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The Birth of Feminism in the Victorian Comedies of Oscar Wilde Essayist, dramatist, novelist, and poet Oscar Wilde was better known for his scandalous lifestyle than his literary theories and their execution in his dramas. However, subsequent generations have regularly revived his delightful comedies of manners, and now it seems as though his work will survive his notoriety. Literary critics were often unenthusiastic, or even hostile, toward his works, finding them to be overly contrived or recklessly immoral. Since Oscar Wilde was writing his brilliant works during the Victorian era, it is not surprising that the notion of feminism appears in his plays and novels. The comedies of Oscar Wilde including, Importance of Being Earnest, The Ideal Husband, and Lady Windermere's Fan are a glimpse at that feminist behavior, and the author seems to be a rather active supporter of the feminist ideas and perspectives. Within the course of this report, we will analyze those three comedies to see how Wilde depicts feminism and illustrates feminist behavior.
The Ideal Husband is a play that brings about a rather wide array of social issues that were adequate during the Victorian Era, such as political power and social acceptability. The notion of feminism is also evident throughout the play, Wilde develops his characters in such a way that he shows his audience the first steps of the feminist behavior, a time when women started to realize that they should have been granted equal standing in the society at large, not the one inferior to mens. Feminism recognizes individual freedom and modernity challenging society's rules and reforms. Within the conceptual framework of the play, Wilde has created bright male characters as well as intelligent and modern female characters to emphasize the idea that both men and women can be unusual and leading people of their community. Throughout the play Lord Goring goes against the social norm in this patriarchal society. He isnt married nor engaged, doesnt work or represent any political proceedings; he lives an upper class life of wealth and parties and is more worried about his appearance and preferred button holes than the politics that are happening in the world around him.
Throughout London Lord Goring is known for his elegance, refusal to take anything seriously and for being the most determined man to stay single. These social traits of Lord Goring give the reader reason to believe that Lord Goring could be a homosexual, being repressed by the society he lives in. During the late 19 th century during the Victorian times in England, the British were an aristocracy. Society was based solely on the upper class; a prime example of this is through the character of Sir Robert Chiltern. We are at the heart of power in the Chiltern's house: these lords and ladies really do rule England. (Fletcher, p. 54) Robert Chiltern is a minister so influential that if he speaks in the House of Commons in favor of a highly dubious Argentine Canal scheme the chances are that it will be accepted. The patriarchy of an upper class English society in the 1890 s places the power and control in the hands of the men.
They were there to act like the perfect gentlemen taking care of their wives and families. Chiltern in the play conforms to these social ideals even though he is morally corrupt due to his devious past, in which he gained his wealth through corrupt means to give him the opportunity to become an upper class citizen and an influential party in the political game. Wealth has given me enormous power, he states. (Fletcher, p. 58) Being part of the political world sets upon Chiltern a great masculine image, as it was thought at the time that politics was indeed a mans world. Lady Chiltern represents the new woman in the play; through her character Wilde illustrates feminist behavior and the idea that women are by no means inferior to men. The first impression we get of her is somewhat decidable.
She conforms to her social stereotype as an upper class wife, supportive, fashionable, beautiful and loves her husband no matter what. A mans life is of more value than a womans. It has larger issues, wider scope and greater ambitions this statement made by Lady Chiltern reveals how women were viewed as the emotional, non-progressive ones, whereas men were the intellectual, ambitious ones with a purpose to their lives. (Fletcher, p. 60) Lady Chiltern, however, challenges this as she is the leader of the womans Liberal Association which endeavors towards womens rights in society. This political party of women demonstrates the emergence of the Suffragette movement that was in place towards the end of the late 19 th century, beginning of the 20 th century.
This movement in politics is aiming for the voting age of women to be lowered to 21 so that they are equals with the men. Lady Chiltern and her husband both being apart of the political world reinforces her power and influence in this patriarchal society. For this era the amount of power Lady Chiltern has is very uncommon, women were there to be seen but not heard. Lady Chiltern also exerts power over her husband when she finds out about his scandalous past. She determines his future and for ever more Sir Robert Chiltern and herself have to live a life of lies.
Lady Cheveley has social respectability because of her marriage to the late Baron Arnheim, and she is probably the brightest example of feminist behavior in the play. He gave her wealth and the power through the letter she received telling her of Sir Robert Chiltern's immoral gain of wealth. Politics to Lady Cheveley is a game, thinking the winners are the most deceitful and conniving people even though she says one should always play fairly when one has the winning card in her case the winning card she thinks is the letter she has telling of Sir Robert Chiltern's past. (Fletcher, p. 63) She manipulates the characters into thinking that she has all the power when in the end her own mistakes catch up with her and infamously disappears off the scene after causing a hectic state of matters. The reader knows Mrs.
