ENGL 410W: Topics in Early Modern English Non-Dramatic Literature
Tales from the ‘Fabulous Dark Cloister:’ Romance in Renaissance England
Simon Fraser University Summer 2008 Professor Tiffany Alkan
Sunday, July 13, 2008
7/17 & 7/24 Lady Mary Wroth's Urania
Do you think that Lady Mary Wroth writes a romance that seems either more "feminine" (and you may want to define what this word implies) or that she proposes subtle changes to the genre as we have encountered it so far in the writings of men?
I think that Lady Mary Wroth proposes subtle changes to the genre rather than writing a romance that is more “feminine”. One of these changes is the focusing on a female protagonist, as readers know right away from the title “The Countess of Montgomery’s Urania”, however, Wroth makes this a subtle change by having Urania keep many of the characteristics that were typical of female characters. An example of this is that the story starts off with Urania crying and moaning over her sorrows, crying which is generally seen as associated with women as the male hero is too strong to cry and sees it as a weakness and puts his sorrows into actions. Wroth makes a subtle change by then depicting Perissus as a man who has given in to his grief and it is Urania who encourages him to avenge Limena with beautiful imagery when she says “why make you not the Phoenix of your deeds live againe, as to new life rais’d out of the revenge you should take on them?” (pg 4) and again on page 15 “revenge her death on her murderers”. As revenge is common in the stories we have read so far this is a change by having the women be the one to encourage it of the man. I think that Wroth uses subtle changes because she knows that since she is a female writer that her work will be scrutinized more closely and so she does make changes but makes them small in order for her work to be more likely accepted by everyone.
I think that the changes within Lady Mary Wroth's romance do seem more feminine in that they provide us with a female perspective that seems to be more introspective or offer a perspective that has previously gone unnoticed within the texts of the genre that we have read previously. We have all of a sudden access to the female voice that had previously gone unnoticed. This is seen on pages 1-3 with the sonnets that Urania uses to convey her “woes”. Also on page 2 we have the admission of a female “passion” which, correct me if I’m wrong had previously gone unnoticed, unless it was the passion of a female monster which I think really changes things. There seems to be in my opinion a female perspective that is present as a result of female authorship in this text.
I think that much like the example discussed in class about Nereana exclaiming that she is “not a Nimph Arethusa, nor a Goddesse, but a distressed woman,” (200) and how this is a commentary on the writings of men in the romance genre, is also evident in the character of Antissia in the early portion of the second part of Urania. In the instance when Antissia sings a “tedious ditty,” Dolorindus expresses how “Did ever a chaste lady make such a songe, ore chaste eares indure the hearing itt? Fy, fy, Antissia, if you will write, write sence and modestie, nott this stuff that maides will blush to heare” (50-51). I think that in this situation Wroth provides a commentary on the issue of what women “should” write and listen to in order to remain “modest” and “chaste” (in response to Protestant reformers like Vives?). I think that Wroth’s commentary proposes a subtle change to the genre as we have encountered it so far in the writings of men because this kind of commentary is not evident in the same way in the male authors of the time. Dolorindus goes on to say “[Antissia’s] poeticall furies… that in raving rime bury truth of modestie” (51). I think that since Dolorindus says that Antissia is “burying” modesty through her song, Wroth is criticizing the idea (or at least providing commentary on the idea) that according to some male thinkers, if women do not adhere to particular constraints in terms of literature their “modestie” will die.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary the word feminine is defined as “Belonging to the female sex; female.” With definition in mind, Lady Mary Wroth writes a romance that is more feminine because she is writing a romance that is belonging to Urania. Urania is the protagonist, and like Marianne said, this is a change from the other romances that we have encountered so far this semester. One interesting thing about having a female protagonist is that in the beginning, she is the one who is the rescuer for Philargus. Although Urania does not sweep in on a galloping horse and save him from human captives, she does come in, quietly, respectfully, and modestly and saves him from his resolve to die (113 of courseware). Her weapon is not a sword or a lance, but rather words; she appeals to the emotions that Philargus is feeling, something that a male protagonist might not have been able to do. As readers, we are given a romance that seems softer and more in tune with the emotions of Urania rather than a romance like Ariosto’s that concentrates so much more on the fights and duals between characters. Still, despite the change in point of view, at the heart of this text it is still a romance narrative and that is not lost despite having a female protagonist.
