Women and Feminine Identity in “They”

The women within Rudyard Kipling’s “They” are each unique in their places in Victorian society. The roles of women within the story are outside the prescribed gender roles of the time, which range from landowner, to business owner, to unmarried mother, to a nun. All of the women present within the story are mothers, but only two are mothers in a traditional sense. Although motherhood is a significant theme in “They” by Rudyard Kipling, the women in the story present alternative roles for females that contrast with traditional female roles of the Victorian Era in a way that shifts the balance of power away from men.

The Theme of Motherhood in “They” and “The Return of the Children”

Most women in “They” are mothering characters, even if the women do not have their own children. Miss Florence, one of the first female characters introduced, does not have her own children, but rather takes care of the children that live in her house and her garden. Miss Florence tells the narrator upon his second visit: “‘They come and stay with me because I love them, you see’” when referring to the children (Kipling). Later, she tells the narrator that she never had any children of her own, and the implication is that she does not have children or marry because of her disability. Even though Miss Florence has no children of her own, she claims to love the children that live with her as if they were her own.

The nun is another example of a mothering character, though not a traditional mother herself. The nun’s mothering characteristics are shown through her ability to nurse Arthur, Jenny’s sick child. Although Arthur does not recover, it was not because the nun was an incompetent nurse, but rather because Arthur was too sick to be helped. When the nun is first retrieved, she is clearly terrified of the narrator’s car (the Sister was “pallid-faced and trembling”), but she still consents to go with the narrator back to the bedside of the sick child. Despite the nun’s fear, she still attended to the sick child, demonstrating mothering qualities.

Mrs. Madehurst and Jenny are both actual mothers. Mrs. Madehurst is the mother of Jenny, and Jenny’s son is Arthur. Both characters are seen as mothering, not because they are mothers, but because they truly care for their children. Mrs. Madehurst is distraught over the sickness of Arthur, her grandchild, and even appeals to the narrator, a cultural outsider, for help. Jenny’s compassion for her child is shown in a less direct way, through her mourning of Arthur as she walks in the woods. Mrs. Madehurst tells the narrator that Jenny “will get over it”, which implies that she is currently still grieving the loss of her child. It’s possible that Jenny is grieving because such ritualistic activities are expected of a mother after the loss of a child, but it is more likely that Jenny is truly mourning the loss of her child, as she is walking in the woods, which opens up the soul, according to Mrs. Madehurst. If Jenny seeks to open her soul, then the loss of her child clearly wounded her deeply.

The mothering actions of the women within “They” are not a result of an adherence to domestic roles prescribed to the women. Instead, the mothering actions of the women within the story are a result of each woman’s love for others, especially children. Therefore, even though the actions of the women seem to support a patriarchal structure, their actions do not support a patriarchal structure whose ideologies promote domesticity and motherhood as a duty to the family, rather than a choice.

Traditional Roles of Females in Victorian England

Within Victorian England, there were expectations of women of all classes to ascribe to the family mold, which included marriage, child-rearing, and domesticity. A woman’s duty was to her husband and her family. Likewise, women often did not work outside the home, although a large shift did occur during the Victorian Era that allowed women to work outside the home. Even when women were allowed to work outside the home, there was strong discussion on either side of the issue at that time, and women who worked outside the home were generally of a lower class and were often considered critically by classes with more social power.

Often, the family model consisted of the “breadwinning husband” and “dependent wife and children” that were thought to preserve the family model in order to maintain the stability of society during this time. Deviations from the family model were seen as a threat to stability and the morality of society (Lewis 45).

Miss Florence as a reflection of Florence Nightingale

Throughout the story, there are clear connections between the fictional Miss Florence and the historical figure Florence Nightingale. Superficially, both women are considered beautiful by others around them. The narrator in “They” notices soon after meeting Miss Florence, remarking, “...[A]nd I saw for the first time that she was beautiful” (Kipling). Florence Nightingale is often described as beautiful by many, and this is also shown by her multiple suitors throughout her life (Gill xvi, 154). More than just looks, the two women share many characteristics and desires. Miss Florence is shown as very caring, as she is like a mother to the ghost children. The children are always provided for, whether it be toys or a blazing fire to keep the children’s toes warm. Florence Nightingale is depicted in many biographies as caring and compassionate, mostly to her patients. There is a connection between the children and the sick patients, as they are both the most vulnerable people in society at that time. In this way, both women are protectors of the weak. Similar to Miss Florence, Florence Nightingale also takes care of orphaned children brought home from the warzone of the Crimean War. In this way, too, Nightingale was seen as a protector of the weak. In standing up for the weak, both Nightingale and Miss Florence are asserting themselves as strong women, which defy the gender stereotype in the Victorian Era about the frailty and weakness of women.  

