Literature on Gender Roles Amanda Bowser Amanda Browser is in Mr. Eiland's Children's Literature class Through the use of gender criticism, historical and new historical criticism, children's poetry can be analyzed in ways that bring out new depths and layers, to even the most simplistic rhyme. With the help of a gender perspective, the way girls are portrayed in poetry can be used to understand society and the role of women. The use of historical criticism shows the lifestyles of women in the past, and therefore makes it possible to put the poetry in the context in which it was originally written. New historical criticism sheds light on the ways in which these same poems about women can be viewed with entirely new meaning.

Early children&'s literature was based principally on giving some moral advice or education. In many nursery rhymes, the meaning would not be stated directly. However, from hearing the rhymes, children were given an example of how they were or were not supposed to behave:

Besides being an important resource for developing children's language skills, children's books play a significant part in transmitting a society's culture to children. Gender roles are an important part of this culture. How genders are portrayed in children's books thus contributes to the image children develop of their own role and that of their gender in society. (Singh)

For instance, in the poem Little Miss Muffet, a female character is portrayed in a typically delicate role: Little Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey; there came a big spider, who sat down beside her and frightened there came a big spider, who sat down beside her and frightened Miss Muffet away (Little Miss Muffet 22).

It's not unusual to see female characters depicted as easily frightened and weak, especially historically. Little Miss Muffet was first printed in 1805. In the 1800s, women were viewed as weak and delicate, and expected to comply with that standard. In Miss Muffet, the attitudes of how women are perceived are quite clear, long considered naturally weaker than men, squeamish, and unable to perform work requiring muscular or intellectual development (DaMetz). This is obvious in other popular children's poetry as well, such as

Curly Locks: Curly locks, curly locks, wilt thou be mine? Thou shalt not wash dishes nor yet feed the swine; but sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam, and feed upon strawberries, sugar and cream (Curly Locks 22).

That poem teaches girls that the way to a luxurious life is to marry well. Starting at a young age they were taught that a woman should get married and have children. They were born, raised and educated to become wives and nothing else (Moore). Teaching girls through poetry and stories that marriage leads to happiness and success was a way for parents to guide their children in the path that they saw fit. Marriage was important for women. Without marriage, they were not likely to be well taken care of. In both Little Miss Muffet and Curly Locks, the girls are living luxurious lives. Even if a luxurious life was not a reality for most married women, the prospect of that was still a way to instruct young girls in the importance of marriage. Marriage was extremely important historically because, Women were not permitted speak in public before an audience. When a woman married, her husband legally owned all she had (including her earnings, her clothes and jewelry, and her children). If he died, she was entitled to only a third of her husband's estate (What was life like for women in the 1800s?). Due to the lack of rights, women needed to find a good marriage, where they would be cared for well. This was not was not just a luxury, but also a necessity.

Teaching girls their role in society was not only achieved through poetry that praised good behavior, but also stories and poems that demonstrated the consequences of bad behavior. Historically, bad behavior for a girl would differ in many ways from bad behavior today. However, the principle that good behavior is listening to parents and bad behavior is not, still stands. For instance, in the poem, My mother said that I never should, a young girl directly disobeys her parent's commands to follow her own whims and desires. My mother said that I never should/Play with gypsies in the wood/If I did, she would say/Naughty girl to disobey /You naughty girl, you shan't be mine My mother said that I never should (6-8). From this poem, the impression is given that the punishment for disobeying could even mean being disowned by parents, or at least parents wanted their children to think that. There is also a comparison drawn between the disobedient girl and a girl who listens to her parents,

"Up comes Sally with a tambourine Alpaca frock, new scarf-shawl White straw bonnet and a pink parasol (My mother said that I never should 13-15).