In Lady Mary Wroth’s Urania, there is a definite sense of a female guiding the pen the work.Wroth proudly portrays the image of a female, instead of objectifying women and making men appear dominate. In the scene on page 19, where Urania encounters two beautiful boys “whose age might bee judged to bee some seventeene yeares.” Urania, who was once afraid of the boys when she believed they were wolves, upon seeing their excessively feminine traits, no longer fears them. These two boys should be in the prime of youth and thus be seen as muscled, sun-drenched and dominate. Instead, she compares them to the ultimate feminine beauty, Venus. She admires how their hair had never been cut and the pearls that adorn it. Lady Mary even mentions the fairness of their skin. Yet these are not traits that are normally viewed as masculine, thus transforming the two boys into distinctive feminine archetypes.
As Kathryn noted, to be feminine is to “belong to the female sex”, and because of this I think that Lady Mary Wroth creates a more feminine romance. One drastic difference that I believe made this story more feminine is the exaggerated expression of emotion, by both men and women. Being emotional, or over-emotional, is an attribute often associated with females. Also, another difference is that instead of being in pursuit of love or other chivalric deeds, as many of the knights in earlier stories have been, the beginning of the story has Urania in search of her identity. She states “if good fortune serve, I may come to knowledge, injoying me besides not to keepe this story from any [...] may chance bring to some one to release me from this torment of Ignorance” (22). Her quest, therefore is internal versus external. I think this is more feminine because it deals with emotions and gaining of knowledge, whereas the other texts are more centered around acquisition of adventure, fame or maidens. This quest is also less violent and bloody than the quests depicted in previous stories. Lastly, there is a strong sense of unity and companionship between the women in this story. When Antissia describes Melissea, she says “ever will I confess my self to be indebeted to that matchless lady in all artes, the renowned Melissea, whos bountie in soe helping mee I shall never bee able to gratifie sufficienty” (252). She openly states her appreciation for this woman and they are bound by this experience. The women in this story also go to each other for advice (such as Pamphelia consulting the Dutches of Cornona, pg. 281). I think that because this story has such an emphasis on female bonds and is told from a female persecptive, it is a much more feminine text.
When looking at Lady Mary Wroth and Urania, I would have to say that the text doesn’t necessarily change the whole genre of romance but it adds to the genre. It is definitely a feminine text and I think that it has to be looked at this way as the author is a woman and no matter how much one may try to take out the femininity of the text it is going to be present. The text looks at the topics that were relevant to Wroth at the time; topics such as female struggles, societal expectations and constraints. Today it may be referred to as a double standard. Wroth brings to the forefront the emotions that are present when it came to the struggles of the women and the bonds society was placing on them. As well as having a female author, the texts main character Urania is a woman. This is something that we haven’t seen in our readings so far and puts a new out look onto the romance text. All the elements of the romance are still present in the text however the change that does take place is that the female characters take precedence over the male characters, meaning the males loss their dominance in the text.
I think that Lady Mary Wroth most definitely poses subtle changes to the romance genre, and in particular, her female characters, as opposed to writing a romance that is more "feminine". Although Urania starts out quite stereotypical of romance women in the book (crying about her lack of familial connections), we soon learn that her ultimate goal in life is to find the family that she was taken from. This not only gives her more depth than other female characters that we have read so far, it also speaks volumes about her as a person and the things that are truly important to her. Urania is more concerned with finding her true identity than finding a man to take care of her, and although the man she loves becomes quite important to her she never really gives up trying to find her identity. Urania, as Wroth's main character, demonstrates a reorganization of women's priorities, and shows that the man in a woman's life doesn't have to be the only person that matters. A second difference between Urania and the other romance females we have read is that she is not scared to give "unlady-like" advice to the men in her life, in particular Perissus. She encourages him to take revenge on his Limena's murderers when she is taken from him; in doing so Wroth paints a picture of a woman who is a human and has emotions, rather than an emulation of a female saint (another tendency we have seen from our authors this term). Wroth creates a round female character, complete with flaws, in order to show the possibility that women can (and should) have in future literature.
