Ashley Young

3/4/2015
Gender Swap: Mary Elizabeth Braddons Lady Audleys Secret and the Reversal of
Gender Roles
The Victorian era was a time known for its rather strict gender roles. Social norms
declared what was proper etiquette for both males and females. Many works of
literature from the Victorian era seemed to rebel against the social norms, giving males
rather feminine qualities and females more manly qualities. One of these works is Lady
Audleys Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. In this novel, Braddon uses character traits,
emotions, and lifestyles as well as a multitude of other things in order to reverse the
expected gender roles for the time period.
Women had a lot of standards to live up to during the Victorian era. According to
the social norms, women were expected to be docile and nurturing homemakers whose
purpose was to educate and care for her children and keep the household organized
(Audley A. , 2014). Women had no rights to ownership of property or money, regardless
of where it came from (Audley, 2004). This is because women were seen as both
physically and intellectually inferior to men. Women were both at a private and political
loss. They were subject to the men in their lives such as their fathers and husbands and in
some cases, their brothers and adult sons (Braddon, 2008). They had little to no control
over their own lives. When it came to politics, economics and all things legal, women had
no say whatsoever (Talboys, 2010). Men, however, were expected to be strong and
hardworking. Women were essentially powerless against men. They were merely a
possession and a responsibility of the men in their lives (Talboys H. , 2013)

Works Cited
Audley, A. (2014). Character Traits. Huntington: Victorian Novels.
Audley, R. (2004). Gender Roles. Huntington: Marshall University.
Braddon, M. E. (2008). Lady Audley's Secret. Gender Roles .
Talboys, G. (2010, December 20). Victorian Era. Retrieved September
3, 2015, from Gender Roles: www.ladyaudleyssecret.com
Talboys, H. (2013). How to Trick People. Identitiy Theft .
.