Blindness was also a commonality between the two. Although Miss Florence was blind since “shortly after birth,” Nightingale lost her sight in her old age. Also connected to the aspect of blindness is that throughout her nursing career, Nightingale was known as the Lady with the Lamp, as she would often care for the sick in the nighttime by the light of a lamp/lantern. Her lantern enabled her to see physically when she would otherwise be blind. Miss Florence sees the world in color auras, though she cannot actually see the world in a physical sense. Miss Florence’s way of seeing the world is not a physical sight, as in Nightingale’s, but is a figurative or metaphorical sense of seeing the world. Despite these disabilities, both Nightingale and Miss Florence influence the world around them in ways that affect the balance of power between genders.

Both women come from wealthy families, and this wealth enables them to pursue their lifestyles. Florence Nightingale’s nursing was funded first by her father’s annual allowance , while Miss Florence comes from a family of wealth, though the family does not seem to be “of consequence” in current society(Gill xv, Kipling). From Miss Florence’s family wealth also comes property, which she loans out to tenants, such as Mr. Turpin. This independent wealth defies gender norms of the Victorian Era because women were rarely seen working outside the home or generating sources of income at all. The defiance of gender norms shifts economic power towards women, leading towards a society that is more balanced in terms of economic power between genders.

There are also similarities in the lifestyles of the two women. Neither Miss Florence nor Florence Nightingale marries, and both remain childless until their deaths. The pursuits of Nightingale’s suitors are well-documented, but she declined all offers of marriage and remained single her whole life. At this point in history, there was an emphasis on women as belonging to the domestic sphere, which included children. Some women stepped outside this sphere, but doing so would disrupt the balance of the patriarchy, as the gender norms overlapped through the meshing of the domestic and public spheres. In not marrying or having children, both Florence Nightingale and Miss Florence defy gender norms in the Victorian Era, illustrating that the women share more than just a name, but also a defiance of patriarchy.

“For twenty-one months she [Florence Nightingale] was the most famous woman in Europe, perhaps in the world. Everything she did was scrutinized, denigrated, or more often, applauded” (Gill 414). Even though Nightingale was generally commended for her work, she took a risk to live outside of the domestic sphere (the usual confines of a Victorian woman) in order to pursue her talents, which lead some to criticize her for this. Compared to Florence Nightingale, the actions of Miss Florence are not completely different in her desire to take care of the children. Though she seems bound to her home, Miss Florence opens herself up to scrutiny by the public because of her lack of family and because of her management of the property, as that task is usually a male’s task. Because Miss Florence successfully manages the children, the house, and the property associated with her house, she is more likely to be applauded for her efforts to help others, rather than be criticized for her efforts (which seem likely to happen if she failed to be successful in her pursuits.) In working outside the accepted norms for women in the Victorian Era, both Nightingale and Miss Florence shift the balance of power towards men in a way that drives towards gender equality.

Jenny and the Position of Unmarried Mothers

Jenny, although a minor character in the story, plays an important role in redefining gender norms within “They”. She is unmarried, but has a child. Single mothers were uncommon during the Victorian Era, but were generally looked down upon. Jenny’s marital status is debatable based on the lack of evidence in the story. However, there are many indicators that imply Jenny is a single mother. Unlike her mother, Jenny is not given a last name. Her lack of last name is similar to the way Miss Florence has no last name. Unlike Miss Florence, however, Jenny is not from the upper class, so there is no ‘Miss’ preceding her name. If Jenny were widowed, she would likely still retain her husband’s name. Because she is also a mother, she no longer retains her maiden name, either. In 1834 England passed a law called Poor Law Amendment Act that required all children born to single mother’s to be exclusively under the care of their mother, whereas the father had no obligations to care for the child. This law seems relevant to Jenny, as she is left alone to care for her child, and must rely on her neighbors to fetch a doctor and nun for her sick child. Because of Jenny’s unique position in society, she is defying the gender norms of Victorian England (even if unintentionally or unwillingly), which disrupts the stability of the patriarchy, which shifts the balance of power away from men towards women.

