrated by the Philpot sisters. In the Lyme Regis’ setting, Chevalier uses Elizabeth to point out
that education programs that involved women reported excellence, which earned them not only
the know-how critique but also recognition in the society. The book of Chevalier (9) argues that
due to education, women are now better regarded in society. For instance, the author states,
“…our background as educated Londoners…brought us a degree of respect (Chevalier 9).” The
author depicts the revolution of the education of women, bringing provocative work such as a
learned society in both genders.
Career Woman
The notion of what a woman can or cannot do is a joint statement for the better part of the Lymes Regis age. When it narrows down to career, the Lyme town considers specific roles that are specific for women; majorly being domestic duties and not-so-difficult tasks. Men, on the other hand, are found for the better part of the career field; they exploit the workforce without any limitation as compared to women. In the context of her book, Chivalier (9) finds herself in a time where women take a lesser interest in fossil hunting, as it is considered un-lady-like, dirty, and mysterious. The setting of the book details that the discouragements not only motivate women but fuel them to embark on their career journeys effortlessly and successfully as brought out through Elizabeth. The author brings out the resilience and excellence of women in male careers, which is striking revolutionary significance noteworthy.
A Century of Marriage
The term marriage is generally used to mean a union that is done between two or more people. Two or more people join the associations based on the agreements and their needs, which they believe a solution is indubitable. The context of marriage is illustrated by Chevalier, who presents marriage as a ritual rite that holds significant roles in the life stages. The union does not only put away one’s shame but also brings about peace of mind among the parties involved. Men are brought out as characters who take the whole ownership of women as their own ‘property’ in Lyme. Leading an unmarried life was considered a big shame if not sin, as it was depicted as giving one a new identification. As demonstrated by (Chivalier 10), she uses Elizabeth, who goes on to state, “.married women…smugness at not having to worry about the course of their future”. The book of The Remarkable Creatures portrays the significance of marriage in the town of Lymes Ridges through Elizabeth and Margaret, who feel remorseful for not getting suitors yet. Additionally, Elizabeth’s statement interprets marriage promising a future of women-only dealing with their domestic duties and nothing else beyond personal development. Although marriage plays a significant role in the livelihood of women through; bearing of beautiful kids and the nursing of a joyous family, it still limits the unleashing of potentials among women. For example, the intimate relationship of Mary Anning deters her from keeping up with her friendship with Elizabeth. Chevalier voices out the benefits and challenges that accrue to women in unions.
Woman in the Business World
Democracy and industrialism
Democratic establishments and industrialization characterize the book of The Remarkable Creatures through London. The two terms work hand in hand in bringing a transition in a nation. A greater emphasis, however, is laid upon women in London that are characterized by gender inequality, as expressed by Elizabeth, who cries for the competitions posed by the London people, especially the male gender making her work extra hard. Movements are put forward to advocate for women to receive equal treatments in terms of workforce, job placements, political positions, and promotions. The fights produce a battlefield in which the female gender tries to prove that they can perform while their counterparts try to outdo the female gender.
To support the claim of women’s involvement in the business is successful, (Allen 57) brings out the resilient performance that is recognizable among women in business, Marketing, Trade, Statistics, and Research, where women perform beyond expectation (Allen 57). The town of Lymes Regis accommodates business-minded women such as Mary Anning. Chevalier, in her book, points out to the surprise Elizabeth gets after Mary Anning, approaches her with perfect business skills that only draws her desire to know Anning more. She admires her courage and determination, which later only leaves her, making a business pact with Anning to do her fossil -cleaning (Chivalier 14). The excellence in talking business depicts the allures that women possess and industrialization, which enable their skillful expertise in marketing to pay off.
Patriarchal System
The key aspect of male chauvinism In the Book of The Remarkable Creatures is not only found in the career sector or business sector but also extends to the social area, precisely in marriage. Patriarchy is mainly characterized by domestic violence, which affects women regardless of ethnicity, race, or culture. Elizabeth feels that the women of Lymes Regis do not have to focus or think of their future less, especially those in marriage because of the community beliefs. The feelings point as a practice where women are considered inferior and vulnerable to men violence in most male-dominated societies. For example, supporting claims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and child abuse exist in the community where beliefs and cultural institutions undermine the female gender, as stated by (Graham-Bermann et. 430). Also, Tonsign (2) remarks that patriarchy promotes gender inequality in the family and the female gender where women feel inferior to the man, especially after marriage, as portrayed in the town of Lymes Regis. She further mentions the best view of men expressing control over women is characterized by wife beatings and wife assaults, which are the patriarchal norms. A great deal of consideration must be paid to help women in dealing with patriarchal systems with respect to gender roles, status, and socialization between males and females.
