“Regardless of what we might think of our gender, we can only experience that gender through the body that We have. » Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Throughout the play Blood Relations by Sharon Pollock, the plot focuses on the life of Lizzie Borden and her daily experience as a woman. who does not conform to feminine expectations. The play is set in the late 19th century, a time when women were considered a subordinate group within society. The roles, however, were created by the men of society. In Blood Relations, Lizzie is forced to conform to the female gender role simply because she has a woman's body. The play chronicles Lizzie's resentment and rebellion against the male structure. ideology to try to change what it means to be a woman in her society. As the protagonist of the play, Lizzie Borden faces stereotypes of women of her time. She was born and raised in the 19th century, a time when women were expected to be compliant daughters, obedient wives and housewives. Lizzie, however, refuses to conform to these societal conventions despite the body she was born into. She is very stubborn throughout the play; his constant struggle against societal norms restricts his life and ultimately leads to the murder of his parents. Throughout the play, the convention of "being a lady" causes conflict between Lizzie and those around her, notably Mrs. Borden: "She is incapable of disciplining herself like a lady and we all know it" (Pollock, 22) . Mrs. Borden constantly harasses Lizzie throughout the play because Lizzie does not conform to female gender roles. From the beginning of the play, it is evident that women faced clearly defined boundaries that they could not cross. Mr. Borden, Lizzie's father, considers keeping women under control a task comparable to "training horses": Now, Andrew, I've spent my life raising horses and I'll tell you something : a woman is like a horse! You keep her in check, or she'll take the bit in her teeth and the next thing you know, the road, the destination, and the goal are all behind you, and you'll be lucky if she doesn't launch straight at you. sewer ditch.Mr. Borden believes that men should keep their women under control to prevent them from interfering with their "man's world". In the 19th century, being born into a woman's body limited the options available to an individual: women were not allowed to do what men could do. Lizzie, however, often refuses to do what the men around her tell her to do. The constant discord between Lizzie and her father makes it clear that she refuses to adhere to the conventions of society. Lizzie is constantly forced to listen to her father talk about the idea of ​​marriage: “Listen to me, Lizzie...I choose my words and I want you to listen to me. Now... in most cases... a woman your age would be married, huh? Having children, running your own household. It's natural, right? [Pause.] Huh, Lizzie? Because Lizzie is a woman, it is entirely "natural" that she conforms to the conventions of marriage even if she is not interested in the suitor, such as Johnny MacLeod, an old widowed man. This agreement appears to be one-sided: Mrs. Borden's brother Harry does not appear to be married and is under no pressure to marry. Instead, he is praised for not having to have children: "You're lucky you don't havenever gave birth to children” (32). Because Lizzie was born female, she is seen as a failure for what Harry is praised for. Lizzie, however, refuses to marry someone just for fun. It's not something she naturally feels and ultimately won't do despite her desire to please her father. "Daddy? ...Daddy, I love you. I'm trying to be what you want, really, I try... but... I don't want to get married I wouldn't be a good mother, I..." The idea of ​​being forced to become a mother is not something. which comes naturally to Lizzie; she lacks the nurturing maternal instinct that she believes women meant to be mothers should have. When Mr. Borden talks to Lizzie about marrying Johnny MacLeod, Lizzie refuses the idea and says that. She doesn't want to get married or take on the role of "housekeeper." Lizzie's natural instinct prevents her from "doing" what everyone expects of her. Lizzie recognizes that something is different about her. in comparison to the other women around her She sees that she is nothing like her sister Emily, who is completely complacent and often adheres to the social norms of what it means to be a woman. Because of the contrast between Lizzie, Emily, and even Mrs. Borden, Lizzie questions herself and wonders if there is something wrong with her: Do you think there is a formula, a magic formula to being a "woman"? Do you think every little girl receives it at birth, it's the last thing that happens just before birth, the magic formula is indelibly engraved on the brain Ka Thud!! [...] and because of a terrible oversight... perhaps my mother's death... I didn't get this Ka Thud!! I was born... defective. This quote describes Lizzie perfectly throughout the play. She was born into a body and given a socially constructed role for which she is not suited. All the women around her have a certain perception of what it means to be a woman. Lizzie, however, defies all of these social conventions – not out of malice, but because it is unnatural for her to act as society expects. Even though she tries to make her father happy, the part of her that rejects these social norms leads her to believe that she must be defective - that she can only be considered normal by adapting to the gender role assigned to them at birth. . This quote leads the audience to believe that those who do not fit into the precise categories of all-male or all-female are "different" and should be considered "outsiders." Lizzie is separated throughout the play to the point where she feels alienated from even the closest members of her family. This segregation by Lizzie's family leaves her more resentful and only pushes her further away from her assigned gender role. Naturally, at the end of the 19th century, women could not work, nor did they have the opportunity to live alone, far from their families. On the other hand, that's all Lizzie wants: Lizzie: I want to get out of all this... I hate this house, I hate... I want to get out. Try to understand how I feel. Why can't I do something... Huh? I mean... I could... I could go to your office... I could... learn how to keep books? Borden: For God's sake, speak sensibly. Lizzie doesn't like living at home with the same people who prevent her from being herself; she is desperate to free herself from the world in which she is confined. Although Lizzie enjoys the material comforts her family provides, she ultimately needs acceptance and encouragement to live her life freely. Instead, Mr. Borden constantly tells Lizzie to pull herself together and "think sensibly," as if what she.