The Portrayal of Women in Hemingway's Short Stories-Jennifer Harris - THE QU

The Portrayal of Women in Hemingways Short StoriesJennifer Harris : THE QUATRAIN
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The Portrayal of Women in Hemingways Short StoriesJennifer Harris

Many critics have debated if Ernest Hemingway is a misogynist. Short stories such as, The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber, and, Snows of Kilimanjaro, evidently have resentment towards a feminine entity, but in some of Hemingways short stories there seems to be a sympathetic undertone in his writing toward the female character, such as, Up in Michigan. Misogyny defined in the OED is, Hatred or dislike of, or prejudice against women ( OED). While it is exceedingly clear that some of Hemingways characters are misogynistic, it is not quite as easy to infer that he had an aversion towards them when writing all of his short stories. The style of Hemingways writing creates a more cumbersome barrier to try to identify this, as well. Therefore, it is difficult to understand how Hemingway viewed women, and male-female relationship because there is disconnect from some of the characters in the story and their emotions, when treatment of women are horrid, or when the women themselves are undesirable. However, it is clear that in most if not all of Hemingways short stories there are not healthy relationships between men and women. The relationships are failing and imperfect. Hemingway, himself may not have been a misogynist, but in his short stories, all of the women are inadequate, whether the woman is rendered as selfish and controlling, ruining the main hero of the short story, or whether the woman is unable to express the desired feelings she has because of the males dominance. Hemingways women never can succeed, central women being the ultimate
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failure of the man, or Hemingways emotional women being characters that are pathetic and dominated. One of Hemingways notorious women is Margot Macomber in, The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber. This short story exhibits a male who is completely dominated by his wife, Margot Macomber, until he gains courage at the end of the short story, but when Francis Macomber takes power, Margot ends his short lived authority by ending his life. When the reader begins this story, Francis is ashamed; Margot is in control, and Wilson, the hired hunter to train and aid Francis in his hunt in Africa, is on the side making judgmental insights. Wilson is the true, Hemingway man that Francis desires to be, but Margots power and his cowardice is preventing any progress towards possessing this supremacy. Wilson has no attachment to Margot, even when she sleeps with him. She is just a toy, a beautiful conquest that has been taken, Whats in her heart, God knows, Wilson thought. She hadnt talked much last night. At that it was a pleasure to see her (Hemingway 21). His general interest is in his job, the hunt, and Africa. Wilson begins to like Francis when he shows some signs of change and even shares a quote with Francis, his motto. Because Wilson is a true masculine character, that Hemingway models men should be, he has direction over Margot, Wilson is the man free of woman and of fear. He is the standard of manhoodHis dominance over the lady is apparent from the moment she sees him blast the lion from which Macomber ran (Weeks 120). She is instantly drawn to him because of his masculinity. However he is just an affair. Margot could never let a strong man be a part of her life, because then she would have to give up her power. The story is narrated in third person, but the reader is given Wilsons perspective throughout the plot line, by throwing the emphasis back upon Wilson and showing just how tough he can be in a crisisit gives him the upper hand a true man must always have over a woman, if he is to enjoy the happy life proper to the authentic malethe storys basic message (Grebstein 85). The title also emphasizes this message of Hemingways by the short and happy; Francis happiness is achieved because he has the, upper hand, but it is only enjoyed by the few seconds of his life left. The continual struggle of control between the couple is beautifully portrayed by Hemingways style of writing. When Macomber shows courage hes, clearly a changed being, one who will never allow again his wifes domination. Completeting this reversal of roles we find that Margot had been afraid during the chase, and now, feeling nauseous, wants refuge in the ambiguous and evasive shade (Monk 136). She is feeble and weak in this scene, but soon gains her stand back by killing Francis; however, Hemingways irony, ends the story with Wilson , the authentic male still in power over his domain. For it takes Margot to ask him to stop talking before he will do anything for her, Thats better, Wilson said. Please is much better. Now Ill stop (Hemingway 28). Margot may be the ruin of Francis, but her control cannot penetrate through Wilsons masculine identity. Wilson has the last line of the story, and the control of the once dominant Margot. Another short story of Hemingways that bares the slow failure of a man by a feminine character is, The Snows of Kilimanjaro. The woman remains nameless in Harry, the main characters story, but the storys, focal
