Литература народов стран зарубежья | Филологический аспект №06 (122) Июнь 2025

Трансформация гендерных ролей: аналитический взгляд на персонажей Скарлетт и Ретта в романе «Унесённые ветром»

Махатова Назым Мухатаевна
магистр педагогических наук, старший преподаватель, Карагандинский университет им. академика Е.А. Букетова, nazym.studyinn@gmail.com
Набиева Айжан Болатовна
магистр гуманитарных наук, старший преподаватель, Карагандинский университет им. академика Е.А. Букетова, aizhana.satbayeva@gmail.com

Аннотация: В данной статье рассматривается трансформация гендерных ролей в романе «Унесённые ветром» через образы Скарлетт О’Хара и Ретта Батлера [8]. С опорой на теории Скотт [11], Батлер [6] и де Бовуар [5] гендер анализируется как социальный конструкт, формируемый культурой американского Юга XIX века. Скарлетт предстает как «новая женщина», бросающая вызов патриархальным нормам. Ретт Батлер также оспаривает традиционные мужские идеалы, предлагая сложную трактовку гендерных ролей. Роман рассматривается не только как исторический роман, но и как повествование о гендерной идентичности, власти и преобразовании.
Ключевые слова: гендерные роли, социальный конструкт, Скарлетт О’Хара, патриархат, южная культура

Makhatova Nazym Mukhatayevna
Master of Education, senior lecturer, Karaganda Buketov University, nazym.studyinn@gmail.com
Nabiyeva Aizhan Bolatovna
Master of Humanitarian sciences, senior lecturer, Karaganda Buketov University, aizhana.satbayeva@gmail.com

Abstract: This article examines gender role transformation in Gone with the Wind through the characters of Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler [8]. Using theories by Scott [11], Butler [6], and de Beauvoir [5], it explores gender as a social construct shaped by 19th-century Southern culture. Scarlett emerges as a “new woman” who defies patriarchal norms. Rhett Butler also challenges traditional masculine ideals, offering a complex view of gender roles. The novel is viewed as both a historical romance and a narrative of gender identity, power, and transformation.
Keywords: Gender roles, social construct, Scarlett O’Hara, patriarchy, southern culture

Introduction

In recent decades, gender relations have come to the forefront of global academic discourse. Gender, as a socio-cultural construct, reflects the norms of behavior and stereotypical views assigned to men and women from the perspective of culture and national mentality. It is not limited to biological differences but encompasses a complex system of identity, power, and representation [1].

Often misunderstood as solely concerning women’s rights, the concept of gender also includes the protection of male identities, especially in cases of social or cultural discrimination. This article aims to analyze the transformation of gender roles in society as reflected through the gender relations and representation of women in Margaret Mitchell’s novel Gone with the Wind [8].

While traditional American dictionaries define gender in terms of classification and social grouping, the academic view of gender extends to a framework that determines one's role within a group and how groups position themselves in relation to others. Thus, gender defines not only individual behavior but also the collective social and cultural identities and relationships between the sexes.

In Kazakhstan, there is growing scholarly interest in gender-specific research, particularly within linguistics. National research increasingly focuses on how language reflects and shapes gender identities, contributing to the development of gender linguistics [2].

Theoretical Framework

The distinction between sex and gender was clearly articulated by R. Stoller, who identified sex as a biological category and gender as a psychological and cultural phenomenon [12]. Joan Scott, a foundational figure in gender studies, defined gender as a system comprising four socio-historical components [11]:

1. A complex of symbols and representations characterizing masculinity and femininity;

2. A set of norms articulated through religion, education, science, law, and politics;

3. The social institutions responsible for producing and reinforcing these norms;

4. A system that governs individual perception and self-identification.

A. Kirilina and M. Tomskaya argue that gender, as a product of culture, is embedded in folklore, fairy tales, traditions, and most notably, in language. They emphasize that collective consciousness is shaped by simplified, stereotyped representations of gender roles [4].

G. Rubin further distinguishes between sex and gender, viewing the gender system as a set of agreements that construct the two sexes as different, unequal, and complementary – thereby reinforcing a hierarchy of power [10].

In Kazakh linguistic scholarship, Q. Zhubanov is recognized as a pioneer in the study of gender in language, highlighting national specificities in the portrayal of women, including the use of gestures and etymological analysis of gendered terms [3].

Methods

This study employs a qualitative literary analysis approach to examine the transformation of gender roles in Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell [8]. The analysis is grounded in interdisciplinary gender theories, incorporating perspectives from biology, sociology, and cultural studies to classify and interpret the novel’s portrayal of masculinity and femininity.

Key methods include:

• Textual Analysis: Close reading of key characters’ behaviors, dialogue, and narrative descriptions to identify gender role performances and contradictions;
• Theoretical Framework Application: Utilizing established gender theories from scholars such as Anne Murkock [9], Simone de Beauvoir [5], Judith Butler [6], and Michel Foucault [7] to categorize gender concepts as biological, social, and cultural;
• Comparative Character Study: Examining the main protagonists, Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, through the lens of gender identity formation and role expectations within the historical Southern context;
• Contextual Historical Analysis: Situating the novel within its socio-historical background, particularly focusing on the impact of the American Civil War on gender norms and societal structures in the South.

The combined methods allow for a multi-dimensional understanding of how Mitchell’s characters embody, resist, and redefine gender roles, contributing to broader discussions on feminist literary criticism and cultural transformation

Gender Roles and Stereotypes in Gone with the Wind: A Comparative Analysis

For centuries, stereotypical notions about men and women have persisted in human consciousness, despite individual and age differences. These stereotypes can be divided into two types: sexual (biological differences inherent to men and women) and gender (socially constructed roles shaped by society).