I'm confounded by the term "feminine". What is "feminine"? I know kathryn attempted to provide us with a definition by consulting the OED, but that definition really did not seem to help. What belongs to the female sex? Primarily stereotypes, unless we get biological, and I'm not necessarily prepared to argue that Lady Wroth's text has a uterus. I think we can however argue, that the Urania is significantly different than the other texts we've studied, primarily with the central quest being a function of identity. Wroth's text is arguably "feminine" because it seeks to define what it means to be female. In a traditional sense, what it means to be female is closely linked with what it means to be a female belonging to a man. When our male heroes from some of the previous texts have fallen in love, being in love does not mean questioning their own identity. In Wroth's text, love is debunked as a means of finding identity. It is either an enchantment, as in the Tower situation or when Urania is dunked in the water, or it is the impetus to illusion, such as in the Nereana episode, or it is the means to suffering. Pamphilia defines herself by her constancy to Amphilanthus, but it is the continued means to her suffering. Urania offers another option - the question of identity created through lineage - but what kind of constraints does this inflict on her? I talked last class about the text as a means for Lady Wroth to explore her self, by trying on different characters within the text, and whether or not this is true, I think this text is about female characters trying on different versions of "the feminine", offering the woman author and the woman reader the opportunity to see herself in the text and discover whether traditional models of "femininity" should be perpetuated. And don't get me wrong, I think in some instances Wroth clearly reinforces these ideals, but the difference is that she does approach the concept of the feminine self critically.
There are many definitions for the word "feminine" in the OED. However most of them define it as belonging to the female sex, pertaining to women and characteristics of women. Thus, from these definitions i would have to argue that Wroth doesn't write a text that is more feminine. In fact, she associates these females with non-characteristic female traits. for instance, urania is very strong and supportive during the scene with Perissus. He is distraught over the loss of the woman he loves and it is Urania who encourages him to stop his lament and do something about it. In a sense, we have a role reversal here. Also, she does propose subtle changes to the genre mainly because this text is the first of its kind written by a woman, and also because its written as a roman a clef. But i dont think that she changed the female characters. We encounter role reversals in the other texts we have read as well, such as the female knight bradamant and such. however one difference is that the female character in this text is not a secondary character like in our other readings, but rather the primary character. thus the story is told from a female perspective from a female writer. this also contributes to the different language in the text. in the other works there is not much emphasis on feeling and emotions as there is in Urania.
