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Portrait Of A Prostitute: A Feminist Analysis Of The Victorian Sex Worker In 19th Century Art And Literature, Marissa Merlino Aug 2022

Portrait Of A Prostitute: A Feminist Analysis Of The Victorian Sex Worker In 19th Century Art And Literature, Marissa Merlino

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Despite their deplorable reputation in the conservative eyes of Victorians, prostitutes became the subject of numerous literary pieces and visual artworks. The comparison between characterizations of the sex worker by male writers versus female writers highlights the distinct intentions of both genders. The prestigious Pre-Raphaelite writer and artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti exhibits a dramatic presentation of his male savior complex in both his poem “Jenny” and his painting “Found”, along with its accompanying poem. In contrast, feminist writer Augusta Webster provides her prostitute speaker, Eulalie, with a voice that allows her to articulate how agency plays a role in her …


Indigenous Women’S Resistance And Healing From Colonial Violence: A Study Of Literature And Art, Demi Riendeau Aug 2022

Indigenous Women’S Resistance And Healing From Colonial Violence: A Study Of Literature And Art, Demi Riendeau

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The purpose of this research is to flip the story of colonization form the perspective of the colonizers, and instead, make room to discuss the power and strength that Indigenous women hold to resist and exist despite the genocidal nature of settler-colonization. This is specifically done through the information given by literature written by Indigenous authors and artwork created by Indigenous peoples. Through these depictions of women, both fictionally and non-fictionally, we see the numerous ways that Indigenous women heal, build community, and resist colonial powers. Throughout the reading and analysis of about fifteen unique texts, there were some particular …


The Oppressed African American Female Voice In Zora Neale Hurston’S Their Eyes Were Watching God And “Sweat”, Kaitlyn Levine Aug 2022

The Oppressed African American Female Voice In Zora Neale Hurston’S Their Eyes Were Watching God And “Sweat”, Kaitlyn Levine

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Zora Neale Hurston moved to New York from Alabama in 1925, where her work contributed to the growing trends of the Harlem Renaissance and had a major impact on African American culture. During Hurston’s lifetime, the voices of African American women were often suppressed by the intersecting forces of racism and sexism. Hurston’s literary work portrayed gender struggles in American society during the twentieth century and represented the oppressed voice of African American women.


Octavia E. Butler’S Earthseed And The God Of Change, Mercedes Alayna Reid-X Aug 2022

Octavia E. Butler’S Earthseed And The God Of Change, Mercedes Alayna Reid-X

Honors Program Theses and Projects

It is my intention in this paper to define Butler’s Change God and illustrate how she created it to end oppression in all forms. It is important to start with a bit of background on Butler herself, sharing how her upbringing and experiences in life influenced her feelings about religion. These feelings are what encouraged writings such as the Parables, helping the reader to understand why Butler felt the need to create a new type of religion instead of making use of one that already existed. Next, I include an introduction to Butler’s journey as a Black science fiction writer. …


Patriarchal Colonization Of The Female Body In Machinal And Clit Notes, Saide Harb-Ranero Jan 2022

Patriarchal Colonization Of The Female Body In Machinal And Clit Notes, Saide Harb-Ranero

The Graduate Review

Machinal written by Sophie Treadwell in 1928 and Clit Notes written by Holly Hughes in 1996 are two plays half a century apart yet bring forth the female body upstage and center. I see Machinal bringing attention to the societal machine that takes control of the focal character, Helen, from the first act. Clit Notes shows how a woman’s body could be removed from its first society, her parental home, simply for existing in a body that refuses to fit in a patriarchal box that is designed according to its perception of what that body should be doing. Regarding the …