Mrs. Madehurst and Women in the Workplace

Mrs. Madehurst also occupies a unique position in Victorian society. Unlike Miss Florence, the nun, and Jenny, Mrs. Madehurst was once married, although her husband is not present within the story. The prefix “Mrs.” gives the reader information on the marital status of Mrs. Madehurst. Despite the lack of a husband, Mrs. Madehurst owns a sweetmeats shop, which was uncommon for women at that time. According to the statistics compiled in Lewis’ Women in England 1870-1950, there are no female “storekeeper” (store owners) or “food, drink, tobacco store owners (sweetmeat shops) in 1901. By 1911, 1% of female workers are employed in “food, drink, tobacco” (Lewis 156). These statistics imply that the statistics are either not comprehensive, or that Mrs. Madehurst’s occupation was unique to the point of being unrealistic at the time “They” was written. However, the story does say that Mrs. Madehurst was employed in a sweetmeats shop, even if she did not necessarily own the shop, and this position may have fallen into the ‘1%’ category mentioned previously.     Because Mrs. Madehurst occupies such an uncommon position in Victorian Era society, such a role could be considered highly unique, if not groundbreaking. In occupying this role in society, Mrs. Madehurst exemplifies the idea that women are able to occupy the same occupations as men in society, shifting the balance of power away from men, towards a more equal balance of power.  

The Nun and Women of the Convent

Although there are only a few sentence is the story about the Sister from the French convent, the Sister plays a significant role in the gender dynamic of the Victorian Era.

The concept of being a nun brings to mind Florence Nightingale’s unwillingness to marry because of her religious dedication (Gill xvi). This religious dedication is generally considered deeply individualistic, in order to create a deeper connection between God and the individual. Rather than the family, God becomes the foundation of the individual’s life. In a way, this substitution disrupts the balance sought by Victorians. Additionally, nuns served others (such as in nursing), in order to create a stronger connection with God. Similar to what was previously discussed in the paper, a nun’s service to others is not because of a feeling of duty to the family, but rather an attempt to serve God (through the service of others). In this way, a nun shifts power away from the family model and creates a new model of service and spirituality that shifts power from men as leaders of society.

Motherhood/Parenthood as Sorrowful

Within many Victorian writings, motherhood is supposed to be the pinnacle of a woman’s existence. Child-rearing is often shown as a rewarding experience. However, in “They”, the depiction of motherhood is slightly skewed. Motherhood is directly related to sorrow and heavy feelings, rather than feelings of bliss or happiness.

There are instances in the story where men also lose their child, and the reader hears their experiences as well. The narrator and the butler, Madden have both lost a child. However, the experiences of the men seem slightly different than the experiences of the women when it comes to the loss of a child. When the narrator asks Mrs. Madehurst how Jenny was doing (after the loss of her son, Arthur), Mrs. Madehurst remarked that Jenny was walking in the woods. The narrator thinks it is odd that Jenny would do this because the weather is not conducive for such activity. Mrs. Madehurst replies, “‘I dunno but it opens de 'eart like. Yes, it opens de 'eart. Dat's where losin' and bearin' comes so alike in de long run, we do say'” (Kipling). In this statement, Mrs. Madehurst illustrates that women feel the loss of a child in a different way than men because the woman bore the child in the first place. If losing and bearing become one and the same, then it is logical to assume that there are many mixed emotions attached to both events. If losing conjures up feelings of sorrow, then bearing a child would possibly conjure the same emotions. Likewise, if bearing a child conjures feelings of bliss, losing a child could possibly conjure bliss as well, but maybe in the form of the acceptance of the child’s death, as in the last phase of grief.

In depicting motherhood as not only a blissful experience, but also as a sorrowful experience, Kipling is realistically portraying motherhood with some of its most difficult times. Depicting motherhood as sorrowful also goes against some Victorian stereotypes about the frailty of women, but instead portrays women, especially mothering characters, as both strong and resilient. This portrayal of women shifts power away from men because it highlights the gender imbalance by showing that women have as much strength and resilience and men within the story. In other words, both men and women in the story grieve, and characters of both genders eventually accept their losses because of their strength and resilience to do so, and are therefore portrayed as equals within the story.

Conclusion

By occupying unique positions in society, women shift power away from men to create a more equal balance of power. By either unconsciously defying the family model held by powerful men within the Victorian Era or by acting in ways that support the individual or the family in nontraditional ways, the female characters in “They” present alternative models to the model of female domesticity in the Victorian Era.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Gill, Gillian. Nightingales: The Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Miss Florence

Nightingale. New York: Ballantine Books, 2004. Print.

Kipling, Rudyard. “They.” Traffics and Discoveries. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1904.

339-375). Print.

Lewis, Jane. Women in England 1870-1950: Sexual Division and Social Change. Sussex:

Wheatsheaf Books, 1984.