Right from the beginning I get a sense that “Urania” is feminine when compared to the other texts we’ve read. The idea that literature can be gendered is a tough one to swallow because it does raise issues of power and equality – just consider all the discussions we’ve had so far regarding powerful women in the texts and the use of books or reading. However I think right down to the level of narrative structure “Urania” is a feminine text (And please, feel free to dispute this, I know it’s a polemic argument). In comparing it to its inspiring text, “Arcadia”, the women in “Urania” are no longer the object of the text. As was pointed out, they are now the subject. On a very simple level, narrative theory suggests (according to some scholars) that narrative structure is analogous to textual structure – ie. Subject/object = power/receiver. This extends to the idea of narrative, in which a subject seeks an object thereby creating a narrative of questing, or romance. In reverse, if we consider the subject feminine we should be able to read back and find feminine elements in the textual structure itself – in the way that it organizes reality. Consider the opening scenes of the “Arcadia” and the “Urania”. Arcadia begins by describing the earth, as object, as a woman dressing “against the approach of her lover”. The “Urania” follows a similar trope, but presents the seasons in the capacities of messenger and sender; the first is defensive, the second active. Following after that is a description of shepherding. In “Arcadia” the emphasis is put on the shepherds, observing their flocks and “delighting their eyes” (Sidney, 61). “Urania” describes instead the state of the sheep “while they delight themselves” (Wroth, 107). This very simple exchange of subject/object exemplifies an exchange of power/receiver. “Urania” turns what would have been the receiver in a masculine text into the power in a feminine text. On this level, I think, we can say “Urania” is a feminine text – even narrative tropes which we consider genre markers are turned over in the favour of previously objectified and weaker agents. Marina
Lady Mary Wroth’s Urania presents a subtle change to the genre of romance, influenced by the feminine qualities of the protagonist Urania. Wroth’s Urania seems to be the opposite of Sidney’s Urania, yet equally as powerful. As Kathryn mentioned the OED defines “feminine” as belonging to the female sex. Wroth’s writings give females ownership of the chivalric expeditions taken on by Urania. As a protagonist, Urania is relatable to the majority of the romantic reading audience within her internal emotions and desires to succeed, as a chivalric knight would. Different from what we have encountered this semester, the female voice of strength equally compares to the strength presented within Saint George and other chivalric knights. Along with her inner strength, Urania’s goals shift from those which are expected by the woman of this era. Generally and stereotypically speaking women were believed to be born, work, marry and reproduce. Wroth changes these social ideals by creating a strong woman who searches for truth within her inner self, rather than the love and admiration of another. Wroth’s writings present almost the foundation for a feminist theory during her time. Women bound to their emotions are presented as strong and turn to each other for emotional support. Wroth text offers a new outlook for women looking to find a sense of gender identity in the world, however s Elise mentioned, she does approach the concept of feminism critically. Sidney’s Urana is simply a muse based on memory while controlling the minds of her admirers.
In response to Kathryn's comment, Lady Mary Wroth is writing a romance that is more "feminine" in that she is writing the romance from the perspective of a female protagonist. This is the first time that a story was concentrated on the female rather than having her as an aside character. Usually when people hear the word "feminine" it negatively dennotes weakness, fragility, prissy, and beauty and is usually associted with being "womanly". In response to Shalene's comment that Lady Mary Wroth takes this term and applies it to two males rather than females, flipping the stereotype that countless male romance writers have used against their female characters.
14 comments:
I think that Lady Mary Wroth proposes subtle changes to the genre rather than writing a romance that is more “feminine”. One of these changes is the focusing on a female protagonist, as readers know right away from the title “The Countess of Montgomery’s Urania”, however, Wroth makes this a subtle change by having Urania keep many of the characteristics that were typical of female characters. An example of this is that the story starts off with Urania crying and moaning over her sorrows, crying which is generally seen as associated with women as the male hero is too strong to cry and sees it as a weakness and puts his sorrows into actions. Wroth makes a subtle change by then depicting Perissus as a man who has given in to his grief and it is Urania who encourages him to avenge Limena with beautiful imagery when she says “why make you not the Phoenix of your deeds live againe, as to new life rais’d out of the revenge you should take on them?” (pg 4) and again on page 15 “revenge her death on her murderers”. As revenge is common in the stories we have read so far this is a change by having the women be the one to encourage it of the man. I think that Wroth uses subtle changes because she knows that since she is a female writer that her work will be scrutinized more closely and so she does make changes but makes them small in order for her work to be more likely accepted by everyone.
I think that the changes within Lady Mary Wroth's romance do seem more feminine in that they provide us with a female perspective that seems to be more introspective or offer a perspective that has previously gone unnoticed within the texts of the genre that we have read previously. We have all of a sudden access to the female voice that had previously gone unnoticed. This is seen on pages 1-3 with the sonnets that Urania uses to convey her “woes”. Also on page 2 we have the admission of a female “passion” which, correct me if I’m wrong had previously gone unnoticed, unless it was the passion of a female monster which I think really changes things. There seems to be in my opinion a female perspective that is present as a result of female authorship in this text.