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point [is] the corrupt power of women and money (Weeks 118). Dying from gangrene, Harry spends the last days of his life mistreating his dedicated wife, reminiscing of days when he was free and young, and regretting the pages he did not write of the stories he knew. Harry is cruel to this nameless female character, although throughout the story she is a loving, devote wife, but she and her money are the cause of his failure, having given up to a luxurious way of life by marrying wealth and then growing into complete dependence on it, he has died artistically long before his physical death (Weeks 119). Because he has grown dependent of the comfortable lifestyle she provided him he is resentful towards her and the life they have built, therefore he is cruel to her in his last days in Africa, All right then. Ill go on hurting you. Its more amusing. The only thing I ever really liked to do with you I cant do now (Hemingway 43). The reader is told that she cries but the nameless woman does not have much of a voice in this short story. She is a small part in Harrys life and in Hemingways narrative. Harry married her for sex and money. She is a hindrance to the artist, rather than a love that he has experience and can truly write about. Her money gave him the ability to take this trip, and it is because of her Harry will die. Critic Weeks stated that, Perhaps he [Hemingway] is best of all with men who stand alone.Yet he feels an obligation to introduce women into his more ambitious fictions, though he does not know what to do with them beyond taking them to bed (87). This is true in the The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber, and The Snows of Kilimanjaro. The true man of, The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber, Wilson, only uses Margot, the solitary female in the short story, as a bed mate, and in, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, the woman is consequently insignificant to Harrys life that she remains nameless, and the only desire he has for the woman is to sleep with her. In these two short fictions the reader is never allowed a view into a females perspective making it hard to sympathize and relate to the womans needs, thoughts, emotions, and motives for her actions. However, not every one of Hemingways short stories is devoid of a womans perspective. One of Hemingways earlier stories, Up in Michigan, main focus is on the woman Liz, though it is written in third person. Up in Michigan, begins by describing Liz Hortons desire for Jim. This description continues throughout the story, even when he is intoxicated and leading her to a secluded warehouse. She stays up after the Smiths have gone to bed, but in a separate area from the men, excluded from the masculine circle. In this story, Hemingway clearly states Lizs motives and desires, She didnt want to go to bed yet because she knew Jim would be coming out and she wanted to see him as he went out so she could take the way he looked up to bed with her (Hemingway 61). Liz is not in any form of relationship with Jim and only lives in a fantasy of him. She indulges this fantasy to the fullest. When he does show interest in her it is after he has become intoxicated, and it is only a physical interest. Liz interprets this as, Hes come to me finally. Hes really come (61). She is aware of what they are going to do though the narrator describes her feeling as fear. Some critics have claimed that Jim has raped her because of her naivety, but this is hard to prove when Liz living in the twenties, spends her days fantasizing about
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Jim and his physical features, and follows him to the warehouse, where Jim advances in his moves, If she were truly afraid of rape, and opposed to the union, why does she expect him to, go about things? Liz is aware that Jim will continue to go about things (Lupton 5). Although Liz does tell Jim some form of, no, several times, she does not stop him, and the narrator states, she was frightened but she wanted it. She had to have it but it frightened her (Hemingway 62). Her refusals to Jim are meaningless and Jim as well as Liz is aware of this fact. It is after the sexual encounter is complete that the audience feels some sympathy towards Liz, because Jim is finished with her and turns over to sleep, Liz Hortonis hardly preparedfor his indifference to her after the act of intercourse (Holder 153). She tries to wake him, but he will not acknowledge her. Although her virginity is not stated, the audience may assume that she is a virgin and this is her first encounter because of her fear during the process, The last scene, in which Liz enacts the tender pantomime of gentle mother, shows her wishing to share this moment with Jim in some articulated way(Lupton 6). Liz has been used for a physical enjoyment by Jim but she desires her feelings to be reciprocated since they performed a physical act of love. However, she leaves him to go back to her room, but covers him with her coat. Although he has made no notion to reiterate her feelings, she cannot stifle hers, Larry Grimes says that Liz, has not yet learned how frail all human dreams are. She is still the romantic that she was at the beginning of the story. She merely substitutes one ideal form of love for another (Lupton 6). The reader sympathizes with Liz because she leaves crying and she feels like everything is lost. She can no longer live in the fantasy of Jim because she has experience the reality with him. This