This is an example of a good child versus a bad child. The child, depicted here as good, has been rewarded for her obedient behavior with material possessions. Even though the disobedient child does run away at the end,

"I paid ten shillings for an old blind horse I up on his back and off in a crack Sally, tell my mother I'll never come back (My mother said that I never should 19-21),

there is no indication that her life will be good because of it. Contrary to that, setting off with little else but an old blind horse sounds as if the disobedient child's life will become increasingly hard. The fact that her horse is old is an indication that he will not be reliable, and also that he does not have much monetary value. He is also a blind horse, which means he will not be able to see where he is going. Without proper guidance, a blind horse can wonder aimlessly into trouble. This lack of direction in her life certainly shows that her path will be full of obstacles and she will not be fulfilling the designated role of women. Her longing for freedom and adventure is not rewarded or written off as harmless, but rather is seen as a dangerous and unwise choice of actions. However, Sally's decision to be an obedient girl and remain home is rewarded. This poem demonstrates that an adventurous and independent nature was not valued in women.

However, when a new historical perspective is applied, it shows that the same poetry that portrayed independence in women as negative can be reversed to show independence in women as a positive quality. For instance, the poem My mother said that I never should was originally meant to deter girls from displaying independence, but when new historical criticism is applied, the same poem encourages girls to show liberty.

"I paid ten shillings for an old blind horse I up on his back and off in a crack. Sally, tell my mother I'll never come back (My mother said that I never should 19-21).

When this same line is analyzed with a new historical perspective, it changes from negative to positive. For instance, a blind horse also means that though it may wander, she will be able to lead it. She can control her path and guide the horse. This gives her an added sense of freedom. This is dramatically different from what is typically seen in children's literature:

underlying messages including: lovely maidens and princesses usually must wait passively for a prince to save them and change their lives, none of the females do anything worthwhile, happy endings are those where marriage was the outcome, men are independent and brave and do all the brainwork, and, the most important decision a woman can make is who her future husband will be. (Cherland)

Sally can easily go from a positive character to a new negative one. Sally's obedience, in reward for materialpossessions, can become negative when it means that to gain those possessions she must give up her freedom. In turn, the once negative behavior of running away to pursue one's own ambitions can become positive. This behavior does not become any less dangerous than it was when the poem was first written, nor is it any less negative to most parents. However, in general, the pursuit of personal freedom is more important than simply living comfortably. Other poems also demonstrate how independence becomes a more valued trait in women. The poem, The Drum, written by a female child in 1971, easily demonstrates how the roles women were supposed to fill was changing. Even a child's idea of how a woman was supposed to act had changed. The fact that there is not a concrete idea of what a woman’s role is in this poem is an important factor:

"daddy says the world is a drum tight and hard and i told him/i'm gonna beat out my own rhythm (Giovanni 155)".

The world is still as hard as ever. However, now girls are able to face that hardness with much the same attitude as most boys do. That is the same attitude of the girl who ran away in My mother said that I never should only here, this attitude is positive. The messages portrayed in children's literature may hinder [a child's] self-esteem, and may limit their perception of their own abilities in life (Cherland). It became increasingly important for the ideas about girls and women in literature to be reevaluated.

Another example of how a woman in a weak role is reversed is in Roald Dahl's Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf In most versions of Little Red Riding Hood, the young girl, Little Red, is either eaten by the wolf, or eaten by the wolf and then saved by a woodcutter. In either version she plays a passive role and proves on her own to be virtually powerless against the wolf. This shows her characteristic weakness as a woman. However, in Dahl's version the situation in reversed, empowering Little Red, and even going as far as making her the predator.

The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers. She whips a pistol from her knickers. She aims it at the creature's head (Dahl 104).

In Dahl's version, Little Red shoots the wolf and skins him. In fact, It was found that girls had a greater increase in self-esteem if they heard stories about an achieving girl rather than an achieving boy (Cherland). This is an excellent example of how children's poetry the portrayal of women. These changes promoted a more positive and independent role, for women. In this role, women were allowed to have a broader range of options and experiences.

Children's poetry and literature has a profound affect on both children and adults. The way and time in which it is read is very important. When children's literature is examined using gender criticism, something as simple as a child's rhyme can hold significant meaning in the role of women in society. Historical criticism explains how poetry was to be interpreted in the time it was written. New historical criticism makes it possible to reevaluate the literature and apply the roles and attitudes of women today. Together, these perspectives can explain and reveal