The Triumph of Patriarchy in The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - Essay Example

Patriarchy in The Secret Garden. The Secret Garden is written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She is said to have first encountered her secret garden in 1861 but only wrote about it fifty years later in 1911. (Carpenter & Shirley 1990). This essay explores the extent of patriarchy in Frances Burnett's The Secret Garden. This story begins with Mary Lennox, who used to live with her parents in India until their deaths from cholera. She was left alone in the house until her first rescuer came. Colonel McGrew was a male English officer and he signified Mary's entrance into the patriarchal world. Mary is sent to live temporarily at the English clergyman, Crawford's house until she was to travel to her uncle in England. It seems Mary is passed from one patriarch to another in a patriarchal world. Basil Crawford acts like a young patriarch by singing and leading the other children to sing a rhyme to make fun of Mary and bully her. Mary goes to live at her uncle Archibald's Misselthwaite Manor, where the staff relate stories about Archibald's patriarchy. Mrs. Medlock, Archibald's housekeeper, tells Mary that she sacrificed attending her niece's wedding because she wanted to keep her job and 'do at once what Mr. Archibald Craven told her to do. She never dared ask a question.' (Burnett 1994). Mary is introduced to the patriarchal world of Archibald. Martha, the maid, reveals that the secret garden used to be the lovers' paradise that only Mr. and Mrs. Craven were allowed to access.. The secret garden is an enclosed space that symbolises the woman's space that is sharply defined away from the man's space. (Knauss 1987). Archibald appreciated the honor of sharing in it. He understood that it was his wife's sanctuary in her male dominated world of patriarchy. He allowed it when she was alive. After her death, Archibald felt helpless and needed to regain some control. The secret garden is opened with a symbolic key. This key denotes power and understanding. When Mrs. Craven died, Archibald does not understand his grief. He hides the key because he desires to exert his power through his patriarchy, which keeps his staff subdued and powerless. (Russell 2002). Martha's mother, Mrs. Sowerby, understands the need for a lonely female to do some gardening. She predicts correctly that Mary might like to do some gardening of her own. The garden is viewed as a type of female utopia where the female has her own private domain to rule. (Qian Ma 2004). Mary may not understand the psychology behind her action and none of this explanation is necessary in this work as it belongs to 'children's literature. Burnett uses an older or adult character (Martha) to explain the difficult concepts in the story in a simple way. Martha helps Mary to settle into Misselthwaite Manor by making her as comfortable as possible in Archibald's patriarchal household. Even the male gardener, Ben Weatherstaff, exercised his own air of patriarchy when he deliberately avoids her. Although Mary has a higher social status than himself, he is not a servant to 'be merely commanded by them (members of his employer's family) to do things'. (Burnett 1994). However, Ben is subject to his employer, Archibald's patriarchy, which rules over his own. Archibald finally consents to see Mary only after Mrs. Susan Sowerby talks to him about it. This is evidence that Archibald is a flexible patriarch who listens to advice. He is kind to Mary and readily gives her permission to do and have what she likes. Archibald does not seem to be a triumphant patriarch who gives orders to his charge. Mary observes that 'he is really a nice man, only his face is so miserable and his forehead is all drawn together.' Mary loves her secret garden. The secret garden with its isolation is a sign of rebellion against the surroundings of patriarchy. (Abalos 2002). She is under the control of her uncle, who exerts secondary control over her by his orders to his servants. Mary complained that she has nothing to do and nothing to call her own at Misselthwaite Manor so her secret garden is her refuge from her uncle's suppressing rule of patriarchy. However, it is reminded that Archibald is a generous patriarch since he consented to both his wife and Mary having their own private garden. Mary's rebellion is mentioned in Chapter XIII, when she decides to find out what the crying sound is about. The narration says that; 'Perhaps the act that she was in a rebellious mood made her bold.' Colin, being a male, also excises his patriarchy although it is with minor powers. He is confident that he can command his father's servants to do his bidding. He says that; '"Everyone is obliged to please me. I told you that," he said. "If I were to live, this place would sometime belong to me. They all know that. I would make them tell me."' Colin tries to use his patriarchy to command Mary too when he says that he will make the servants take him to the secret garden and he will allow Mary to go too. Colin, like Mary, is still under his father's patriarchal rule. That is the triumph of Archibald's real patriarchy. Colin is attracted to the idea of seeing the secret garden because he has nothing else to occupy himself. His desire to visit a secret place is a sign of rebellion against his current position. He reaffirms his rebellion when he states that he has the curtain drawn over his mother's portrait because he wants to keep her as part of his private property and does not want everyone to see her. He exercises his patriarchy with his ability to control the viewing of his mother's portrait. In a way, he exercises his patriarchy over his own mother. Patriarchy does not always rule. Mary wanted to work outdoors in the secret garden and neglected Colin. She even told Martha to give Colin the message that she was busy in the garden and cannot attend to him. Mary, being a child, does not fear Colin's patriarchy and she would not make a sacrifice for Colin. Colin never had his patriarchy questioned nor