particular Hemingway woman, though with a voice and with some empathetic reflections from the narrator, still relates to the other women of Hemingway. Like Francis Macomber in, The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber, and the nameless woman in, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, the desire for sex in this woman is a fundamental part of her being in the narrative. She is also only a sexual object to the main masculine character in the short story. Therefore, she is a main character in this short story she is insignificant to the mans life. In Hemingways, Indian Camp, there is no mention of sex, but the focal point of the story is a childbirth, which of course requires sexual intercourse to take place. This story is narrated by an outsider, Nick, one of Hemingways famous short story characters. When, Indian Camp, takes place Nick is a young boy who is not familiar with the natural processes of life, but watches his dad perform a Ceasarian on the Indian woman, and witnesses the suicide of her husband. Because this story is seen through the eyes of a child the audience has to make assumption to understand the story completely. There has been much debate over why the husband commits suicide, but the two possible answers ultimately place the blame on the Indian woman. When Nick first arrives in the Indian Camp he complains to his father about the womans screams. It is obvious to the reader that she is in great pain, yet the doctor, Nicks father can give her no relief, because he has no anesthetic. This noise the doctor easily blocks out, but the womans scream is the only reaction from a female the reader receives in this story. After the baby is
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delivered safely the doctor, Nick, and Uncle George, realizes that the womans husband has committed suicide. The image is described in great detail, His throat had been cut from ear to ear. The blood had flowed down into a pool where his body sagged the bunk. His head rested on his left arm. The open razor lay, edge up, in the blanket (Hemingway 69). This is done to show the impact the image has had on Nick, because shortly after Nick begins to question his dad about suicide. The focus now centered on death rather than a new life. Two possible explanations have been given by critics for the Indians suicide. Holder believes that the father, does mind the agony of child birthhorrified at his wifes protracted labor pains which are marked by her screams, cuts his throat (154). Because his wife experiences pain from giving birth, he cannot face life. However the other explanation is the possibility of Uncle George being the father. This is implicated in the short story by the dialogue between George and the doctor. George is the first to hold the baby, and he also stays behind after the doctor and Nick leave. Though it is impossible to know what Hemingways true textual meaning was to the story, the audience can realize that the woman is to blame in both instances. However like many other female characters in his fictions she does not have a voice. Hemingway displays all of the males reaction to the suicide, but not the wifes reaction to the husbands suicide from the, savage death (Meyer 219). The last mention of the woman is before Nicks father discovers the suicide. She is irrelevant after the delivery of the child, who ironically is a boy, to continue Hemingways masculine dominated world. If Uncle George was the father the Indian woman can be classified as another woman in Hemingways novels used for sexual means. The only other significance she has in this novel is to end the life of her husband, but give birth to a new man. Another short story that focuses on childbirth, or the rather the rejection of childbirth is, Hills like White Elephants. This short story differs because it is mostly short dialogue between a couple at a train station, all must be inferred from context and response (Grebstein 111). The couple is discussing the option for abortion for Jig, the woman, while they drink beers, waiting on the train to arrive. In, Hills like White Elephants, the male in the relationship is clearly the dominant one, and the reader can feel a sense of resentment and anger building up in Jig throughout the story, The text depicts the couples relationship as one in which the man is positioned as an authority, and Jigs questions both challenge that authority and seek reassurance from it (Link 68-69), but she does not make statements against his explanations and reasons for the procedure, she just poses questions, Jig always articulates her desires as requests, using forms of the modal terms, could, and, would(Link 68). She does not want to speak of abortion. When he first mentions the word operation (Hemingway 212), she looks down at the floor. She is silent until he continually refers to it, His description of the abortion reflects more than the attempt to minimize its pain and inconvenience for the woman; he really portrays it in the terms he wants for their relationship: to ventilate it and restore it to spontaneity (Grebstein 112). At one point the man describes it by saying, They just let the air in and then its all perfectly natural (Hemingway 212), but the woman is not as concerned with the