I think that much like the example discussed in class about Nereana exclaiming that she is “not a Nimph Arethusa, nor a Goddesse, but a distressed woman,” (200) and how this is a commentary on the writings of men in the romance genre, is also evident in the character of Antissia in the early portion of the second part of Urania. In the instance when Antissia sings a “tedious ditty,” Dolorindus expresses how “Did ever a chaste lady make such a songe, ore chaste eares indure the hearing itt? Fy, fy, Antissia, if you will write, write sence and modestie, nott this stuff that maides will blush to heare” (50-51). I think that in this situation Wroth provides a commentary on the issue of what women “should” write and listen to in order to remain “modest” and “chaste” (in response to Protestant reformers like Vives?). I think that Wroth’s commentary proposes a subtle change to the genre as we have encountered it so far in the writings of men because this kind of commentary is not evident in the same way in the male authors of the time. Dolorindus goes on to say “[Antissia’s] poeticall furies… that in raving rime bury truth of modestie” (51). I think that since Dolorindus says that Antissia is “burying” modesty through her song, Wroth is criticizing the idea (or at least providing commentary on the idea) that according to some male thinkers, if women do not adhere to particular constraints in terms of literature their “modestie” will die.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary the word feminine is defined as “Belonging to the female sex; female.” With definition in mind, Lady Mary Wroth writes a romance that is more feminine because she is writing a romance that is belonging to Urania. Urania is the protagonist, and like Marianne said, this is a change from the other romances that we have encountered so far this semester. One interesting thing about having a female protagonist is that in the beginning, she is the one who is the rescuer for Philargus. Although Urania does not sweep in on a galloping horse and save him from human captives, she does come in, quietly, respectfully, and modestly and saves him from his resolve to die (113 of courseware). Her weapon is not a sword or a lance, but rather words; she appeals to the emotions that Philargus is feeling, something that a male protagonist might not have been able to do.
As readers, we are given a romance that seems softer and more in tune with the emotions of Urania rather than a romance like Ariosto’s that concentrates so much more on the fights and duals between characters. Still, despite the change in point of view, at the heart of this text it is still a romance narrative and that is not lost despite having a female protagonist.
In Lady Mary Wroth’s Urania, there is a definite sense of a female guiding the pen the work.Wroth proudly portrays the image of a female, instead of objectifying women and making men appear dominate. In the scene on page 19, where Urania encounters two beautiful boys “whose age might bee judged to bee some seventeene yeares.” Urania, who was once afraid of the boys when she believed they were wolves, upon seeing their excessively feminine traits, no longer fears them. These two boys should be in the prime of youth and thus be seen as muscled, sun-drenched and dominate. Instead, she compares them to the ultimate feminine beauty, Venus. She admires how their hair had never been cut and the pearls that adorn it. Lady Mary even mentions the fairness of their skin. Yet these are not traits that are normally viewed as masculine, thus transforming the two boys into distinctive feminine archetypes.
As Kathryn noted, to be feminine is to “belong to the female sex”, and because of this I think that Lady Mary Wroth creates a more feminine romance. One drastic difference that I believe made this story more feminine is the exaggerated expression of emotion, by both men and women. Being emotional, or over-emotional, is an attribute often associated with females.
Also, another difference is that instead of being in pursuit of love or other chivalric deeds, as many of the knights in earlier stories have been, the beginning of the story has Urania in search of her identity. She states “if good fortune serve, I may come to knowledge, injoying me besides not to keepe this story from any [...] may chance bring to some one to release me from this torment of Ignorance” (22). Her quest, therefore is internal versus external. I think this is more feminine because it deals with emotions and gaining of knowledge, whereas the other texts are more centered around acquisition of adventure, fame or maidens. This quest is also less violent and bloody than the quests depicted in previous stories.
Lastly, there is a strong sense of unity and companionship between the women in this story. When Antissia describes Melissea, she says “ever will I confess my self to be indebeted to that matchless lady in all artes, the renowned Melissea, whos bountie in soe helping mee I shall never bee able to gratifie sufficienty” (252). She openly states her appreciation for this woman and they are bound by this experience. The women in this story also go to each other for advice (such as Pamphelia consulting the Dutches of Cornona, pg. 281). I think that because this story has such an emphasis on female bonds and is told from a female persecptive, it is a much more feminine text.
