Monday, September 30, 2019
A Woman of No Importance/Mrs. Warren’s Profession
Consider the various ways in which Wilde presents the role of women in contemporary society in A Woman of No Importance. Compare and contrast this with Shawââ¬â¢s presentation of the female characters in Mrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession. Ensure that you offer alternative viewpoints in your answer as well as demonstrating aspects of the dramatic and theatrical from both texts. In both A Woman of No Importance (1893) and Mrs.Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession (1894) texts, there is evidence of shared and contrasting views regarding the role of women in contemporary society presented through charactersââ¬â¢ attitudes, and this is particularly significant, considering that both plays were written near the turn of the century in a majorly patriarchal society, when the onset of equal rightââ¬â¢s was finally beginning to be considered and the ââ¬Ëliberated womanââ¬â¢ had surfaced. How exactly did Wilde and Bernard Shaw present this? There much evidence to ponder.An arguably atypical a nd progressive nature of some of the female characters in both texts is evident within, particularly in that of A Woman of No Importanceââ¬â¢s American puritan Hester Worsely, ironically named after adulterous Hester Prynne of the Victorian novel ââ¬ËThe Scarlet Letterââ¬â¢ (1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne). Hester is very much opposed to the aristocratic nature of the rest of the party and refers to English society as ââ¬Å"shallow, selfish, foolishâ⬠, (act II, p33) believing in social and gender equality.This is made clear when she goes on to show her outrage towards unseen infamous Lord Henry Weston, Lady Carolineââ¬â¢s brother, and how they ââ¬Å"are unjust to women in Englandâ⬠and she believes ââ¬Å"If a man and a woman have sinnedâ⬠¦ â⬠¦let them both be brandedâ⬠. Her somewhat inappropriately timed speeches suggest her views are regarded as estranged, perhaps due to her bashful naivety, and I believe the perhaps it was Wildeââ¬â¢s intention for Hester to symbolize ââ¬Ëthe New Womanââ¬â¢, and her out of place nature following initial introduction to Victorian society.Hesterââ¬â¢s outlook and views on society are not dissimilar to the ââ¬Å"strong, confident, self-possessed,â⬠character of Vivie Warren in ââ¬ËMrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Professionââ¬â¢, who is also a firm believer in the liberation of women and equality of sexes, and whom, after immediate introduction demonstrates uncharacteristically male mannerisms and possessions, ââ¬Å"A ladyââ¬â¢s bicycle is propped up against the wallâ⬠A Woman of No Importance/Mrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession Consider the various ways in which Wilde presents the role of women in contemporary society in A Woman of No Importance. Compare and contrast this with Shawââ¬â¢s presentation of the female characters in Mrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession. Ensure that you offer alternative viewpoints in your answer as well as demonstrating aspects of the dramatic and theatrical from both texts. In both A Woman of No Importance (1893) and Mrs.Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession (1894) texts, there is evidence of shared and contrasting views regarding the role of women in contemporary society presented through charactersââ¬â¢ attitudes, and this is particularly significant, considering that both plays were written near the turn of the century in a majorly patriarchal society, when the onset of equal rightââ¬â¢s was finally beginning to be considered and the ââ¬Ëliberated womanââ¬â¢ had surfaced. How exactly did Wilde and Bernard Shaw present this? There much evidence to ponder.An arguably atypical a nd progressive nature of some of the female characters in both texts is evident within, particularly in that of A Woman of No Importanceââ¬â¢s American puritan Hester Worsely, ironically named after adulterous Hester Prynne of the Victorian novel ââ¬ËThe Scarlet Letterââ¬â¢ (1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne). Hester is very much opposed to the aristocratic nature of the rest of the party and refers to English society as ââ¬Å"shallow, selfish, foolishâ⬠, (act II, p33) believing in social and gender equality.This is made clear when she goes on to show her outrage towards unseen infamous Lord Henry Weston, Lady Carolineââ¬â¢s brother, and how they ââ¬Å"are unjust to women in Englandâ⬠and she believes ââ¬Å"If a man and a woman have sinnedâ⬠¦ â⬠¦let them both be brandedâ⬠. Her somewhat inappropriately timed speeches suggest her views are regarded as estranged, perhaps due to her bashful naivety, and I believe the perhaps it was Wildeââ¬â¢s intention for Hester to symbolize ââ¬Ëthe New Womanââ¬â¢, and her out of place nature following initial introduction to Victorian society.Hesterââ¬â¢s outlook and views on society are not dissimilar to the ââ¬Å"strong, confident, self-possessed,â⬠character of Vivie Warren in ââ¬ËMrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Professionââ¬â¢, who is also a firm believer in the liberation of women and equality of sexes, and whom, after immediate introduction demonstrates uncharacteristically male mannerisms and possessions, ââ¬Å"A ladyââ¬â¢s bicycle is propped up against the wallââ¬
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