Women Assuming Leadership Roles
A notable aspect of the book of Remarkable Creatures is the assumption of leadership roles among women. Historically, men are associated with the public sphere roles where they get to make critical decisions. Women were not allowed to participate in the decision making roles as their contributions were less considered. However, Chevalier uses Elizabeth and Mary Anning to bring out the involvement of women in leadership. Significant advances in women’s involvement in leadership roles have been seen with their perception of their duty as submissive having less input. Women have doubled their presence to become visible in social functions, gatherings, and giant firms, as seen through Elizabeth and Mary Anning. In support of the claim, (Krooks 2) reports that efforts to harass and intimidate women should be considered a severe threat and calls for action. The books echo that the revolution of women where they are still considered as weak is yet a perception that is deterring from maximally achieving.
Unity in Achieving Independence and Targets
Teamwork is an aspect that promotes the achievement of the set goals of an individual, an organization, or a group of people. Chevalier expresses teamwork among her characters, which develop cases of a successful fossil hunting and promotion of business and friendship between Elizabeth and Mary Anning. The two women instill teamwork in their relations with other people, which impacts their lively positively. The significance of teamwork is also pointed out by (Choundary 43), who illustrates the result of cooperation among the female nurses who deploy effective collaboration in the hospital, which enables them to work effectively. He also adds that with teamwork, nursing is enjoyable and pleasant creating room for satisfaction of human instincts (Choudary 43 ). The perception of friendship and collaboration helps build women not only socially but also emotionally, which significantly makes them durable. Returning to the hypothesis posed at the beginning of this study, the possibility of stating that women of the town of Lymes Regis are under a revolution is inevitable.
Conclusion
The concept of womanhood revolution was very present in the book of The Remarkable Creatures, with its newly depicted roles, which categorizes the functions of a man and a woman. This paper has provided an account of the revolution of womanhood through various stages. Also notable in the book is the fact that women are outstanding in male-dominated sectors such as jobs and careers. They are reportedly beating men in science fields, as seen through Elizabeth’s resilience in fossil hunting, which are regarded as a man’s sector of operation. Without forgetting, their involvement in leadership roles is a revolutionary step that is strikingly worth noting. The earlier intimidation and inferiority does not deter women from standing up on their grounds and advocating for their rights. Another essential point is how women can deal with their emotions, and this gives them an upper-hand over their counterparts. The confidence builds up ultimately and brings about great leadership among women and excellence in their area of operation. Although womanhood faces challenges as depicted by the Philpot sisters, a great deal of advancement to better the lives of women is worthy of noting. As seen from the study of the characters, the portrayals would appear to indicate that womanhood is ever-evolving towards betterment.
Works Cited
Allen, Sheila, and Carole Truman. Women in Business: Perspectives on Women Entrepreneurs. Routledge, 2016. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315271811.
Chevalier, Tracy. Remarkable Creatures: A Novel. Penguin, 2010.
Choudary, K. Krishnaiah, KJNV Narasa Reddy, and N. Hemalatha. “Perception of Working Women in Hospitals Toward Teamwork- AnEmpirical Study.” Asian J Mult- Disciplinary Res 4.2 (2018): 43. http://dx.doi.org/10.20468/ajmdr.2018.02.10.
Krook, Mona Lena. “Violence against Women in Politics.” Journal of Democracy 28.1 (2017): 74-88. https://doi:10.1017/S1743923X18000582
Graham-Bermann, Sandra A., and Suzanne Perkins. “Effects of early exposure and lifetime exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) on child adjustment.” Violence and Victims 25.4 (2010): 427-439.Tonsing, Jenny C., and Kareen N. Tonsing. “Understanding the Role of Patriarchal Ideology in. Intimate Partner Violence among South Asian Women in Hong Kong.” International Social Work 62.1(2019):161-171.https://doi: 10.1177/0020872817712566