Victorian Era Gender Roles Essay

In the Victorian era gender roles were defined by something called ‘separate spheres.’ This is the idea that the two sexes are defined by their natural characteristics. Women dominated the domestic sphere as they are seen morally superior than men who dominate the public sphere. This divide is seen in their marital customs as well. Women are expected to marry early and typically a man five years old. This allowed for reinforcement of the ‘natural’ hierarchy between the sexes as well as made financial sense. The father of the young girl would then give or deny permission for the marriage depending on the financial stability of the man. These roles can be found in Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” in a reversed and comical manner while Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” shows the roles from a rich man’s point of view. “My Last Duchess” shows the strict guidelines women were held to during the Victorian period. A woman was to control her emotions in public or disastrous consequences

His characters tend to take on the reverse role of what this era intended for them. The female most noticeable of this is Lady Bracknell as she has complete control over her daughter Gwendolen’s future. Lady Bracknell has concocted a list of bachelors and interview questions that she conducts on Jack which are based on the Victorian ideas of marriage. This includes income, character, and social position. However, in the Victorian era, the father would normally be the one in control over who his daughter marries. Lady Bracknell assumes her husband’s role and belittles him by commenting on his poor health: “When you do become engaged to some one, I, or your father, should his health permit, will inform you of the fact.” (1743). Wilde uses Lady Bracknell, who values society, as a character who goes against what she says she values to play the role of her husband in Gwendolen’s