Women Empowerment in Select Novels of Ian McEwan

This article is an attempt to trace women empowerment in select novels of Ian McEwan. It is through this article that I would present the empowered female characters in Ian McEwan's novels The Cement Garden (1978) and Nutshell (2016). These three novels are different from each other in their material, plot and characterization. But these novels bear a unique similarity. These novels show highly empowered female figures who have endowed with amazing capacity of head and heart. His novels show that Ian himself advocates power shift from male to female. It is because of this advocacy Ian appears to be a feminist. The Cement Garden belong to the early phase of Ian McEwan while Nutshell belongs to the later phase of Ian McEwan. Unique thing that captures our attention is the presence of empowered female characters in both the novels.

the end police arrives at the home to gain custody.
The spirit of feminism finds full and candid expression in the novels of Ian McEwan.
Through his works he tries to impart same degree of freedom, power and position to female as is bestowed upon male by our society. Ian McEwan through his works try to impart full length and position to females so that they may glitter in their powerful roles. The Cement Garden and Nutshell have been written by him in different time period. In this period a huge change was being faced by society regarding the status of fair sex. Ian McEwan's own experiences get reflected in his novels. It becomes highly amazing to notice that writer's own mother suffered bitterly the undue suppression of her husband. The son imparted powerful roles to the female characters in his novels with the magic of his pen. Ian has a deep sympathy for his mother and he feels that his father has tortured his mother and through his works he tries to liberate womenfolk from the clutches of men. In doing so he tries to liberate his mother. This type of sympathy is reflected in Jack's feelings for his mother. The same feeling had been expressed in the following lines. Ian admits: Narrator wants sole possession in his mother's love in The Cement Garden. Here we find the direct glimpse of "Oedipus complex". In this novel; we can easily trace out the very complex in Jack's and Tom's mind. They do not want to share their mother with anyone else not even with their father. Due to his father's ill treatment, narrator becomes over protective towards his mother and his mother is also well acquainted with her son's mentality. As Jack admits "She knew I had come home to monopolies her while my father and two sisters were out of the house. Perhaps she was glad to have someone at home with her during the day." (CG 22) Actually Ian tries to empower his female characters in his work, with an intention to liberate women folk.
In his debut novel The Cement Garden we can find out Julie as the epitome of female dominance. Jack is a male character, still remains under the shadow of his sister. Actually, Ian himself has admitted presence of two dominant ladies in his life. One was his previous wife Penny Alan and second was his mother. Through his work he tries to show the dominating nature of female characters. In The Cement Garden, Julie handles the house-hold affairs without the assistance of her brother. She replaces her mother, and becomes a fullfledged head girl of the home. She takes care of her home beautifully. Her mother also shows her full confidence in her daughter's ability and assigns duties on her shoulders. She takes part in schools sport even though; in this she never gets support from her father. She does not wait for his father's consent and does not shed tears on his demise. She, like a leader tries to lead the family. In fulfilling his duties towards her home, she also fulfils her obligation towards her own life.
She involves in a romantic affair with Derek and enjoys life in the best manner. After his mother's demise, it was Julie, who decides to give her mother, a home burial. She does not become emotional and it appears that she is already prepared to deal with the situation.
She buys costly jackets and boots for herself. She orders her brother like a master.
Jack also feels impotency of his personality under Julie's regime. It was Julie who grants Tom's wish to be a girl. Actually, Tom's wish to be a girl shows a power shift in the household. The authority, which had been earlier enjoyed by Julie's father, has crowned on Julie's head after his demise. Julie does not care for the displeasure of Jack and invincibility rules in her home and casts a powerful impact on readers. Jack does not like Tom's transformation into a girl but these objections are vehemently retorted by Julie. She highlights the hidden hypocrisy of Jack's mind: But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading, according to you, because secretary you believe that being a girl is degrading. Why else would you think its humiliating for Tom to wear a Frock? (CG 48) Derek's entry in Julie's life brings freshness but very soon this fresh breeze makes her bored. She loves her freedom more than anything else. Oppression of mother has Julie manages everything as per her norms. She goes for shopping the novelist describes her personality -" She could run faster than anyone, I know father had never taken his seriously, he said it was daft in a girl, running fast and no long before he died, he refused to come to a sports meeting with us (CG 10) These lines show her father's low opinion about his daughter Julie is a girl with a modern outlook. She remains conscious about her outfits "She had boyfriend at school, but she never really let them get near her, her closest friends were girls, the most rebellious, and the one with reputation (CG16,17).
Jack admits her powerful role in chapter 2. "She dominated her group and heightened her reputation with a disruptive intimidating quietness." Jack feels his own life overshadowed by Julie's gigantic image. " I had some status at school as Julie's brother but she never spoke to me there or acknowledge my presence "(CG17) Julie fulfils all her duties and does not allow her younger brother Tom to enter in her sleeping mother's room. She helps Tom to wear a frock as per his wish she says-"You think it's humiliating to look like a girl, because you think it's humiliating to be a girl." (CG48) After mother's death Julie remains calm, she cries only after she's crying while Jack cries immediately not because of the loss of mother but the loss of power. "I am in charge; too, I said and begin to cry because I felt cheated. My mother had hone without explaining to Julie what she had told me (CG 53) Tom's transformation from a boy to a girl is remarkable in the sense of female empowerment in household. Slowly and slowly, he accepts his girlish outfits. When Julie ties a ribbon around Jack's neck, he does not object.
In this way Julie not only occupies the lead role but also curbs the raising head of patriarchy and successfully enjoys her pivot role in family. Julie employs Jack in household Jobs and also asks him to massage her body. beginning to the end she has a personality of her own. She smokes openly. When Jack feels exhausted in burying mother's dead body, she helps him. She is quick witted. She illuminates her role as a leader of her family after her parent's death. (2016) This novel is retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet. It is the 14 th novel by English author Ian McEwan, published in 2016.This story is presented from the perspective of an unborn baby. This unborn baby is the main narrator who overhears the toxic relationships that exist between his parents. He is aware of the fact that his uncle is in illicit relationship with his mother. His mother is an ambitious lady with least affection for her own husband.

Women Empowerment in Nutshell
His mother together with her brother-in-law hatches a conspiracy to murder her husband.
She gives a poisonous smoothie to her husband as a result of which her husband dies.