Women and marraige

Marriage

                  The subject of marriage and the role of women in society have been debated, through many generations since the Victorian Age. During the Victorian Ages, many feminist writer’s argued about the economic conditions of a woman. Mona Caird in her work  ‘Marriage’ argued about the same. With the help of metaphor of dog Carid explains the hypocrisy of marriage. Furthermore the author explains the remedy for such treatment.

                  Mona Caird argues that  “to clear the ground for thought upon this subject by a protest against the careless use of the words ‘human nature’, and especially ‘woman’s nature’.” (Marriage, pg 296) By using the word “protest”, Carid she tells the reader that she is completely against people using that word without giving it much thought. She further argues that “With regard to ‘woman’s nature’, concerning with innumerable contradictory dogmas are held, there is so little really known about it” (Marriage, pg 296), by using the diction “dogma” instead of just “principle” the author indirectly shows the mindset of the society. She believes that because ‘woman’s nature’ is so decided that people use the words without much consequence. The next line follows ‘its power of development, that all social philosophies are more or less falsified by this universal through sublimely unconscious ignorance” (Marriage, pg 296). The author believes that because of such “dogmas”, the misunderstanding can be corrected, however, society is quite ignorant about this topic. Mona Carid also explained that “but broach social subjects, and English Men and women become alarmed and talk about the foundations of society and the sacredness of the home!” (Marriage, pg 296), this connects with the fact that because this topic is so decided that people are ‘unconsciously ignorant’ and thus the ‘protest’.  The author starts with opening the podium to “thoughts” in her own diplomatic way she advocates for women’s rights.

                      The metaphor of a “chained dog” is used to explain the situation of a ‘married woman” (Marriage, pg 296). She begins the paragraph with “there is a strange irony, in this binding of women to the evil results in their own nature of the restrictions and injustice which they have suffered for generations” (Marriage, pg 296)., here she also blames women for not fighting back. She argues that women also were a part of their own suffering and thus the “irony”. Furthermore by using, the diction ‘evil’ the author emphasizes on the way women are treated. She continues the argument with “We chain up a dog to keep watch over our home; we deny him of freedom, and in some cases, alas! even sufficient exercise to keep his limps supple and his body in health” (Marriage, pg 296). The metaphor the author uses is efficient because women are treated the same way. And because even women are tied to the house even their brain rots because they aren’t exposed to the world as much. The author continues with the metaphor: “He becomes dull and spiritless, he is miserable and ill-looking, and if by any chance… he cannot stand it” (Marriage, pg 296). The irony here is that even if the woman is given freedom she “cannot stand it”, because society would make her feel miserable for the freedom that she deserves. And this treatment “and the violent instincts created by this distorting process, are, by a sort of compound interest” (Marriage, pg 297). The metaphor “compound interest” conveys that the injustice quickly keeps piling up.

              However, between the dog and the woman there is one significant difference. The author explains that “he has no revenge in his power; he must live and die, and no one knows his wretchedness. But woman takes her unconscious vengeance, for she enters into the inmost life of society” (Marriage, pg 297). The vengeance of the woman “can pay back the injury with interest” (Marriage, pg 297), the metaphor of the “interest” portrays her children.  Their mother influences children as they are constantly exposed to her thoughts. The author emphasizes on the fact that “over children she is able to keep going with much physical weakness and disease which might, with little knowledge, be readily stamped out; she is able to oppose new ideas by the early implanting of prejudice” (Marriage, pg 297). She is contagious because of her ‘disease’ thus even though she is weak she still holds influence over her children. Because of the “disease” she “can hold back the wheels of progress, and send the human beings likely to wreck every attempt at social reorganization that may be made, whether it be by men or by gods” (Marriage, pg 297). The phrase “can hold back wheels of progress” explains the fact because the woman is ill and contagious the woman ignores her children. And thus this ignorance leads her children completely unaware of the evil that lurks in society. Thus Carid urges that “no protest can be strong against the unthinkable use of the term ‘woman’s nature” (Marriage, pg 297) because women are a “result of their own circumstances”.

Equality between men and women

           Despite her views the author does explain that because of the current conditions, not every woman can become independent. Therefore “our common respectable marriage- upon which the safety of all social existence is supposed to rest- will remain, as it is now” (Marriage, pg 298), the sarcastic tone the author uses shows that Carid was extremely frustrated with the treatment of women. However, she also gives up to a certain extent because not all women at the time were capable of becoming economically independent (Marriage, pg 298). She also deMarriage, pg 298). The author justifies the coldness of society by calling marriage “woman-purchase”. And “vexatious failure’ conveys the amount of frustration the author has towards this particular issue.  
scribes marriage as “the worst, because of the hypocritical, form of woman-purchase” and also calls it a “vexatious failure” (

           To the end the author asks the most important question “But what is to be done to remedy these manifold evils? How is marriage to be rescued… no longer an insult to human dignity?” (Marriage, pg 298). She answers “so long as love and trust and friendship remain, no bonds are necessary” (Marriage, pg 298). Furthermore, she argues that “even the idea of ‘duty’ ought to be excluded” (Marriage, pg 298) because the passion between two people should not make it a duty. Thus she concluded with the ideal free marriage would mean “economical independence of woman” (Marriage, pg 299). However, the author did understand that due to increase in poverty there is high competition thus it would be hard for woman to enter the market. But she strongly urged that eventually there should be such independence.

           In conclusion, Carid’s work is an exact account of the way women are still treated because men are still known as the more superior sex. The current society still struggles with a similar situation, where women are allowed to work but are not paid the same salary as the man of the same post. This I believe is unjust because women deserve the same as men. The society has to understand that both the sexes are capable of the same. Furthermore, marriage should not be used as a way of caging to woman but instead should be used as a space where both sexes get equal respect. Thus, women should be given the same respect as men.

Citations:

1. Carid,Mona, "Marraige". In The Secret Agent. Toronto, Ontario: Broadview Press,2009.