My essay will revolve around the ideals that lie behind female identity in the 18^th century and how it is constructed by society’s expectations of women of different social classes. One underlying, yet sometimes primary theme that we continue to see in each of the novels we’ve read this semester is that of the woman’s place in the 18^th century. This “place”, which differs so vastly from that which exists today, is one centered on oppressive men in positions of power who, often by means of social normality, use their privileges in the eyes of society to take advantage of women. The primary idea in my essay will be feature the societal powers that exist to oppress women in this century and maintain power with the white males.

My argument will revolve primarily around Roxana, which presents us with the narrative of a woman who is born into this oppressive state but is able to escape it and attain individuality in a world that is so fixed on keeping her from doing so. It is important to note though, that although she is able to accomplish so much on her own, in the end she still finds herself yearning for the support of a man, reminding the reader of the need for intersexual support.

Roxana’s narrative shows us the ideals that different social classes hold on the female sexuality, as well as their role in the world. Throughout her story, we see Roxana being introduced to increasingly more complex sections of society. As we venture through her narrative, we get to see as Roxana meets women of different social classes, learning something from each and providing us with a window into each their lives. Their lives, however different they may be from one another’s, all feature one conjoining trait; they all live under the thumb of some male authority. From the family relative who is forced by her husband to help Roxana’s children in the beginning of the novel, to the wealthy prince’s wife, who must endure the emotional punishment of being the wife of an unfaithful man; most, if not all of the women Roxana encounters must live through the social norms that she has escaped.

I will also use Pamela’s narrative to show just how strongly these ideals are enforced and expected to be followed. Since Pamela’s virtue is seemingly unprecedented in her social class, I believe her story shines a light on key aspects of the many societal believes that shape a woman’s sexual behavior in the 18^th century, and how they vary from one class to another.

Further, I will delve into the hypocrisy of the societal expectations that are placed on women during this era. Here, I will highlight the passages in Roxana that show us the ruling classes comporting themselves in the unvirtuous ways that they would expect the lower classes to behave. From sex parties in lavish homes, to the all-right mistreatment of women, the higher classes portrayed in Roxana often seem to inhabit less virtuous behaviors than the lower classes. Pamela’s narrative will also be used to enforce this point, as the antagonist throughout her story is a member of the ruling class who is relentless on taking her virtue.

I will conclude my essay with a daring perspective on the power that literature and other works of art have on the social constructs of the times. This power, which can be used for both good and evil, will be examined as I conclude my essay, tying together all of the points examined throughout the essay.

“On the fifth day of November… was I Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, brought fourth into this scurvy and disastrous world of ours” (9). This reference to the fifth of November serves to further describe the complexities of Tristram Shandy’s life. His inclusion of this reference into the text is a good reminder that Tristram truly believes he was destined to live a life full of incongruities. As explained in the notes toward the back of the book, the fifth of November held double significance at the time this novel was written and published; one being the anniversary of Guy Fawkes’s failed gunpowder plot in 1605 and the other being the anniversary of the landing of prince William III on route to claim the British and Irish crowns in 1688. Both of these events hold very controversial significance in British politics.

Guy Fawkes was a citizen of Catholic Spain who fought in the Eighty Years’ War against Protestant forces. In 1688 he partook in a plot to place a Catholic monarch on the British throne by killing King James I, but his plans were spoiled when the authorities were informed of the plot. The fifth of November began with his capture, which was followed by his torture, confession, and eventually his sentence to death. King William III served as king of England and fought against Louis XIV, a Catholic king of France, alongside Protestant and Catholic powers in Europe. Both of these individuals fought for what they believed to be the best faith but were each on completely opposing sides of the battles, one pro-Protestant and the other anti-Protestant, one loved by the people of England and the other hated.

These two individuals, and their ties to the fifth of November, are a good metaphor for the incongruities of Tristram Shandy’s life story. On one hand, we have a revolutionary who fought against powers larger than himself, and on the other we have a leader who fought to protect his land and his people. By using the fifth of November as the date of Tristram Shandy’s birth, we are being prepared for the increasingly incongruous story of his life. This life, which he makes sure to remind us will be far from normal, begins on a date that is itself far from normal. The fact that he shares his birthday with the anniversaries of two such controversial events serves to further validate his theory that the complexities of his life had been determined before his birth.

Learning of the significance that the date of his birth holds ushers us as readers to begin to believe his theory that the bizarre and obscure events that he is forced to life through are an unavoidable part of his fate. If the reader is aware of these two references, which early readers of the novel surely were, it becomes easier to believe the otherwise unbelievable occurrences that surround his birth. The reader may now more easily suspend their disbelief in what is happening, accepting the ironic comedy that the novel exhibits. Upon shift in mindset by the reader, we find it plausible, at least with respects to this fictional novel, that the incongruities that occurred during his conception truly did rattle his “animal spirits”.

Clara Reeve provides a good description of what Borace Walpole was attempting to accomplish in the narrative of The Castle of Otranto. Walpole writes this narrative in an attempt to “…unite the various merits and graces of the ancient Romance and the modern Novel.”(Reeve 1) In order to accomplish this, Reeve believes that Walpole had to provide a story that excites the reader with absurdities and engages their emotions while remaining somewhat plausible. With this in mind, it is easier to understand what Walpole makes such dramatic decisions in the development of his story.

It may seem absurd to have what seems to be a primary character be killed off within the first five pages, let alone to have him be crushed by a gigantic helmet (Walpole 2). Upon the first reading, this comes across as an inclusion of comedy into the narrative and sets one up for a story filled with comical occurrences. After reading Reeve’s passage however, we are ushered to see this exaggeration as Walpole’s failed attempt at seamlessly mashing the extraordinary with the ordinary. Unfortunately, rather than creating a sense of awe in the reader and bringing us in closer, he has detached us from the narrative and diminished the depth of the story.

With the understanding that the seemingly comical elements of this Novel were meant to feel natural, we can now return to the reading choosing to see it as such. Now, the enormous helmet does not seem like humor, but is simply another step in the progression of this story. We can now look for the next layer in this story and can analyze the passages in search of the deeper meaning behind it all. Rather than laughing at the existence of a sword so large that it takes one hundred men to lift it, we can ask ourselves WHY Walpole included this sword to begin with; we can search for the message that Walpole is sending us.

When I reanalyze the incident with the helmet, I can now see the great symbolism behind it’ occurrence. The helmet, which serves to protect one in the field of battle, has now killed Walpole’s only living hope for immortality. His bloodline, which he cares for more than anything else, has now been placed in danger by this object, which would normally serve to protect. This use of irony on Walpole’s behalf is one of the portions of this narrative that are overshadowed by his inability to blend the extraordinary with the ordinary.