Stereotyping of Gender Roles and Norms by Society: a Feminist Analysis of I Stand Here Ironing

The ideologies rampant in the societies ensure their reproduction through various means. Social institutions are employed to carry out the power structures and uphold the favourable ideologies. These ideologies always favour one over the other by means of differentiation. Gender is one such ideology/construct, which maintains the favourable hegemony of men over women by ascribing different gender roles that justify the society’s unequal treatment of men and women. Motherhood is the most natural aspect of female gender. However, society and social institutions are selective of what comprises good or bad mothering. I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen runs along the same line, where a mother is tormented by guilt of not fulfilling her role as a good mother. This study, thus, offers a critique on social stereotyping of gender roles from a social construction feminist perspective. The study specifically ventures to explore the various factors and institutions that normalize prescribed rules for good and bad mothering. The study also questions the unhelpful stance of the society with respect to child caring services, which makes women accept traditional gender roles. The aim of the study is to gain insight on social manipulation of gender as a way for upholding traditional gender values / roles.