Gone with the Wind portrays gender relations reflecting new types of men and women emerging in its era, illustrating the dynamics of gender roles. The novel reveals how societal power structures shifted due to changing gender roles, and how far women’s rights to equality with men had penetrated national consciousness.

Classification of Gender Concepts: Biological, Social, and Cultural

2. Biological Gender Concept

This view links gender to anatomical and physiological sex differences, considering male and female roles as natural and fixed.

Theoretical basis: Anne Murkock, Sherry Ortner (women are closer to nature, men – to culture), traditional biodeterminism.

In the novel: The traditional Southern woman figure, such as Melanie, fits the delicate, emotional, and passive role aligned with biological stereotypes.

2. Social Gender Concept

This approach sees gender as a social construct, a set of norms and rules developed through cultural interaction.

Theoretical basis: Simone de Beauvoir (“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”), Judith Lorber (gender roles as social agreements).

In the novel: Scarlett breaks these social constructs by rejecting traditional female roles, demonstrating economic and social agency.

3. Cultural Gender Concept

Gender here is viewed as a performance shaped by cultural discourse and power relations, fluid and ever-changing.

Theoretical basis: Judith Butler (gender as performance), Michel Foucault (power and discourse shape gender norms).

In the novel: Scarlett and Rhett continually reconstruct their gender roles through cultural scripts, with Scarlett’s femininity as a “mask” adapting to her environment, and Rhett’s rejection of traditional gentlemanly behavior (Table 1).

Table 1. Gender Role Classification in Gone with the Wind

Character Complexity and Gender Dynamics

Scarlett’s emotions remain ambiguous throughout the novel, reflecting the complexities of gender relations. Critics note Scarlett’s rapid emotional shifts and her challenge to regional and gender myths. Her traits can be analyzed from three perspectives: her attitudes toward gender roles, the economy, and war.

Scarlett’s alienation from other women accompanies her assumption of many traditionally masculine traits, such as dominance in family and business. Her husbands lack the heroic qualities expected of men, further emphasizing her dominant role. Scarlett’s pragmatic view sees marriage as economic security, challenging romantic myths and elevating material concerns over spiritual ones.

Critics Edwards and Fox-Genovese link Scarlett’s gender identity confusion to parallels in Margaret Mitchell’s life and the “New Woman” phenomenon of the era, highlighting the ambivalence and fluidity of gender identity.

Rhett Butler represents a dangerous masculine archetype: rough, unpredictable, witty, and self-controlled. His complex personality contrasts with Scarlett’s, with sharp wit and emotional control. Their relationship reflects complementary but conflicting gender roles, causing tension in family dynamics.

Gender and Power in Southern Society

The 19th-century Southern “gentleman” was an educated, well-mannered man whose status came from wealth and power. Rhett Butler challenges traditional notions of gentlemanliness with his rebelliousness and refusal to conform to social expectations. The Southern patriarchal world expected women to accept male dominance, manage property without claiming credit, and maintain social grace despite male roughness.

Feminism and Gender Role Transformation

The novel extensively addresses feminist themes. Scarlett surpasses her husbands in intelligence and business success, rejecting traditional female roles. Historian Drew Gilpin Faust notes that the Civil War drastically transformed Southern women’s roles, with Scarlett exemplifying resistance to social conformity.

Both Scarlett and Rhett display endurance and vitality, yet Scarlett’s masculine traits make it difficult to portray her as a conventional woman. She is independent, decisive, and authoritative – traits typically reserved for men. Rhett is a natural leader with boldness and directness, causing social conflict.

Conclusion

Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind captures the struggle between traditional gender roles and social transformation. Scarlett embodies the “New Woman” who adapts and challenges gender restrictions, symbolizing broader cultural shifts. Despite her masculine traits, she remains bound by dependence on men for emotional security, reflecting enduring gender myths.

The novel ends on a hopeful note, symbolizing a new chapter for American women’s identity and independence. Scarlett’s journey illustrates the complex interplay between individual agency, social norms, and evolving gender roles.

1. Шейгал Е.И. Гендерные исследования в современной лингвистике // Вестник Томского государственного университета. Филология. – 2022. – № 78. – С. 114–125.
2. Турдалиева Р.С. Көркем мәтіндегі гендерлік сипат: психолингвистикалық талдау: автореф. дис. … канд. филол. наук. – Алматы, 2009. – 24 с.
3. Жубанов Қ. Лингвистические аспекты гендерной специфики в казахском языке // Қазақ тілі мен әдебиеті. – 2015. – № 3. – С. 21–28.
4. Кирилина А., Томская М. Лингвистические гендерные исследования // Отечественные записки. – 2005. – № 2 (22). – Режим доступа: http://www.strana-oz.ru/?article=1038&numid=23
5. Beauvoir S. de. The Second Sex. New York: Vintage Books, 1989.
6. Butler J. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990.
7. Foucault M. The History of Sexuality. New York: Pantheon Books, 1978.
8. Mitchell M. Gone with the Wind. New York: Macmillan, 1936.
9. Murkock A., Ortner S. Sex and Gender: Nature, Culture, and the Social Order // American Anthropologist. – 1974. – Vol. 76, No. 4. – P. 104–115.
10. Rubin G. The Traffic in Women: Notes on the ‘Political Economy’ of Sex // Toward an Anthropology of Women / Ed. by R. Reiter. – New York: Monthly Review Press, 1975. – P. 157–210.
11. Scott J. Gender: A Useful Category of Historical Analysis // American Historical Review. – 1986. – Vol. 91, No. 5. – P. 1053–1075.
12. Stoller R. Sex and Gender: A Psychological and Cultural Perspective // Journal of Gender Studies. – 1968. – Vol. 3, No. 1. – P. 5–17.