Essay on Esthers Path to Fulfillment - 1927 Words

The picture of the perfect 1950s marriage as depicted through television sitcoms of that era display a happy family with a loving dutiful wife, a handsome businessman husband, and two or three children. What marriage then or now does this idealistic version truly portray? In the past few decades and especially in recent years that version of a marriage has greatly changed. The dynamic of how a marriage works has been significantly altered in the years since the 1950s. At that time the woman was expected to stay home, have babies, and care for the home while the husband was out in the work force. There is no typical American marriage anymore, every couple functions in a different way and is not expected to conform to any standards dictated†¦show more content†¦During the early 1950s women who had been working supporting the war effort were forced to leave their jobs and return to their lives as housewives. The times were changing once again and women were forced away from th e workforce which many enjoyed, and into housewifery in pursuit of a happy marriage. An article written about housewives during this period argues that the 1950s were an era in which women abandoned any professional aspirations and took on the job of being housewives (Pollard). In this article the young women preform all the tasks of a housewife that Esther would find menial and unfulfilling. Esther Greenberg is a complicated and intelligent girl who sees marriage as nothing more than a life of being a servant from the examples that she has witnessed. As the author states, â€Å"Hadn’t my own mother told me that as soon as she and my father left Reno on their honeymoon†¦ from that day on my mother never had a minute’s peace† (Plath, 85). Although Esther does not believe in putting aside her goals and ambitions for a man, society during the 1950s says that young women get married, have children, and abandon their own dreams. Feeling the pressure to settle d own Esther in her heart knows that marriage would not be the right choice for her even though it is what is expected. Many women during the 1950s and 1960s felt the same pressure to settle down asShow MoreRelated Weaknesses of Esther and Plath Exposed in Sylvia Plaths The Bell Jar1174 Words   |  5 Pageshighlighting the weaknesses of both Esther and Plath.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Esthers first statement, It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs   (1) sets the tone for the novel and establishes her preoccupation with death.   She alludes to no remorse at the loss of life but rather concentrates on the wonder of execution. This style allows the reader to see the development of confinement; that is, Esthers preoccupation with death entraps her within herself.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Read MoreThe Destructive Effects Of The Imposition Of Conformity On Individuality3604 Words   |  15 Pagesgoals. However despite the dream, American society would not allow for certain aspirations to be achieved, as gender roles were very rigid. Women typically were expected to be housewives; even with the early start of the feminist movement the gender path for women was still mostly unchanged. With the rise of corporate America, men on the other hand were expected to have very routine and mundane work choices; whether in the offices, or in the booming factories. 1960s’ American society was a society