Group 4: Feminist Approach
⢠What types of roles do women have in the text?
Womenâs roles are tied to their social class and marriage. Protagonist Mathilde is a clerkâs wife, she handles home life but also dreams of moving up socially. Other women are either privileged like Madame Forestier, or working-class and act as contrasts to Mathilde. None of them have their own jobs or roles outside of these areas.
⢠Are the female characters the protagonists or secondary and minor characters?
Mathildeâs definitely the protagonist, the whole story follows her and what happens to her. The other women like Madame Forestier and the working-class characters are just there to support the story, so theyâre secondary or minor.
⢠Do any stereotypical characterizations of women appear?
At first, Mathildeâs shown focused on beauty and luxury, and men think women need finery to fit in. But this gets turned around later by how resilient she is.
⢠What are the attitudes toward women held by the male characters?
They value women based on how well they can make the family look good socially, like how nice they dress and present themselves. They tie a womanâs worth to what she looks like and whether sheâs married, not really to who she is as a person.
⢠What is the author's attitude toward women in society?
He shows that women are held back by how society works, their value gets tied to who they marry and what class theyâre from, so they donât get much freedom to do their own thing. He feels for them having to make hard choices because of this, and calls out how the system cares more about status than what each woman can actually do.m















