Characterisation of Women in Literature of Realism

U književnosti realizma ženski se likovi mogu podijeliti na više tipova (kućanice, žene-majke, zavodnice, grešnice, ratnice, učiteljice itd.), no dva su dominantna tipa: fatalne žene i pasivne žene. One se javljaju kao suparnice, dva suprotna pola. Fatalne se žene ističu svojom prekrasnom fasadom, ali i seksipilnošću te kobnom privlačnošću. One su okarakterizirane kao apsolutne bludnice, vječne grešnice. Vrlo su inteligentne, ali emotivno hladne i proračunate. Mjesto koje zauzimaju u muškoj fantaziji kao pohotna, razvratna i nemoralna bića daje im moć. Pasivne su žene, pak, svetice, anđeli u kući, vjerne Penelope, čuvarice ognjišta. One su pasivne jer se pokoravaju ulozi koju im je nametnulo patrijarhalno društvo. Njihova tjelesnost i duhovnost podređeni su socijalnom i obiteljskom životu. Najčešće su tjelesno krhke, njene, boležljive, blijede puti i pripadnice aristokratskih obitelji. One muškarce oplemenjuju svojom svetošću. Emma Bovary iz romana GospoĊa Bovary Gustava Flauberta ističe se kao primjer fatalne žene, a Lucija Stipančić iz romana Posljednji Stipančići Vjenceslava Novaka kao primjer pasivne žene. Emma je fatalna žena jer je privlačna, senzualna, pohotna, smjela i odvažna. Suprotnost je supruzi – majci koja je čuvarica ognjišta, iako prividno odigrava svoju ulogu. Osim toga, Emma se u salonima gdje se održavaju zabave visokog društva snalazi kao da ondje pripada. međutim, zbog težnje nemogućim visinama ona doživljava tragičnu sudbinu, kao i brojne fatalne žene. S druge strane, Lucija je oblikovana po modelu femme fragile te je srodna likovnim prikazima Madone, čime podsjeća na sveticu. Ona je pasivna jer, iako želi preuzeti život u vlastite ruke i živjeti slobodno, ona je žrtva svoga oca, brata, Alfreda i tadašnjeg patrijarhalnoga društva, ali i vlastite nesposobnosti da preuzme odgovornost za svoj život. Iako između Emme i Lucije postoje razlike, koje su vidljive u njihovoj seksualnosti, krhkosti, u težnji za životom „na visokoj nozi“ te stavovima prema društvenim konvencijama, uočavaju se i sličnosti u tome što su jedna i druga određene vlastitim spolom i što završavaju tragično – jedna i druga umiru prerano, razočarane jer nisu uspjele ostvariti ono što su željele i jer nisu preuzele odgovornost za svoj život. Jedna i druga su doživjele sudar sa stvarnošću.In the literature of realism female characters can be divided into several types (housewives, the wives – the mothers, seductress, sinners, warriors, teachers etc.), but there are two dominant types: femme fatale and femme passive. They appear as rivals, two opposite poles. Fatal women are distinguished by their beautiful facades, but also by sex appeal and fatal attraction. They are characterized as absolute prostitutes, the eternal sinners. They are very intelligent, but emotionally cold and calculated. In male fantasy they take place as horny, lecherous and immoral beings, which gives them power. Passive women, however, are saints, angels in the house, faithful Penelopes, the guardian of the hearth. They are passive because they obey to the role that they imposed in a patriarchal society. Their physicality and spirituality are subordinated to social and family life. They are most often physically fragile, delicate, sickly, pale complexion and members of aristocratic families. These women enrich men enrich with their holiness. Emma Bovary from Madame Bovary, novel by Gustave Flaubert stands out as an example of a femme fatale, and Lucija Stipanĉić from Posljednji Stipanĉići, novel by Vjenceslav Novak as an example of passive women. Emma is the femme fatale because she is attractive, sensual, voluptuous, bold and daring. She is opposition to the type of wife – the mother who is the guardian of the hearth, although Emma apparently played that role. Emma behaves in the salons of high society as if she belongs there. However, due to the aspirations impossible heights, she experienced the tragic fate, as well as numerous femme fatale models. On the other hand, Lucija was designed as femme fragile model and related to visual representations of the Madonna, which is reminiscent of a saint. Lucija is passive because, although she is trying to take life into their own hands and live in freedom, she is the victim of his father, brother, Alfred, patriarchal society and their own inability to take responsibility for her life. Although between Emma and Lucy are different, which are visible in their sexuality, fragility, in the pursuit of „the high life” and attitudes towards social convention, there are observed similarities: both women are certain their own gender and they end tragically – both die prematurely disappointed for failing to achieve what they wanted, and because they have assumed responsibility for their lives. Both have experienced a collision with reality