Jane Eyre and Matilda; a discussion of intersectionality, class and gender
Keywords
Loading...
Authors
Issue Date
2020-08-24
Language
en
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This thesis looks at the intersection of class and gender in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre
(1847) and Roald Dahl’s Matilda (1988). It consists of one chapter with background
information on class and gender in the nineteenth century and the late 1980s, one chapter that
discusses class discourse in both novels, and one chapter that looks at gender in Jane Eyre and
Matilda. This thesis uses the concept of intersectionality to show that it is not possible to
discuss gender in Jane Eyre without taking class into account and that Matilda has a classist
undertone because it is written from the point of view of a young girl with class prejudice.
Furthermore, it demonstrates that a lot of the ideas surrounding gender present in both novels
originate from class values and that the novels share a rebellious spirit in breaking down
gender expectations and girls helping each other through injustice.
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Letteren