When looking at Lady Mary Wroth and Urania, I would have to say that the text doesn’t necessarily change the whole genre of romance but it adds to the genre. It is definitely a feminine text and I think that it has to be looked at this way as the author is a woman and no matter how much one may try to take out the femininity of the text it is going to be present. The text looks at the topics that were relevant to Wroth at the time; topics such as female struggles, societal expectations and constraints. Today it may be referred to as a double standard. Wroth brings to the forefront the emotions that are present when it came to the struggles of the women and the bonds society was placing on them.
As well as having a female author, the texts main character Urania is a woman. This is something that we haven’t seen in our readings so far and puts a new out look onto the romance text. All the elements of the romance are still present in the text however the change that does take place is that the female characters take precedence over the male characters, meaning the males loss their dominance in the text.
I think that Lady Mary Wroth most definitely poses subtle changes to the romance genre, and in particular, her female characters, as opposed to writing a romance that is more "feminine". Although Urania starts out quite stereotypical of romance women in the book (crying about her lack of familial connections), we soon learn that her ultimate goal in life is to find the family that she was taken from. This not only gives her more depth than other female characters that we have read so far, it also speaks volumes about her as a person and the things that are truly important to her. Urania is more concerned with finding her true identity than finding a man to take care of her, and although the man she loves becomes quite important to her she never really gives up trying to find her identity. Urania, as Wroth's main character, demonstrates a reorganization of women's priorities, and shows that the man in a woman's life doesn't have to be the only person that matters. A second difference between Urania and the other romance females we have read is that she is not scared to give "unlady-like" advice to the men in her life, in particular Perissus. She encourages him to take revenge on his Limena's murderers when she is taken from him; in doing so Wroth paints a picture of a woman who is a human and has emotions, rather than an emulation of a female saint (another tendency we have seen from our authors this term). Wroth creates a round female character, complete with flaws, in order to show the possibility that women can (and should) have in future literature.
I'm confounded by the term "feminine". What is "feminine"? I know kathryn attempted to provide us with a definition by consulting the OED, but that definition really did not seem to help. What belongs to the female sex? Primarily stereotypes, unless we get biological, and I'm not necessarily prepared to argue that Lady Wroth's text has a uterus. I think we can however argue, that the Urania is significantly different than the other texts we've studied, primarily with the central quest being a function of identity. Wroth's text is arguably "feminine" because it seeks to define what it means to be female.
In a traditional sense, what it means to be female is closely linked with what it means to be a female belonging to a man. When our male heroes from some of the previous texts have fallen in love, being in love does not mean questioning their own identity. In Wroth's text, love is debunked as a means of finding identity. It is either an enchantment, as in the Tower situation or when Urania is dunked in the water, or it is the impetus to illusion, such as in the Nereana episode, or it is the means to suffering. Pamphilia defines herself by her constancy to Amphilanthus, but it is the continued means to her suffering.
Urania offers another option - the question of identity created through lineage - but what kind of constraints does this inflict on her?
I talked last class about the text as a means for Lady Wroth to explore her self, by trying on different characters within the text, and whether or not this is true, I think this text is about female characters trying on different versions of "the feminine", offering the woman author and the woman reader the opportunity to see herself in the text and discover whether traditional models of "femininity" should be perpetuated. And don't get me wrong, I think in some instances Wroth clearly reinforces these ideals, but the difference is that she does approach the concept of the feminine self critically.
