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dc.contributor.authorWolfhard, Caroline Sarah
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-29 18:36:21 (GMT)
dc.date.available2020-09-29 18:36:21 (GMT)
dc.date.issued2020-09-29
dc.date.submitted2020-09-10
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/16405
dc.description.abstractThe age of the Industrial Revolution has led to a variety of changes in human society. One of these changes was a shift in gender-roles for men and women. The social role and the behavior of people became a consequence of their biological sex. Hence, men and women were seen as entirely different regarding their character, abilities and duties. Furthermore, stereotypical parameters of what makes one a ‘real’ man or ‘real’ woman were discursively constructed and spread. The goal of this thesis is to develop a new approach to gender relations in Leopold von Sacher-Masoch´s Venus im Pelz and Robert Musil´s Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings Törleß. A lot of the already existing research of these two 19th century novels include definitions of masochism and sadism. The concept of masochism and sadism works by distinguishing between what is considered normal and what is not – especially when it comes to sexuality and gender. I argue that these novels show that gender is a socially constructed category and not based on the biological sex of a person. The gender-roles in the novels do not go along with the expectations of the 19th century society, hence, they show that the character´s identity is not linked to their sex. Therefore, the interplay of power and subjugation in the novels is closely analyzed. I argue that the characters do not portray stereotypical versions of masculinity and femininity and/or their failure, which makes them behave in a certain way. Rather, they challenge gender-stereotypes.en
dc.language.isodeen
dc.publisherUniversity of Waterlooen
dc.subjectgender studiesen
dc.subjectliteratureen
dc.subject19th centuryen
dc.subject.lcshGender identity in literatureen
dc.subject.lcshSex role in literatureen
dc.subject.lcshSacher-Masoch, Leopold, Ritter von, 1835-1895en
dc.subject.lcshMusil, Robert, 1880-1942en
dc.subject.lcshCriticism and interpretationen
dc.titleWriting identity - Negotiating Gender in Leopold von Sacher Masoch's "Venus im Pelz" and Robert Musil's "Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings Törleß"en
dc.typeMaster Thesisen
dc.pendingfalse
uws-etd.degree.departmentGermanic and Slavic Studiesen
uws-etd.degree.disciplineGerman (German Studies, Intercultural)en
uws-etd.degree.grantorUniversity of Waterlooen
uws-etd.degreeMaster of Artsen
uws.contributor.advisorWortmann, Thomas
uws.contributor.advisorSkidmore, James Martin, 1961-
uws.contributor.affiliation1Faculty of Artsen
uws.published.cityWaterlooen
uws.published.countryCanadaen
uws.published.provinceOntarioen
uws.typeOfResourceTexten
uws.peerReviewStatusUnrevieweden
uws.scholarLevelGraduateen


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