Representation of Women in A Woman of No Importance and Jane Eyre - Essay Example

Representation of Women in A Woman of No Importance and Jane Eyre Introduction Oscar Wilde’s works have reflected some of the critical values in the Victorian era. Wilde led a life that fought against social unacceptance. Wilde was keen to explore attitudes and restrictions placed upon the individual by the society. He did this by exploring the societal attitudes towards women. In A Woman of No Importance, Wilde uses a short plot, but one that carries a heavy message. As many literary works from the Victorian era reveal, women did not have many choices in life. Many women living in that era realized that the society only recognized men and settled for submission to their men. The debate was not new because some 46 years earlier, Charlotte Bronte had also explored the idea that “women need just as much freedom as their men do”. Throughout Jane Eyre Bronte probes the masculine hegemony that dominated her society. Plot Overview of A Woman of No Importance The first act of the play takes place at Lady Hunstanton estate whereby the upper-class women are indulging in their usual gossip. The audience also meets Gerald and Hester. It becomes evident that Gerald has been offered a position as the secretary to Lord Illingworth. Evidently, Hester and Gerald are in love with each other, although Lord Illingworth expresses his desire to flirt with Hester (Wilde and French 1). As the upper-class women engage in their usual gossip, some characteristics of the Victorian upper-class women become evident. In the second act, Gerald’s mother arrives at the estate and later meets Lord Illingworth. Gerald’s mother is here to congratulate him for landing a job position. The two have not seen each other for over 20 years, and it emerges that Lord Illingworth is Gerald’s father. However, to Lord Illingworth, Mrs. Arbuthnot remains a woman of no importance despite the fact that he had an affair with her when they were young. The realization that his father has offered Gerald the job opportunity does not prove appealing to his mother. In act three, Lord Illingworth and Gerald engage in an extensive talk with Gerald highlighting that he is proud of his mother. In the third act, Gerald gets to know the truth that Lord Illingworth was his father. After knowing the truth, and having the details of what transpired, he changes his opinion towards Lord Illingworth. In act four, Gerald tries to convince Lord Illingworth to marry his mother, but Mrs. Arbuthnot does not agree (125). Gerald assured his mother that he would compel Lord Illingworth to marry her as an atonement for the shame he had caused her when he said, “Mother, I will force him to do it. The wrong that has been done you must be repaired. Atonement must be made. Justice may be slow, mother, but it comes in the end. In a few days you shall be Lord Illingworths lawful wife” (125). She, however, chooses to go to America with Gerald and Hester, who is bound to have a wedding. Wilde’s Representation of Women In his play, Wilde was keen to depict the role of women, as well as the societal views towards women in the Victorian era. Wilde introduces Mrs. Arbuthnot, who is an adorable mother to Gerald considered as a single mother and a widow by the society. However, Wilde reveals that she was never a widow, but a single mother who became pregnant out of wedlock. The Victorian Society disregarded having children out of wedlock. Therefore, the fact that Lord Illingworth, who made her pregnant, refuses to marry her, meant that he had ruined her life. From the confession of Mrs. Arbuthnot, it becomes evident that Lord Illingworth made Mrs. Arbuthnot fall in love with him. He made false promises that he would marry her. These promises moved Mrs. Arbuthnot to defy the moral values of the society by getting intimate with him before they got married. From her confession, it is evident that Lord Illingworth took advantage of her naivety and simplicity (120). Many girls in the Victorian era, especially those belonging to the lower class were highly vulnerable. Lord Illingworth did not marry Mrs. Arbuthnot, leaving her to have a child on her own. Over the years, Mrs. Arbuthnot has lived with the pain of abandonment and a negative perception of the society. She has been hiding the truth from people so that they do not reject her. She is well aware that the society does not approve of what she did. Mrs. Arbuthnot expresses her sadness when she says, “I am disgraced: he is not. That is all. It is the usual history of a man and a woman as it usually happens, as it always happens. And the ending is the ordinary ending. The woman suffers. The man goes free” (125). The experience of Mrs. Arbuthnot reflects the fate of women in the Victorian era. Mrs. Arbuthnot suffers immensely from the mistakes she made with Lord Illingworth. Although they indulge in sexual intimacy that resulted in the birth of Gerald, only the woman suffers the consequences. Apparently, Lord Illingworth has continued to live his life, forgetting about Mrs. Arbuthnot. Twenty years later, Lord Illingworth can only say that Mrs. Arbuthnot is a woman of no importance (33). His attitude towards women reflects the masculine hegemony that dominated the Victorian society. Women did not have the rightful position in the society. When a man and a woman committed sin, the society punished the woman while letting the man scot-free. Hester makes this fact evident when she says that the society has proven to be unfair by punishing only one party. It is right that they should be punished, but dont let them be the only ones to suffer. If a man and woman have sinned, let them both go forth into the desert to