procedure as she is about the lasting affects the procedure will have on them, as a couple. The male wants their relationship to be back to the fun of having sex and drinking beer, like they experienced previous to this accident, and Jig realizes this, I wanted to try this new drink: Thats all we do, isnt it-look at things and try new drinks (Hemingway 212). Jig also realizes that she will not be the same careless woman she was, if she goes through with this abortion. The pregnancy has already changed her, and it will now change the relationship, however her thoughts go unheard because of the males dominance and power, and his desire to rid of the child, As the storys complex stylistic pattern raises the stakes of the couples conflict, it also tracks the subtle ruthlessness at work in the mans language (Link 67). He continually discusses the issue after she begs him to stop; although he also repeats to her several times that he doesnt want to force her to do anything, but this comment is empty. At the end when he is still focused on the subject, she powerless to force him to change his mind threatens to scream, the repetition of, please, emphasizing both the urgency of the request and its powerlessness (Link 68). The reader can feel sympathy towards Jig after reading the conversation between the couple, because she cannot express her true feelings to a man who has already made his decision. Like all of the other Hemingway women she has been used for a physical means, and her emotions bare no importance to the man that she loves. Although Jig does have a voice in, Hills like White Elephants, she is not able to communicate, and her words and desires are always stifled by the man that is determined to end what he deems the hindrance to their relationship. Her emotions can only be viewed by her subtle reactions to his comments. She can only question his demands but never form a rebuttal against them. One of Hemingways short stories that does involve love, at least in the beginning is, one that sometimes gets overlooked by critics, A Very Short Story. However, this story ends like all of Hemingways other short fictions, with the ruin of the man because of the woman. The couple in, A Very Short Story, falls in love at the hospital that she, Luz, is working at. Before the military man has to go back to war he wants to marry her, They wanted to get married, but there was not enough time for the banns, and neither of them had birth certificates. They felt as though they were married, but they wanted every one to know about it, and to make it so they could not lose it (Hemingway 107). Even in this statement Hemingway is implying that love is fleeting and not steady. The hero goes to America to find a secure job and a place for them to stay, but Luz does not come with him. The audience can sense that she wants him to become more of an adult before she can make a commitment to him because Hemingway states, Luz would not come home until he had a good job and could come to New York to meet her. It was understood he would not drink, and he did not want to see his friends or any one in the States. Only to get a job and be married (107-108). However while he is gone and their contact, or rather physical relationship is absent, Luz falls in love with an Italian, and ruins both her hopes and his life, The major did not marry her in the spring, or any other timeA short time after he contracted gonorrhea from a sales girl in a loop department store while
riding in a taxicab through Lincoln Park (Hemingway 108). This short story that finally shows a love between a man and a woman ends abruptly by the woman having an affair. While the man may be different from the other men in Hemingways short stories, Luz is still a weak sexual object in fiction. Is Hemingway a misogynist? All of his woman carry either destruction or are strictly a form of sexual pleasure for the masculine characters in his stories. Is he prejudice against woman, though? His characters certainly having no real respect for the women that are the central characters in the story. There are no true heroines either, rather he includes many anti-heroines. However, Hemingway is not devoid of feeling empathetic notions towards those feminine characters that are abused. He displays the relationships and stories of his fiction in front of his reader, in a way to allow them to sympathize with some of his feminine characters, but it is clear that Hemingway deems women less than men, certainly not as equal human beings. He may not be completely prejudiced or have hatred toward women in general, but he does not understand them beyond the point of their sexual value. Works Cited Grebstein, Sheldon. Hemingways Craft. Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press, 1974. Hemingway, Ernest. The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. New York: Scribner, 2003. Holder, Alan. The Other Hemingway. Twentieth Century Literature. 9.3 (1963):153-7. Meyers, Jeffrey. Hemingways Primitivism and Indian Camp. Twentieth Century Literature 34.2 (1988): 211-222. Monk, Donald. Hemingways Territorial Imperative. The Yearbook of English Studies. 8.1 (1978): 125-140. Link, Alex. Staking Everything on it: A Stylistic Analysis of Linguistic Patterns in Hills Like White Elephants The Hemingway Review. 23.2 ( 2004): 64-73. Lupton, Marylyn. The Seduction of Jim Gilmore. The Hemingway Review 15.1 (1995): 3-8. Oxford English Dictionary, misogyny <oed.com> February 24, 2009 Oxford University Press 2008. Weeks, Robert. Hemingway: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1962.
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