The_Greatest_Sacrifice

The Greatest Sacrifice Throughout history, women have been given very few options in their lives. Historical accounts convey a clear perception that women are belittled because the society thinks that women are too precious and weak to do activities that men can. Women have three main options in life, that is to take care of her husband, to take care of her children (which goes hand in hand with the precedent if the woman bears a child), or to delve into the world of science and art while facing the wrath of enduring the snickers and the pointing fingers of everyone around you. In Miles Franklin's novel, My Brilliant Career, she points out that women are required to be a wife and/or a mother otherwise they will bring disappointment and shame to their family and to themselves. Compared to the opportunities females have in this historical period, women have far less options in choosing what they want to do than men who can do what ever they want. Sybylla Melvyn, the protagonist, is a wilful girl living in rural Australia in the 1890s. The drought and bad business decisions reduce her family to earn just enough money for them to survive; because of this, her father begins to drink excessively. She is sent to live with her grandmother, at Caddagat, where life is more comfortable. There she has several men who propose to her, but the gentleman who struck her the most was wealthy, young Harry Beecham. Convinced of her ugliness and of her unchangeable unladylike acts, Sybylla is unable to believe that he could really love her. She is, then, sent to work as a governess for the M'Swat's, an almost illiterate family with whom her father owes money. After a while, she goes back to Caddagat, and Harry Beecham returns to ask Sybylla to marry him. She rejects him for she concluded never to marry. Sybylla is very much interested in the arts. She wanted to become a musician (Franklin 71), a writer (73), and an actress (106-107), but society, mostly women of age, sees women and the arts as an unlikely match. When Sybylla told her mother that she wanted to pursue music as they were quarrelling on what Sybylla can do, Mrs. Melvyn went fuming stating that music will take many years of training and great expanse before one earns anything at it (71). If a woman delves into the world arts, a large amount of money will be needed and only the very rich families will be able to afford finishing it. Also, since it takes years to train, the chances of getting married are very slim. Mr. Everard Gray told Mrs. Bossier, Sybylla's grandmother, that her granddaughter had a talent in elocution and singing, and her grandmother was obviously enraged as she stated that “an actress – a vile, low, brazen hussy! Use the gifts...in showing off to a crowd of vile bad men” (107). Mr. Gray gave Sybylla's grandmother a proposition, and that is to marry Sybylla to avoid scandal when she comes with him. Mrs. Bossier, who had already talked of her hatred of actresses, refused to send her granddaughter to train and to give him her granddaughter's hand (110). Franklin clearly identifies the responsibilities of females and males to achieve a balanced society. Mrs. Melvyn, Sybylla's mother, is a good example that reflects the responsibilities of women. She “yielded up her youth, freedom, strength...she had sacrificed the greatest possession of woman” (89). Born a “full-fledged aristocrat” (48), Mrs. Melvyn had to adapt to married life as any woman are required to. Once she had children, she had to take care of them and instil values and good etiquette (49). Mr. Melvyn, on the other hand, is of a good social standing (48). Though he is not as rich as his wife's family, he is more than capable to supply food and shelter for his family. Franklin not only points out how men are supposed to supply bread on the table, but are “full of plans and very sanguine concerning the future” (52). Mr. Melvyn decided that it would be best if the family moves to Possum Gully (50). Here, Franklin shows that women have to comply with whatever their husbands are telling them (52) because, obviously, the society has always been a patriarchal one. In addition, Franklin mentions that men are “not going to squat henlike on his place” (52) and are not going to “waste his talents by keeping them rolled up in a small napkin” (50). The decision gravely affected their economic and financial situation (57). Other works of art like fairytale or romance novels divide the genders into two groups, the active (men) and the stagnant (women). In the novel, though, women try to be stagnant as they are following gender norms, but Mrs. Melvyn took matters into her own hands. Her husband decided to begin dairying, along with his wife and children (58). The heavy work told upon Sybylla's gentle and refined mother (59). Mr. Melvyn's share of the work was to break in the cows, separate the milk, and take the butter into town to the grocer's establishment (59). It is important to note the degree of difference in the share of work the two have. Mrs. Melvyn makes the butter by rising at two and three o'clock in the morning (59), a chore (cooking or making food) meant for women; while Mr. Melvyn takes care of the cows and selling the products made by his wife, like any other dairy farmer and cocky (which are comprised of males). In the latter part of the novel, Sybylla's father is “lazier...and drinks more than ever” (196) and “got himself into great debt and difficulties” (196). He, then, borrowed money from Peter M'Swat; Mr. Melvyn, who cannot pay for the debt, was given a compromise to pay £20 per year interest and to give Sybylla's services as governess (196). The amount of realism in Franklin's novel is remarkable. The author points out that men can be the “support of his family, yet not its support” (59). Women have very little control over their lives compared to men, but the men having more responsibilities means more pressure is placed on them. Also, Franklin reveals that doctors, lawyers, squatters, commercial travellers, bankers, journalists, tourists are comprised of men (48). Women, on the other hand, are to rear poultry, make dresses, cook, become a pupil teacher (70), housemaid, sewing, and become a hospital nurse (71). It seems as if women are to have jobs which have 'taking care of others' in the lines of it. Admirable women, in the 1980's and the years before, are those who are able to take care of her family and provide love and care for her children. Franklin's recurring points on the importance of marriage as the only career women can delve into is stamped into Sybylla's heart as she refuses to marry Harry (250). Her refusal is somehow due to her belief that she didn't want to have a life proved by her parents (89). She loved Harry Beecham, but the drive to make a difference and become independent made her choose not to marry him. Near the end of the novel, Sybylla writes that her “heart is weary...the slow dead ache of an old heart returning vanquished and defeated” (258) and that she is “only a – woman” (259). This shows that she feels sad because of her decision and because of what she has now, but, at the same time, is proud of what she has done (259). Though she chose what she felt was the right decision, the novel concludes that she will never have the "brilliant career" that she desires. In the end, the novel sets the boundaries of what women can do that is acceptable to everyone's perception. Women are not to delve into nonsensical activities, such as the arts, rather they should spend their time earning money and taking care of their families. Women are supposed to sacrifice their greatest gift – youth, freedom, strength and are to comply to whatever their husbands' say. Women cannot have a career that would make them a 'higher being' than men, because 1980 Australia is patriarchal. Women have to surrender their control to men through marriage, through an irrevocable bond. Works Cited Franklin, Miles. My Brilliant Career. Edinburgh: W. Blackwood, 1901. pp 48-259. Print