disobeyed so as a consequence of being challenged, he threw a tantrum. His nurse came to ask Mary to see him. When Mrs. Medlock and the nurse failed to calm Colin, they turned to Mary. The state of the affairs in the Craven household before Mary's arrival has been 'unmanageable'. Colin was allowed to work himself ill by creating a hysterical temper. Archibald's method of dealing with Colin and the secret garden was his patriarchal way of handling 'unmanageable' areas. (Renk 1999). However, Archibald and Colin now have Mary to contend with. She is rebellious enough to question their patriarchy and this introduced change in their old world of patriarchy. Mary stands up to Colin and convinces him that there is no lump growing on his back. The young master Colin was brought to his senses and his patriarchy allows him to admit a mistake about his back. He still commands dignity as the young master. There is an analogy between chronic illness and patriarchy. (Balen 2006). Colin is afraid of his father Archibald's patriarchy and he takes safety in playing the role of the invalid. Mary shows him how misled he is. Mary questions the patriarchal values of letting Colin believe that he is sickly, hunchbacked invalid just because Archibald is. This is evidence that patriarchy is not always correct. Frances questions the validity of absolute patriarchy rather than to support them. (Morris 2000). It is not under the patriarchy of Dr. Craven that Colin's health improves. Dickon has a bigger hand in helping Colin although he has almost no social status and thus cannot be said to exert any patriarchy over Colin. It was under the leadership of Dickon that Colin changed from being a reclusive young patriarch into a sociable one. If credit was given solely to Mary, then the story would convey the message that patriarchy is challenged and overcome. Instead, patriarchy remains present in the roles of the other male characters like Dickon, Ben and Dr. Craven. Patriarchy by exerting his young master's right of will is not good for Colin. Mary says that; '"It is always having your own way that has made you so queer."' Colin accepts criticism. He is determined to leave his old 'queer' ways behind. Mary seems to be a very intelligent child at ten years old. She understands how to make Colin curious enough to ask the right questions that would open up the subject matter. She handles Colin delicately as she knows that he should be persuaded to desire something. His authority as a young patriarch is not challenged although questions are raised regarding the better way of handling an issue. When Colin recovers from his chronic illness and walks around in the secret garden, all of the characters who are let in on this secret proclaim that it is Magic that has worked miracles and wonders for him. Dickon leads Mary, Colin and Ben to sing the Doxology of praise to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Frances attributes the credit to the patriarchy of God the Father. Even the Magic was praised in relation to the Doxology. It is noted that the Holy Trinity are all male. The triumph of patriarchy is emphasized by attributing the good works to the Trinity. The finale of this story explains that the power of positive thinking has changed Mary and Colin. Mary is a like a handmaid who helps to work the practicalities necessary in order to effect the miracle of Colin's recovery. She was kept at home in the Manor to help Colin but also for other reasons; 'Marxist feminists stress that the exploitation of women in the home serves the needs of capitalism, whereas radical feminists stress that this exploitation is based on patriarchy.' (Stephens, Jones & Taggart 1998). All the characters work for the senior patriarch, Archibald, or the younger patriarch, Colin. Frances wrote that; 'Much more surprising things can happen to any one who, when a disagreeable or discouraged thought comes into his mind, just has the sense to remember in time and push it out by putting in an agreeable determinedly courageous one.' Frances does not mean to praise the triumph of patriarchy because none of the good things that happened for Mary and Colin were directly attributed to patriarchy at work. Magic and the Holy Trinity are mentioned as the ultimate benefactors who helped the children. Archibald is analysed as a cowardly man who 'never tried to put any other thoughts in the place of the dark ones.' He was not a good patriarch because he had deserted his home and his duties. Frances believed that the universe was interconnected and when Mary and Colin improved in health and manners, Archibald's mental, psychological and emotional burdens were also uplifted. Since she attributed the Trinity to be responsible for the good works, she is saying that the Trinity is the ultimate Patriarchy that triumphs over all. (Burnett 1994). The end. Works Cited. Abalos, D. (2002). The Latino Male: A Radical Redefinition. USA: Lynne Rienner. ISBN 1555879349. Balen, F. (2006). Infertility around the glob. USA: University of California Press ISBN 0520231082. Burnett, F.H. (1994). The Secret Garden. Publisher Project Gutenberg ebook Carpenter, A. (1990). Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden. USA: Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 0822549050. Knauss, P. (1987). The Persistence of Patriarchy: Class, Gender, and Ideology in Twentieth Century Algeria. Praeger / Greenwood. ISBN 0275926923. Morris, T. (2000). You're Only Young Twice: Children's Literature and Film. USA: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252025326. Qian Ma. (2004). Feminist Utopian Discourse in Eighteenth-Century Chinese and English Fiction. USA: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 0754637603. Renk, K. (1999). Caribbean Shadows & Victorian Ghosts: Women's Writing and Decolonization. USA: University of Virginia Press. ISBN 081391836. Russell, E. (2002). Caught Between Cultures: Women, Writing and Subjectivity. USA: Rodopi. ISBN 904201368. Stephens, P., Jones, H., Taggart, L. (1998). Think Sociology. USA: Nelson Thornes. ISBN 0748725636. Read More