The Victorian era, spanning from 1837 to 1901, was characterized by strict social hierarchies and gender norms. In this context, Victorian women writers played a crucial role in challenging and subverting patriarchal norms through their literary works. Despite the constraints imposed on women by the societal expectations of the time, these writers used their voices to critique, question, and undermine the prevailing gender ideologies. This article explores how Victorian women writers navigated and subverted patriarchal norms through their literature, addressing themes of gender, autonomy, and social justice.
Challenging Gender Roles
Victorian women writers often grappled with and subverted the rigid gender roles that confined them. They used their writing to explore and challenge the limitations placed on women, pushing back against the traditional expectations of femininity and domesticity.
Charlotte Brontë‘s Jane Eyre (1847) is a seminal work that defies Victorian conventions regarding gender and social class. The protagonist, Jane Eyre, rejects the subservient role expected of women and asserts her independence and moral integrity. Through her quest for self-respect and autonomy, Jane challenges the notion that women should be passive and dependent. Her resistance to marrying Mr. Rochester until she can do so on equal terms reflects a rejection of traditional gender roles and highlights the possibility of women achieving personal and emotional fulfillment outside of societal norms.
Elizabeth Gaskell‘s Mary Barton (1848) also critiques Victorian gender norms, particularly concerning class and women’s roles within the working class. The novel’s focus on Mary Barton’s struggles as a working-class woman exposes the harsh realities faced by women in industrial Britain. Gaskell’s portrayal of Mary’s activism and her resistance to the exploitation of laborers highlights the intersection of gender and class and questions the patriarchal structures that perpetuate inequality.
Exploring Female Sexuality and Autonomy
Victorian women writers often confronted and subverted the era’s restrictive views on female sexuality and autonomy. Their works challenged the prevailing notions of female chastity and sexual propriety, exploring women’s sexual desires and agency in ways that were both radical and controversial.
George Eliot (the pen name of Mary Ann Evans) explored themes of sexual autonomy and desire in novels like Middlemarch (1871-1874). Eliot’s portrayal of female characters who grapple with their own desires and social constraints reflects a critique of the restrictive sexual norms imposed on women. For instance, the character of Dorothea Brooke navigates her intellectual and emotional desires in a society that limits women’s opportunities and choices. Eliot’s nuanced exploration of female sexuality and ambition subverts the conventional moral expectations of Victorian women.
Sarah Grand‘s The Heavenly Twins (1893) addresses female sexuality and sexual double standards head-on. The novel critiques the hypocrisy surrounding female sexuality and advocates for women’s sexual autonomy and freedom. Grand’s candid depiction of sexual issues and her critique of the societal expectations placed on women challenge the patriarchal norms that sought to control female behavior and morality.
Critiquing Marriage and Domesticity
Marriage and domesticity were central to Victorian ideals of femininity, and many women writers used their works to critique and question these institutions. Their writings often reflect a desire to explore alternative visions of women’s roles and relationships.
Virginia Woolf (though more often associated with the early 20th century, her work was heavily influenced by the Victorian context) addressed issues related to marriage and domesticity in her essays and novels. In A Room of One’s Own (1929), Woolf critiques the limitations placed on women’s creative and intellectual lives by the demands of marriage and domestic responsibilities. Although Woolf wrote after the Victorian era, her reflections on the constraints of domestic life draw on the legacy of Victorian attitudes towards women’s roles.
Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s Lady Audley’s Secret (1862) critiques the institution of marriage through its portrayal of the manipulative Lady Audley. The novel exposes the ways in which women can be driven to extreme measures when constrained by societal expectations and the limitations of marriage. Lady Audley’s actions serve as a critique of the rigid and often oppressive nature of Victorian marital norms, highlighting the psychological and social consequences of these constraints.
Subverting Social Hierarchies
Victorian women writers also used their works to subvert the broader social hierarchies that defined the period. Their literature often questioned class structures, race, and the intersectionality of gender with other forms of social stratification.
Brontë’s The Professor (1857) and Villette (1853) explore themes of class and gender through their female protagonists. The characters’ struggles with social mobility and personal autonomy challenge the rigid class structures of Victorian society. Brontë’s exploration of these themes highlights the ways in which gender and class intersect, subverting the hierarchical norms of the time.
Catherine L. R. H.‘s The Woman in White (1859) by Wilkie Collins, though written by a male author, is notable for its strong female characters and its critique of patriarchal power. The novel features the character of Laura Fairlie, whose struggles against oppressive male figures reflect a critique of the gendered power dynamics of the era. The novel’s portrayal of Laura’s resistance and eventual empowerment subverts the traditional gender hierarchies of Victorian literature.
Legacy and Impact
The works of Victorian women writers have had a lasting impact on feminist literature and thought. Their subversion of patriarchal norms and their exploration of gender, sexuality, and social justice have influenced subsequent generations of writers and activists. By challenging the restrictive norms of their time, these authors laid the groundwork for future feminist movements and contributed to the ongoing discourse on gender equality and social change.
Their literature provides valuable insights into how women have historically resisted and navigated patriarchal structures. The legacy of Victorian women writers continues to inspire contemporary feminist thought and literary criticism, reflecting the enduring relevance of their contributions to the ongoing struggle for gender equality and justice.
