Unconventional Potrayal Of Androgynous Characters: A Sudy Of Andogyny In Hardy's For From The Madding Crowd
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Department of English
Abstract
In Far from the Madding Crowd, the major characters offer idea of androgyny
that Woolf exalts in a Room of One' Own(1929). This paper argues that Hardy does
not rely on stereotypical gender differences and critiques the pitfall of gender and
sexual condition in Far from the Madding Crowd. Bathsheba Ever dene and Gabriel
Oak are androgynous characters and they subvert conventional gender roles. Hardy
depicts an idea of androgyny throughout the acts of the major characters. Through
dismantling the gender roles, the major characters assist to show strength of feminine
as well as masculine qualities and a call for harmony in society. The present research
tries to look at the novel in the light of Hardy’s employment of unconventional
portrait of man and woman, primarily Bathsheba and Gabriel, both as whole human
being who seek balance as well as freedom.It relates to Hardy’s quest for wholeness.
Both Gabriel and Bathsheba represent gender roles which are changing. They depart
from traditional gender roles through dismantling gender roles. It also presents
societal change slowly and gradually.Male and female represent two side of organic
unity as two sexes in a single mind. There is no wholly masculine man, no purely
feminine woman. In this way, Hardy destabilizes Victorian notions of ‘fixed
gendered identity’ which is expressed according to the biological appearance of male
and female and ‘superiority of masculinity’ that is male dominated society,through
the portrayal of androgynous characters.