There are many definitions for the word "feminine" in the OED. However most of them define it as belonging to the female sex, pertaining to women and characteristics of women. Thus, from these definitions i would have to argue that Wroth doesn't write a text that is more feminine. In fact, she associates these females with non-characteristic female traits. for instance, urania is very strong and supportive during the scene with Perissus. He is distraught over the loss of the woman he loves and it is Urania who encourages him to stop his lament and do something about it. In a sense, we have a role reversal here. Also, she does propose subtle changes to the genre mainly because this text is the first of its kind written by a woman, and also because its written as a roman a clef. But i dont think that she changed the female characters. We encounter role reversals in the other texts we have read as well, such as the female knight bradamant and such. however one difference is that the female character in this text is not a secondary character like in our other readings, but rather the primary character. thus the story is told from a female perspective from a female writer. this also contributes to the different language in the text. in the other works there is not much emphasis on feeling and emotions as there is in Urania.
Right from the beginning I get a sense that “Urania” is feminine when compared to the other texts we’ve read. The idea that literature can be gendered is a tough one to swallow because it does raise issues of power and equality – just consider all the discussions we’ve had so far regarding powerful women in the texts and the use of books or reading. However I think right down to the level of narrative structure “Urania” is a feminine text (And please, feel free to dispute this, I know it’s a polemic argument). In comparing it to its inspiring text, “Arcadia”, the women in “Urania” are no longer the object of the text. As was pointed out, they are now the subject. On a very simple level, narrative theory suggests (according to some scholars) that narrative structure is analogous to textual structure – ie. Subject/object = power/receiver. This extends to the idea of narrative, in which a subject seeks an object thereby creating a narrative of questing, or romance. In reverse, if we consider the subject feminine we should be able to read back and find feminine elements in the textual structure itself – in the way that it organizes reality. Consider the opening scenes of the “Arcadia” and the “Urania”. Arcadia begins by describing the earth, as object, as a woman dressing “against the approach of her lover”. The “Urania” follows a similar trope, but presents the seasons in the capacities of messenger and sender; the first is defensive, the second active. Following after that is a description of shepherding. In “Arcadia” the emphasis is put on the shepherds, observing their flocks and “delighting their eyes” (Sidney, 61). “Urania” describes instead the state of the sheep “while they delight themselves” (Wroth, 107). This very simple exchange of subject/object exemplifies an exchange of power/receiver. “Urania” turns what would have been the receiver in a masculine text into the power in a feminine text. On this level, I think, we can say “Urania” is a feminine text – even narrative tropes which we consider genre markers are turned over in the favour of previously objectified and weaker agents.
Marina
Lady Mary Wroth’s Urania presents a subtle change to the genre of romance, influenced by the feminine qualities of the protagonist Urania. Wroth’s Urania seems to be the opposite of Sidney’s Urania, yet equally as powerful. As Kathryn mentioned the OED defines “feminine” as belonging to the female sex. Wroth’s writings give females ownership of the chivalric expeditions taken on by Urania. As a protagonist, Urania is relatable to the majority of the romantic reading audience within her internal emotions and desires to succeed, as a chivalric knight would. Different from what we have encountered this semester, the female voice of strength equally compares to the strength presented within Saint George and other chivalric knights. Along with her inner strength, Urania’s goals shift from those which are expected by the woman of this era. Generally and stereotypically speaking women were believed to be born, work, marry and reproduce. Wroth changes these social ideals by creating a strong woman who searches for truth within her inner self, rather than the love and admiration of another. Wroth’s writings present almost the foundation for a feminist theory during her time. Women bound to their emotions are presented as strong and turn to each other for emotional support. Wroth text offers a new outlook for women looking to find a sense of gender identity in the world, however s Elise mentioned, she does approach the concept of feminism critically. Sidney’s Urana is simply a muse based on memory while controlling the minds of her admirers.
In response to Kathryn's comment, Lady Mary Wroth is writing a romance that is more "feminine" in that she is writing the romance from the perspective of a female protagonist. This is the first time that a story was concentrated on the female rather than having her as an aside character. Usually when people hear the word "feminine" it negatively dennotes weakness, fragility, prissy, and beauty and is usually associted with being "womanly". In response to Shalene's comment that Lady Mary Wroth takes this term and applies it to two males rather than females, flipping the stereotype that countless male romance writers have used against their female characters.
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