The Victorian era was characterized by strict gender roles and conventions that dictated how men and women were expected to behave. For women, this meant being submissive, passive, and chaste, and their primary purpose was to be wives and mothers.
Despite these constraints, there were some women who challenged societal expectations and defied norms through their actions and attitudes. These rebellious heroines were often portrayed in literature as strong-willed individuals who refused to conform to the traditional role of women. In her essay "A Room of One's Own," Virginia Woolf argues that true freedom is impossible for women without material independence. This idea is reflected in the characters of Jane Eyre and Anna Karenina, who both struggle against the constraints of society while yearning for love and intimacy.
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre, from Charlotte Bronte's novel of the same name, is a strong-willed woman who refuses to settle for anything less than what she desires. She seeks independence and autonomy but also finds herself drawn to passionate relationships with Rochester and St. John Rivers. Her struggles with sexual desire and social convention are captured in the famous line, "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will." Jane's desire for freedom and independence is evident throughout the novel, but her relationship with Rochester highlights the paradox of wanting liberation while still needing intimacy.
Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina, from Leo Tolstoy's epic novel, is another example of a heroine who desires freedom and independence yet cannot escape her social conventions. As a married woman, Anna is expected to remain faithful to her husband, Count Vronsky, even though she has fallen in love with him.
When they run away together, they must live outside of society, which leads them into poverty and isolation. Anna eventually returns to her husband out of financial necessity, but it is too late - he has taken a new lover. The novel explores the complexities of female desire and how it can be stifled by societal expectations.
How do nineteenth-century heroines embody the paradox of desiring freedom while constrained by sexual morality?
Nineteenth-century heroines often experienced the paradoxical desire for freedom within strict social norms that dictated their sexual roles. The heroine's identity was frequently defined as a woman who sought independence from male domination through rebellion against gender conventions. Despite this yearning for self-determination, she was still expected to adhere to traditional ideals regarding purity and modesty.