Strong Women in James Joyces Eveline, Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House, and Speras My Ex-Husband :: Joyce Eveline Ibsen Dolls Spera Ex Husban Essays

Strong Women in James Joyces Eveline, Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House, and Speras My Ex-Husband My Ex-Husband by Gabriel Spera, Eveline by James Joyce, and A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen all feature strong women as central characters. These women show their strength by standing up for themselves, making self-sacrifices for the benefit of others, and rebelling against societys stereotypes. The female person persona in Speras My Ex-Husband finds the strength to stand up for herself and her beliefs when faced with a cheating spouse. As the poem begins, the woman is preparing to leave on a date when her new beau notices a picture of the womans ex-husband. She soon finds herself telling him the taradiddle behind their divorce. He seems like any womans perfect catch (Spera 633), precisely she ultimately discovers that her spouse is disloyal to her, and he doesnt care how slobbishly he carries on his affairs (Spera 633). Most women believe that if you love your partner, you wouldnt even b e interested in an affair so, if someone has an affair, it means that they dont love their partner and they do love the person they had the affair with (Glass). The woman in Speras poem feels that the man to whom she was married betrayed her, therefore she stands up for herself and leaves him behind. Although it is not easy to pursue your dreams, it is even more difficult to give up those dreams for the interests of others. Eveline, the main character in James Joyces short story by the same name, is torn between staying in her wretched home with her father and leaving to find a life with her lover, Frank. Eveline made a omen to her dying mother to keep the home together as long as she could (Joyce 6). But because of her unfulfilling job and her verbally abusive alcoholic father, she begins toying with the thinking of leaving with Frank. She believes if she goes with Frank, he will give her life, perhaps love, too (Joyce 6). Eveline is willing to sacrifice her chance of finding true love just so she fuel escape the confines of her life with her father. In the end, however, she chooses to keep her promise to her mother, and surrenders her dreams of a life of her own. Even though she desperately desires to leave, she finds the strength to stay in an unhappy situation so she can care for her father.