live up to their misdeeds.

[keannu]

What does this "live up to" mean? "accept something"?
st185)Elaine Showalter, a literary critic, argues that male authors allow their male characters to mistreat women and escape without and apology. She cites Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen, Thomas Wolfe, and Arthur Miller to illustrate her point. She writes, "Allowing a hero to humiliate himself before a wronged woman would render him awkward, embarrassing, and unmanned." Showalter argues that "if literary heroes never apologize and rarely explain, it must be because male authors regard such actions as dishonorable ." Showalter cites Ibsen's A Doll's House to support her argument. Torvald, in refusing to apologize to his wife Nora, explains that he "would gladly work day and night" for her, but "no man would sacrifice his honor" even for his loved one. Nora responds, "It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done ." Showalter adds that, in contrast, female writers make men live up to their misdeeds.

 

[Raymott]

What does this "live up to" mean? "accept something"?
st185)Elaine Showalter, a literary critic, argues that male authors allow their male characters to mistreat women and escape without and apology. She cites Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen, Thomas Wolfe, and Arthur Miller to illustrate her point. She writes, "Allowing a hero to humiliate himself before a wronged woman would render him awkward, embarrassing, and unmanned." Showalter argues that "if literary heroes never apologize and rarely explain, it must be because male authors regard such actions as dishonorable ." Showalter cites Ibsen's A Doll's House to support her argument. Torvald, in refusing to apologize to his wife Nora, explains that he "would gladly work day and night" for her, but "no man would sacrifice his honor" even for his loved one. Nora responds, "It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done ." Showalter adds that, in contrast, female writers make men live up to their misdeeds.

What does live up to mean? | live up to definition | idioMeanings.com

 

[keannu]

It seems to mean "suit" one's needs or something, which I already knew before.
In this case, such meaning doesn't seem to fit the context, and what's more, the interpretation- I'm sorry some teachers told me to stop bringing up translation or interpretation, but I can't help it - is like "받아들이다(acknowledge misdeeds)", which makes me confused. What do you think?

 

[probus]

Showalter does not appear to have used "live up to" in one of its common meanings. She probably meant something more like "face up to." I agree with your "acknowledge misdeeds."

 

[Raymott]

Usually 'acknowledge' would be "own up to". "Face up to" might be right, as long as it means "suffer for their misdeeds" - not just "own up/face up" to them.
It's a strange usage.