"More Woman Than Man" : Genus i historisk skönlitteratur. Exemplet: Amarna-litteraturen.

In this essay the author analyzes three literary works of fiction that all belong to the genre‘historical fiction’. The three works are: Akhnaton (1937) by Agatha Christie, The TwelfthTransforming (1984) by Pauline Gedge, and Nefertiti (2007) by Michelle Moran. All theseworks center around the life and regency of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. The study hasbeen done with a perspective of gender studies. The questions asked are as follows: 1. What is attributed as masculine and feminine in these stories and how is the dynamicbetween the genders presented? 2. How do the works’ presentation of gender differ, or agree, with the established gendernorms of the time the works were written? 3. How have these presentations evolved over time? These questions have been answered with the help of Robert W. Connells categorical systemof masculinity. This system consists of hegemonic masculinity (the ideal), participatingmasculinity (supporting the hegemonic project but not fully a part of the ideal), subordinatemasculinity (a discriminated group and not seen as a part of the hegemonic project, for example:the relationship between homosexuals and heterosexuals), and marginalised masculinity (agroup that is not allowed a full part of the hegemony in a given society because of other aspectsof their identity than their masculinity, for example: the afro american population in the USA).These categories have been slightly modified to also be applicable on the feminine, which hasmade it possible to compare women to each other and consider their position relative to themasculine. Connells system is the theoretical basis for this essay, as well as a primary method.The study has been done with a qualitative text analysis. The three works have been read insearch of overarching narrative themes, and subsequently been read again in detail in search ofgender applied attributes, and behavior, and how these are valued in relation to each other andthe ruling social structures. The texts have been studied partly with an inside perspective, wherethe texts speak for themselves, and partly with an outside perspective, where the gender normsof the time of publication are taken into account.The results show that the works mostly follow the norms of the time they are written. Theyrepresent their times and the discourse around gender and are narratively affected by these.Many aspects change between the works, but some norms seem to be more timeless. Men’sposition as the official rulers is dominating all works and is seen as status quo. The drama inthe narrative is fueled by the deviating behavior of some key characters which makes gender acentral question. The changes of what attributes are prescribed the genders have been somewhatsuperficial, while more foundational structures seem to not have changed much. The sexualityof women has become more open over time, but they are relegated to a more passive andsubordinate role in the official setting, while men have the official power and rule over amonopoly of violence and possess a tendency to use it to climb the social ladder and distinguishthemselves in the eyes of society