Masculine Cognitive Dissonance

A couple of recent bachelor thesis:

Zephyr and Boreas : A Psychological Study of Cognitive Dissonance in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre

Karla Fernández Mora

Bellaterra : Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2024

Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre (1847) is one of the most well-known gothic novels from the Victorian Era. Even though its motifs and themes have been thoroughly studied, the neverending contradictions portrayed in its Byronic heroine have yet to be fully disclosed. This thesis analyses the different psychological antitheses that can be found in key scenes and chapters throughout Jane's journey. This approach will be carried out using the psychological theory of Cognitive Dissonance by Leon Festinger (1957). The analysis will provide an introspection on how Jane Eyre develops and overcomes cognitive dissonance throughout her journey as heroine and Bildungsroman.

Representations of Masculinity in Different Epochs Based on Emma and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and Normal People by Sally Rooney

Aleksandra Kowalewska

Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie, 2024

My bachelor's thesis is an exploration of masculinity centered on four male characters drawn from different literary eras. The reason for this analysis is to highlight the evolving representations of masculinity in English literature, and to investigate the ways that various societal norms and factors affect men's behavior. I have chosen two of Jane Austen’s novels Emma and Pride and Prejudice for Romanticism, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë for the Victorian Era and a contemporary novel titled Normal People by Sally Rooney. The analysis provides an outlook on the chosen periods and describes their social norms, movements and expectations that were placed on men during each era. Furthermore, it utilizes sociologist Raewyn Connell's theory of masculinity to recognize the type of masculinity that every character represents and the meaning behind them. By examining each narrative, it is addressed how the chosen protagonist accepts or rejects the various conventions that are placed on their masculinity. Moreover, by depicting their relationships with the female protagonists along with other secondary characters, it demonstrates how human interaction translates into their behaviors and decisions. The thesis showcases the evolving understanding of gender roles, social class, and emotional vulnerability. It is divided into five sections: an introduction, three chapters, each of them devoted to one author and era and a conclusion.