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notion of woman as a weak person is based on different perspective. Area of home that belongs to woman seems not to use energy physically. But, hunting for
food that directs to man is full with strength and bravery. Woman is lack of such characteristic culturally.
Cathleen : There’s a cake baking at fire for a short space—throwing down turf—Bartley will want it when
the tide turns if he goes to Conemara.
Riders to the sea, 1904:40
The work of Cathleen in the play is to make cake for Bartley. Cathleen represents woman for all and Bartley represent man otherwise. He goes to the sea
for earning money and his sisters and mother are waiting at home. Sea is a symbol of place to fight for life with full risk. In addition, the risk is addressed to man
authority. In short, man is suppossed to be responsible on what is needed at home.
3.2 Gender Stratification
Gender stratification also is linked to descent and residence. Women’s status in matrilineal societies tends to be high because descent-group membership,
political succession, land allocation, and overall social identity come through female links. Although, there are no matriarchies, women in many societies wield
power and make decisions. Scarcity of resources promotes intervillage warfare, patriliny, and patrilocality. The localization of related males is adaptive for
military solidarity. Men may use their warrior role to symbolize and reinforce the social devaluation and oppresion of women. Gender stratification refers to the
unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege between the sexes. Specially, gender strafication refers to the differential ability of men and
women to access society’s resources and to receive its privileges. As gender
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stratification increases, so does the level of gender inequality, refelecting greater differences between men’s and women’s access to power. Because historically
men have garnered greater social power, gender inequality has systematically disadvantaged women.
Bartley getting his purse and tobacco: I’ll have half an hour to go down and you will see me coming again, in
two days, or I three days, or maybe in four days if the wind is bad. Maura turning round to the fire, and
putting her shawl over her head: Is not it hard and cruel man, won’t hear a word from an old woman, and she
holding him from the sea? Cathleen:It is the life of a young man to be going on the
sea, and who would listen to an old woman with one thing andshe saying it over?
Bartley taking the halter: I must go now quickly, I will ride on the red mare, and the grey pony will run behind
me. . . The blessing on God on you—he goes out—
Riders to the Sea, 1904:42
Based on the example above, it can be found that Bartley as a young man has a higher power level than Maurya, his mother. Obviously, however Maurya
prohibit Bartley away, Bartley still remain ignored. And Maurya also in the end did not make this Bartley’s attitude.
For Bartley is a man, Maurya concerns rejection of the attitude is not considered wrong by society on the story. Despite the fact Maurya is a mother,
and Bartley is the son, status of mothers and children not becoming more important things in the community, but the gender differences between them.
Gender gaps what are very often happen are those men often governing women as they wish. Men like to send or give orders to the woman, even though it
is between husband and wife, brother and women, or among friends. Nora —looking out— He is coming now and he in
hurry. Bartley coming in and looking round the room;
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speaking sadly: Where is the bit of new rope, Cathleen, was bought in Connemara?
Cathleen coming down: Give it to him, Nora, It is on a nail by the white boards. I hung it up this morning for
the pig with the black feet was eating it. Nora giving him a rope: Is that it, Bartley?
—Bartley takes the rope— Riders to the Sea, 1904:41
Cathleen: There is a cake baking at the fire for a short space—throwing down turf— Bartley will want it when
the tide turns if he goes to Connemara—Nora picks up the turf and puts it round the pot—oven—
Riders to the Sea, 1904:40
Through these dialogues, it is clear that Bartley likes to give orders to her mother, especially his sister. Bartley, who was the only man in their family, felt
more powerful than his sister. However, the gender stratification that occurs in families sometimes is
caused by Maurya, Maurya herself, as the following example; Bartley working at the halter, to Cathleen: Let you
go down each day, and see the sheep are not jumping in on the rye, and there is a good price going.
Maurya: How would the like of her get a good price for a pig?
Riders to the Sea, 1904:42 Maurya’s attitude illustrates disbelief on Cathleen, her own daughter. She
was not sure Cathleen can do the job just because Bartley said that Cathleen is a woman.
3.3 Gender Equality
