Mrs. Warren's Profession, George Bernard Shaw

Daniella Ambrosino

We place Vivie as the example of the new woman, and her mother Mrs. Warren as an example of the fallen woman.  But, why is not Mrs. Warren considered somewhat of a “new” woman as well?  Although she is not educated of the middle class it seems that she has made well for herself.  Although, her money was made through the workings of a lower class job she was still able to traverse the social order without the traditional escape of marrying a middleclass, respectable gentleman.  I feel that the story gives to much credit to Vivie, and not enough to her mother.  Although Vivie is the perfect model of a new woman; educated, motivated to gain a profession, well grounded, and extremely savvy her mother also shares some of the similar qualities.  Even though Mrs. Warren falls victim to the system of commerce, and becomes trapped in the capitalist machine it seems that she chooses to stay in the prostitution business.  Is not the point of the new woman to be able to be independent?  They live according to their own choices.  Mrs. Warren shows many qualities of independence.  She moves from the working class into middle class society, is able to integrate herself within this class, and raise her child within it.  She then is able to send her daughter off to college.  She affords Vivie all the opportunities to become this new woman.  Without her mother gaining her independence and wishing to change her life Vivie would be stuck within the working class, and a part of a lie that did not afford much opportunity.  I think we are quick to label Mrs. Warren, and that she represents the new woman as well as a woman  who has fallen victim to the capitalist lifestyle. 

Professor's Reply: Daniella, I share your respect for Mrs. Warren and certainly see Vivie's advantages as directly related to her mother's initiative. But perhaps Mrs. Warren's sister Liz is a salutary reminder that Mrs. Warren herself, once she has made her fortune, has more options than she seems to have exercised. She chooses to perpetuate the exploitation of disadvantaged women by going into partnership with Sir George Crofts in establishing a string of brothels in Europe. Is this "falling victim to the capitalist lifestyle," or is it perhaps exercising a conscious choice for which one must take responsibility? As for her being "new," insofar as she asserts her independence from an oldworld domestic model of womanhood, I'd agree with you about that.

Alexandra Bell

Bernard Shaw’s play Mrs. Warren’s Profession comments on a period and worldview in which women had to fight scripted norms. Vivie tries to “distinguish [herself]” and does obtain “magnificent achievements,” but her knowledge is in mathematics and leisure activities, and she does not put much weight in that individuality. Despite this, Praed calls it is a “monstrous, wicked, rascally system” (1749) that allows her to split away from the concept of beauty and art that is conventionally assigned to women. Vivie uses slang like “plump out” (1750) instead of the traditional, refined language of middle-class educated (or uneducated) women. Her language is a powerful way to show character, and this ties into the idea that only what is visible or spoken is accepted as truth within society. Things that are “unserious” happen privately, and only apt, serious things happen in the public sphere: Vivie must contend with this duality, and she states to Frank, “Be serious. I’m serious” (1761). Because her mother has had no visible presence in Vivie’s life, she questions the “real existence” of her mother (1765). All of the realities of life, however, both proved and public and unproven and invisible, could possibly be justified using a worldview like Mrs. Warren’s, when she states “if you [Vivie] took to it [prostitution] you’d be a fool; but I should have been a fool if I’d taken to anything else” (1768). This worldview is one where economic prosperity is the goal. Certain tracks pertain to certain types of people, and the ability to stay on it determines if one is a fool or not. This idea is critiqued through a surfacing of all kinds of types and tracks unto one plane, into the visible, to be judged comparatively.

Professor's Reply: Alexandra, I've marked in bold lettering some of the observations in your response that intrigue me. You seem to be conveying the suggestion that Shaw is dismantling the clear separation of spheres (public and private) in this play by representing women like Vivie as asserting their right to be taken seriously in the public sphere. I would agree that he dismantles the separation of the spheres in so far as that separation is gendered. In other words, women are no longer necessarily bound to the private and men to the public spheres. But are ungendered public and private categories not still important to preserve?

The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

Allison Hawkins

Although there was a more clear concentration on the condition of the female sex and the emerging “new” woman in George Bernard Shaw’s play, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Oscar Wilde offered an equally unique, yet subtle analysis of the late Victorian era woman in The Importance of Being Earnest. Through lecture, I am aware that Wilde is primarily concerned with challenging the hypocrisy of the middle-class establishment in England. In his portrayal of Cecily Cardew, I found that he critiques middle-class respectability while simultaneously highlighting the lack of independence and ignorance of the female sex (similar to Wollstonecraftian qualms). The first scene of the drama essentially opens in a “bachelor pad.” The women must actively enter the male sphere in order to interact with the opposite sex and readers already have preconceived notions regarding Lady Bracknell and Gwendolyn through the men’s talk of crippling marriages and flirtatious tendencies of women.
            Wilde’s critique of the middle class establishment extends to his treatment of female education in Mrs. Warren’s Profession. As the second act commences, Cecily’s first lines highlight her disgust with her studies and their negative external effects. She claims: “I know perfectly well that I look quite plain after my German lesson.” Cecily is completely ignorant of her subordinate place in society and instead of relishing her chance at education, she dismisses it as lessening her beauty. Once again, Wilde is challenging the middle class’s hypocrisy – although the British may feel as though they’ve made monumental advances through the Industrial Revolution, they have instead created members of society who are ignorant of the opportunities these successes can bring.

Professor's Reply: Allison, I think you're quite right that Wilde is satirizing women's education. But when you imply that Cecily should be grateful for Miss Prism's offerings, you imply that Miss P has something worth teaching. Isn't Wilde using Cecily (and the joke against German women) to laugh at the poverty of the kind of education offered by non-professional, under qualified women like Miss Prism?

Dan Hass

Throughout “The Importance of Being Earnest,” I was intrigued by Wilde’s commentary on names and naming. Our main character, Jack, has – assumedly for most of the play – not undergone a recognized naming ritual. Both of his contrived names – Ernest and Jack – come as a result of self-definition. To name oneself is a rare privilege; something that can even be said to subvert the constrictions of class, for nobility can never escape their names. In fact, they usually cling to them. With names comes social power, but Jack has managed to achieve his own unique form of social dominance (and Algernon as well to some degree) through his self identification. Of course, when it comes to women and engagements, a certain level of stability and cohesion is necessary. Algernon and Jack, who have found a way outside the constraints of normal culture, must choose to undergo the naming ritual recognized by society – although they still retain the power of choosing which name to be rechristened as they give up a certain freedom in that their identities become static. “The Importance of Being Earnest” makes me wonder what exactly Wilde was trying to say about names. Is the purpose of a name to define oneself, or is its purpose to subvert and protect one’s identity - allowing oneself to survive and prosper within a social environment?

Professor's Reply: I wonder if the idea of identity and the seeming stability that one's name gives to identity isn't both liberating and confining? On the liberation front, one gains a place in society (Ernest Moncrieff), representation in the linguistic order (elder nephew of Lady B etc.), and with it the power to assert oneself (rap the knuckles of one's obstreperous younger brother, Algy). On the confinement front, one's place in society will invariably involve duties, obligations, limits etc. An alias might buy you a little representational freedom, but alas, as you suggest above, only until you encounter the law and it requires your "proper name"!