Patriarchy In Victorian Society Essay
Victorian society during the late-ninetieth century was plagued by several imbalances that gave way to social schisms. These schisms tended to pit groups of individuals against one another upon the basis of stereotypes, which allowed for society to adopt systems that favored certain groups over others. Women living in Victorian society, for example, were unable to benefit from society in the way men could in that they were dependent on men to take care of them. Women didn’t have any means to climb the social hierarchy put in place by society due to these rigid social practices and as a result were treated as if they were sub-human. The relationship between the working class and the aristocracy took a similar path in that the aristocracy held
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Power, referring to either social or political power(s), exchanged hands exclusively between men. Women, on the other hand, were left to become powerless at the hands of men. These women, contemporary to Wilde and Shaw, were often left unrepresented, thus allowing for gender-based inequalities to make their way into the cultural practices that dominated society during the writings of both playwrights. Wilde and Shaw both recognized that this inequality existed and that it needed to be addressed, however, both did so differently in their writings; using techniques specific to their respective styles and ideologies. In Wilde’s work The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde utilizes character dialogue to expose the inefficiencies of the patriarchy that dominated Victorian society during his time. Although many elements within The Importance of Being Earnest serve this purpose, Wilde wanted to make sure to give priority to those that are more obvious. Lady Bracknell herself represented a reversal of gender roles, in that women were displayed as being competent and logical and men were represented to be passive, relying on the women in their lives to provide for them. At the start of Act II Gwendolen, upon meeting Cecily and after asking her if she had ever heard of her father, Lord Bracknell, states
Power, referring to either social or political power(s), exchanged hands exclusively between men. Women, on the other hand, were left to become powerless at the hands of men. These women, contemporary to Wilde and Shaw, were often left unrepresented, thus allowing for gender-based inequalities to make their way into the cultural practices that dominated society during the writings of both playwrights. Wilde and Shaw both recognized that this inequality existed and that it needed to be addressed, however, both did so differently in their writings; using techniques specific to their respective styles and ideologies. In Wilde’s work The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde utilizes character dialogue to expose the inefficiencies of the patriarchy that dominated Victorian society during his time. Although many elements within The Importance of Being Earnest serve this purpose, Wilde wanted to make sure to give priority to those that are more obvious. Lady Bracknell herself represented a reversal of gender roles, in that women were displayed as being competent and logical and men were represented to be passive, relying on the women in their lives to provide for them. At the start of Act II Gwendolen, upon meeting Cecily and after asking her if she had ever heard of her father, Lord Bracknell, states