|
|
Post by anewman98 on Nov 18, 2015 2:15:17 GMT
In Literature in the Nineteenth Century, it talks about the questioning of religion due to scientific research, revolutions, and "progress". Events that reassured people of God now made them question Him, for example, death of a loved one. These thoughts can be seen in Jane and Antoinette.
Jane and Antoinette both start on the same path. In their lonely childhoods, they question religion. Jane shows her skepticism when she is ill-treated by her relatives and at Lowood. Antoinette shows this when loved ones die. She says, "I prayed, but the words fell to the ground, meaning nothing".
However, the two go on different paths. Jane uses Helen's death as strength and solidifies her religious beliefs. While her faith is more "personal and romantic" than for serving others, she has a clear belief in religion. In contrast, Antoinette lacks self purpose, causing her to lack faith in any God. In simpler terms, Jane is content in life, so she has a reason to believe; Antoinette is not, so she has no faith.
When looked at in a feminist light, independence as a woman gives a reason to be religious. When the reverse is present, one lacks faith.
Is it safe to say that many women in the 19th century questioned religion? Were gender stereotypes responsible for the disappearance of God?
Also, is the same true today? Does comfort in life go hand in hand with religion, or is the opposite true?
|
|
|
|
Post by colleenstrohlein on Nov 18, 2015 2:42:09 GMT
You're questions are very interesting. I don't think that many women questioned religion, or if they did, they couldn't show it. Evolution was a fairly new concept, and I think it was highly doubted. In a patriarchal society, women would probably be frowned upon for questioning a widely held belief, and therefore any skepticism had to be kept quiet. Furthering this point, I do not believe that gender stereotypes were responsible for the disappearance of God, because it was male scientists who were coming up with new, not religion based theories. I think you're right about Jane having religion because she was content, and Bertha losing it because she felt lost, but I find it odd, because I think the opposite is true today. Scientists and doctors tend to have the most money in our society, and although I cannot say whether any of them or religious or not, the science base of their careers I would think places most of them as non-religious. Once again I don't want to make assumptions and I can't speak for everyone, but people living in poverty are typically encouraged to look to God for guidance and support in their times of need.
|
|
|
|
Post by anewman98 on Nov 18, 2015 22:35:31 GMT
Good points. You're right that many scientists and people associated with "progress" were men. I personally think these men's ideas opened doors for women to doubt religion. While men did it voluntarily and out of curiosity, like the scientists you mentioned, women doubted it because of how badly they were treated. It seems like men questioning religion, more or less gave women the "okay" to question it also. But, like you said, we don't know for sure. We can only guess.
|
|
|
|
Post by emilywerkheiser on Nov 21, 2015 17:27:16 GMT
Colleen, I definitely agree with your comment about how women may have questioned religion but it is very unlikely that they would voice this doubt. Women at that time were trapped by society's steroetypes to the point where making a statement so bold about religion and God's existence, which at the time was a nearly universal way of thinking, would be practically impossible. And if they did make a questioning statement, no one would pay any attention to it and the women would likely be cast away by society and identified as insane. I think that this concept connects to how Bronte had to write the book in a way that merely hinted at some very big questions, like women's ability to be strong and intellectual figures in society, without rocking the boat too much in order to avoid her book being completely disregarded.
|
|
|
|
Post by anewman98 on Nov 21, 2015 17:43:20 GMT
Good point Emily, I like how you talked about how Bronte "hinted" at serious questions but never directly asked them. Maybe her reason for not giving Bertha a voice about religion, besides inner monologue in Wide Sargasso Sea, was because women in that time period didn't have a voice. Maybe she was challenging readers to figure out Bertha's views without them being directly stated. I bet most people didn't pick up on them, just like most people wouldn't have in the 19th century.
|
|
|
|
Post by sfarmand on Nov 21, 2015 21:40:12 GMT
In simpler terms, Jane is content in life, so she has a reason to believe; Antoinette is not, so she has no faith. When looked at in a feminist light, independence as a woman gives a reason to be religious. When the reverse is present, one lacks faith. Is it safe to say that many women in the 19th century questioned religion? Were gender stereotypes responsible for the disappearance of God? Also, is the same true today? Does comfort in life go hand in hand with religion, or is the opposite true? Such an interesting post! The connection between atheism and difficulty in life is an old one. Non-believers are often portrayed as grumpy old men who have suffered some great misfortune or tragedy that has caused them to lose their faith. However, this is not necessarily true. According to a recent Gallop poll, less than one percent of those who currently are or formerly were homeless, some of the most misfortunate people in the world, identify as "not religious". This is because people look to God in times of misfortune. God gives people comfort when they have nowhere to turn to, contrary to what the examples of Jane and Bertha lead us to believe. In contrast, around 85% of members of the Royal Society, one of the most prestigious scientific research organizations in the United Kingdom and the international community, identify as "atheist". This statistic goes to show that the opposite of society's perception is true-as comfort and education in life increase, religiosity decreases. It's also important to note that the examples of Jane and Bertha are not typical women in the 19th century. Most women did not question their role in life that religion reinforced both doctrinally and through tradition. As the feminist movement gained support, many women questioned their roles in life, and this caused them to question religion as well. |
|