Cheveley is wealthy due to her dress and she has come from Vienna because in those days the chance to travel was merely for the upper class only, those who could afford it. During her stay in England she manages to raise disturbing questions about the extent of corruption in the English society at that time and makes a general attack on the hypocrisy of society. She raises the issue of Sir Robert Chiltern and Lady Chiltern's immoral lives. A life Sir Robert Chiltern had lived before he even married Lady Chiltern and now that Lady Chiltern knows about the secret she to must live an immoral life. Both can not admit to their social partners the past of their fortune because in turn risk loosing everything especially social and political respectability. Mrs.
Cheveley also indicates that their ideal lives are not that perfect and maybe should take a look around them at what is really going on. In Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest there are some major relationships that are created. In each relationship, the partners base their love on some confound, idealized notion of need. Furthermore each couple has a distinct type of language that they share. However, there is one couple that Wilde utilizes in order to show feminist behavior in a somewhat unusual way he shows how a seemingly innocent and naive woman is able to captivate a strong and intelligent man and make him marry her. That perfect example would be the relationship between Algernon and Cecily.
Though the relationship between them seems to be based on a secure commitment of love, they are, in fact, both living a superficial love life spawned by Cecily's desire to obtain that particular man. Cecily loved Algernon, or more preferably Ernest, before they even met. She created their love from stories that her uncle Jack would tell her about him, and the fact that his name was Ernest. Well, ever since dear Uncle Jack first confessed to us that he had a younger brother... And of course a man who is much talked about is always very attractive... I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with you, Ernest. (Beckson, p. 22) So basically Ernest was a figment of imagination and stories brought to life by Cecily, through her diary.
But when she finally meets Algernon, she is able to secure the relationship that she had created. While they were talking Algernon finds outs that they have a prior relationship before they even met. Cecily tells him Yes, youve wonderfully good taste, Ernest... And in this box in which I keep all your dear letters. (Beckson, p. 25) Algernon replies with utmost surprise My letter! But my own sweet Cecily, I have never written you any letters. (Beckson, p. 25) Cecily then tells him the truth You need hardily remind me of that, Earnest.
I remember only to well that I was forced to write your letters for you. I wrote always three times a week and sometimes oftener. (Beckson, p. 26) This means that they have been together for some time now. The ironic thing is that this is the first time Algernon meets Cecily. She pictures him as the perfect guy, with the perfect name Ernest.
Love at first sight that is the exact reason Algernon fell for Cecily. I think its been a great success. Im in love with Cecily, and that is everything. (Beckson, p. 29) Algernon tells Jack this after he had just conversed with Cecily for a mere moment. When he gets another chance to talk to her he has already made up in his mind that he wants to marry her. I dont care for anybody in the whole world but you. I love you, Cecily.
You will marry me wont you? (Beckson, p. 29) Algernon's love seems as if cupid shot him with an arrow, he is completely awestruck by her. When they start conversing with one another, he finds out that she loves the name Ernest and detests the name Algernon and that she says but I fear that I should not be able to give you my undivided attention. (Beckson, p. 30) After he heard that, the first thing he does, is to go find Dr. Chasuble and get a christening. This shows that he is devoted to her and would do anything for her to love him.
The relationship between Cecily and Algernon has shown that their love is nothing but a fabrication of Cecily's desire. They fall in love and want to marry each other, moments after they meet and talk. Is this truly a lasting relationship or just foolish romance? As a matter of fact, it is a relationship that was organized solely be Cecily, she wanted to marry Ernest and there was nothing in this world that could stop her.
Wilde most probably depicts her behavior as one of the most radical illustrations of feminism in the Victorian Era. Lady Windermere's Fan is somewhat similar to the previously discussed play, since Wilde again utilizes different characters, both male and female, to illustrate the very notion of feminism in marriage and in preparing for marriage. Lord Darlington appears at first to be like Jack, very clever, but as the play or indeed the first scene progresses he becomes more like Algernon, a trivial minded, fun loving man. The Duchess of Berwick is very much like Lady Bracknell, she knows everyone and gossips almost constantly. She exaggerates and talks of her husband as though he is an accessory. (Belford, p. 117) At the beginning of the first scene there are comments on how awful it is to give compliments in public. There is a detection of Lady Bracknell spread through all the characters.
Also early in the play it appears that Lady Windermere is something of a feminist. She expresses strongly that women and men should be treated equally. There are several references to Marriage as a game. Lady Windermere's Fan is quite similar to The Importance of Being Ernest, it is set in the homes of members of the upper class of Victorian Society. Both plays contain a clever, witty character.
The marriages are portrayed as often being shallow and meaningless, a business and a vital task. Not an act of love. The Victorian Society is snobbish, petty and trivial minded. However, it is in these conditions that feminism is able to arise and evoke, the women of Victorian Era are tired of being dominated and want to be equal to men of their society. It is evident that in all the three works discussed above Wilde introduces the notion of feminism as well as illustrates through his characters bright examples of feminist behavior. Words Count: 2, 148.
Bibliography: Beckson, Karl, ed. Oscar Wilde: The Critical Heritage. New York: Barnes, 1990. Belford, Barbara. Oscar Wilde: A Certain Genius. New York: Random, 2000.
Fletcher, Ian, and John Stokes. Oscar Wilde. New York: MLA, 1983.
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