love or loathe each other there. Let them both be branded. Set a mark, if you wish, on each, but dont punish the one and let the other go free. Dont have one law for men and another for women (92). Evidently, Wilde uses Hester to express his views concerning the unfairness towards women as exhibited in the Victorian era. It is unfortunate that male chauvinism was very strong in that era compelling women to bear the consequences of mistakes committed by both the woman and the man. Hester believes that the society exhibits double standards in their efforts to promote moral values in the society. She opines that the society should punish both a man and a woman if they have defied the moral values of a society. However, this does not happen in the Victorian society. Women are considered as lesser beings, explaining why they are condemned to rejection as in the case of Mrs. Arbuthnot, while the man is left to continue with his life (110). In addition, Wilde exposes the dependence of women on men as is evident in the conversation between the upper-class women Lady Caroline and Lady Stutfield. Using these women, Wilde reveals that women sought to marry financially stable men so that they could have a place in the society. These women focused on maintaining their beauty and pleasing the men so that they would not lose their position (5). Therefore, the women did not have a voice in the society, but settled for the decision made by their husbands. Hester is the only independent woman that Wilde highlights in the play. The fact that she is independent-minded and has a strong opinion on the double standards of the society, Lady Caroline despises her. Such an attitude from a fellow woman only serves to highlight the fact that masculine hegemony was deeply embedded in the society such that women despised fellow women who opposed such double standards. However, worth noting is the fact that Hester is an American, a factor that explains why her views are different. Without doubt, Wilde uses the plot of the play as well as the different characters to illustrate the views of the society towards women in the Victorian era. Bronte’s Representation of Women in Jane Eyre The novel, titled Jane Eyre, focuses on describing the life of Jane Eyre, who was orphaned at a tender age and compelled to live with her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed maltreats Jane and eventually sends her to Lowood Institution. Worth noting is the fact that Jane has a strong voice from a young age. The school system exposed Jane to numerous hardships and allowed her to make new friends. However, after some time, the school management changed, and Jane completed her education and became a teacher in the same school. In need for a change, she accepts the role of a governess in Mr. Rechester’s house. Jane and Mr. Rochester eventually fall in love and decide to get married. However, on the wedding day, Jane discovered that he was a married man, a factor that compelled her to escape. After her escape, Jane makes three new friends and eventually lands another job (Brontë 307). Fortunately, she also discovers that she had an uncle who left her a remarkable inheritance. One of the friends named St. John, who emerged to be her cousin proposed marriage to her. Jane was aware that she loved Mr. Rochester and after having a telepathic flash, she went to look for him. Eventually, Jane marries Mr. Rochester. Jane Eyre is the main character in Bronte’s novel. From the onset, Bronte depicts Jane as a woman with a strong opinion, unlike other women in the Victorian era. Her experiences in Mrs. Reed’s home as well as in the Lowood Institution served to strengthen her opinion. Whereas other Victorian women focused on domestic work and were subordinates of men, Jane Eyre ha a different opinion. Jane chooses to defy societal expectations and seeks to define her identity. During her involvement with Mr. Rochester, she was in search for a mutual relationship that could give her a sense of belonging and love. Her views concerning relationships and marriage prove to be contrary to the traditional ideologies. Although the society places numerous barriers in her way, Jane succeeds in defining her sexuality. The society emphasized that women were to suppress their sexuality. However, Jane believed that women would only understand their true self if they expressed their sexuality. Jane believed that the society needed to present women with more opportunities (215). Towards the end of the novel, Jane highlights that she married Rochester, a factor that highlights the measure of equality in their relationship. Evidently, Bronte uses Jane Eyre to challenge the traditional views of women. Jane Eyre defies all the traditional ideologies and becomes an independent woman who freely expresses her sexuality. Conclusion The Victorian era represents a period dominated by patriarchal attitudes. The society treated women as second-class citizens while promoting male chauvinism. Evidently, Wilde and Bronte reflect the societal patriarchy in their works. From Wilde’s play, it is evident that women did not have similar privileges as men. The society was more judgmental about women and excused men for their moral mistakes. On the other hand, Bronte uses the character of Jane Eyre to depict the need for change in the way society viewed women. Jane serves as a representation of a woman determined to defy the traditional ideologies and define her identity. Work Cited Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Mineola, N.Y. : Dover Publications, c2002., 2002. OhioLINK Library Catalog – LR. Web. 11 Mar. 2015. Wilde, Oscar, and Emma French. A Woman of No Importance. London: Nick Hern Books, 2005., 2005. Read More