Saturday, October 26, 2013
SHE...oh the irony!
So basically what I want to discuss about SHE by H. Rider Haggard, is how ironic it is that despite the title, this book still has a pretty anti-female theme going on. I personally thought this title was a big step in the right direction for women in general for this time because it leads readers to believe that females are important enough to be the title and subject of a book! However, I noticed a few little details within the book that led me to believe that females, along with people of color, still do not find themselves on the same playing field as white men. We read in the second chapter of the book that while Holly is newly in charge of the baby Leo, and is looking for someone to help take care of him, he suggests, "I would have no woman to lord it over me about the child, and steal his affections from me. The boy was old enough to do without female assistance, so I set to work to find a suitable male attendant." Either Holly feels threatened by women taking the credit for rearing this small child, or he just doesn't see the importance of a woman in Leo's life. We see a second example of this when even She suggests that she is but a woman despite her overwhelming age and power. Though She knows how powerful she is, she understands the inequality of her gender versus the male gender. We also see an apparent inequality of the races within this book as well between the African and Arabian people and the white European people. I just thought it was ironic to see many suggestions of gender inequality with such an extreme book which focuses on the power of a single woman.
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It is interesting that you note this, because I had never even thought of it; I completely missed that line. I think it is interesting that you say "She" is still a woman despite her age, which reminds me of how important appearance and reputation for woman have been. appearance-wise: she's still got it. her reputation as the all-powerful ruler, beautiful and mysterious, stern and captivating, is still true as well. I'm not certain if "She" notices that her gender, and self, is superior to men: there is nothing inside her that stops her from demanding respect and worship from the old man (she has so much control over him that he crawls, like everyone else, to see her). I'm not sure if the superiority-inferiority gender-vs.-gender aspect of "She: A History of Adventures" is developed enough; I think it is definitely important to think about the differences that are made between each, but I am not seeing this as a major theme. I think that she almost defies her gender, embodying both a male and female. Most of the time, she remains covered; when she is not, she is either seen as gentle and beautiful or mysterious and frightening. Because she embodies these split-personalities (or her mood is very easily subject to change), I was not "rooting" for her to pursue Leo. I don't know if it was just me, but didn't she seem a little too...unstable and jealous and protective and self-centered? I suppose in this way I saw her as especially female (because, aren't all females a little crazy?). I think she looks beyond herself as a female in her reign, and very much possesses characteristics of a male (he ruling over her people, her un-feminine-like un-delicate ways of showing affection). At least, this is how I saw it. There was nothing particularly attractive (or feminine-like) in her at all; if I was Holly, I would fear her first before being attracted. I wonder how Leo felt...
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