Women have endured a lot through the years at the hands of men.

In precedent centuries, they were

regarded as almost nonexistent. As if all the rights existed for men. As the times evolved, women
recognized their power. George Bernard Shaw illustrates values of the ‘modern woman’ throughout the
character of Vivie Warren in the play Mrs. Warren’s Profession, in order to highlight the traits for
females. He also displays the image of prostitution throughout the play and focuses how the characters
keep secrets with each other. We see this through the use of characterization, allusion and symbolism.

Firstly, we notice that Shaw has composed the play for women and he has contributed primarily through
the determination of women that must be produced. Shaw utilizes his characterization of Vivie Warren
to make her a vivid sample of ‘Modern Woman’. From the opening scene, the illustration of Vivie is
described as an “attractive specimen of the sensible, able, highly educated young middle-class English
woman” who wears a “plan , business like dress” with a “prompt , strong, confident, self-possessed “
personality (Page 55). This quote is found at the beginning of the text, and so without any issues, the
reader initially has a knowhow about the character of Vivie. This shows that Vivie has no interest in
fashion and girly things like her mother. She prefers mannish style of living as she said “ I like working
and getting paid for it. When I’m tired of working, I like a comfortable chair, a cigar, a little whiskey….”
The use of Cigar depicts the symbolism of how Vivie does not like the normal life of a girl.She is totally
different from her mother. Shaw uses oxymoron in the play through characterization as he presents two
sides of the coin. For example, on the other hand, we have Vivie’s mother, Mrs. Warren’s appearance,
she seems like a typical Victorian woman who wears elegant outfits with sweet motherly manners.
However, “Modern Woman” perspectives can be obtained through her career as an entrepreneur.
Moreover, the shortage of details concerning Vivie’s Father depicts that Mrs. Warren is a single mother
and a strong woman who made a living for her close ones. Therefore, Vivie and Mrs. Warren are
devoted career woman, who use most of their times for their crucial work instead of domesticity like
traditional women. Both have the attributes of “Modern Woman”, these are the basic themes that Shaw
hints at throughout the length of the text. However, the play presents a side of prostitution.

Secondly, Shaw outlines women objectification through prostitution throughout the play. The basic
characters of the play can be noticed as hugely either prostitutes or their disciples. Shaw wants to
present an image that how the Victorian Society was in the prostitution. For instance, Sir George Grofts
is a gigantic customer, Samuel Gardner has sold himself for his own advantages and finally as Frank is
broke, therefore he is selling himself for marriage. Equally, Shaw highlights how women had opted this
option as a mean of income. The writer undoubtedly had deep conviction that this was a famous
alternative for women during that time as it is written “of course it’s worthwhile to a poor girl, if she can
resist temptation and is good looking and well conducted and sensible. It’s far better than any other
employment open to her”. Shaw is trying to convey a fundamental message that someone who is in
need of finance has no choice but to indulge in prostitution. This is further deepened during the event
when Croft reveals to Vivie that her own mother still runs a Brothel, despite the fact that she lied to
Vivie that she no longer ran a brothel. Mrs. Warren had kept her business on going for finance. She
could have come to standstill with the work but she wished to keep earning the same amount of money.
Most propbably she is addicted to the work or the amount of money. The use of ‘ brussels’ represents
the allusion that she cannot separate herself from prostitution. Mutually, she is portrayed as a mother
who might try to sell her daughter.Even though, Vivie is a modern woman , her upbringing was paid by
her mother’s work as a prostitute.The writer clearly explains the point that the entire society was
depending on immoral earnings or prostitution as Crofts states “ if you’re going to pick and choose your
acquaintances on moral principles, you’d better clear out of this country….” (Page 1842). Therefore,
Crofts discourages people to live in the country expecting a noble life. A vivid example is for Liz who left
a poor life to become a prostitute with her sister Warren. Furthermore, Shaw uses situational irony in
order to cover the dirty things of the characters. For example, Mrs. Warren is presented as a fairly
woman and Crofts as a gentlemanly person. The audience is bound to believe that they are decent
people but later Shaw reveals their dirty profession through irony. As Shaw covers the truth in the play,
his characters also are excellent keeping secrets from each other.

Finally, the play largely upon secrets, every dialogue and scene is an evidence of secrets and surprises.
This allows the audience to sit on the edge of their seat as they want to unveil the secrets. Fortunately,
they obtained the long awaited answers at the end of the play. Shaw leaves enormous secrets for the
audience like what is Mrs. Warren’s profession? Will Vivie and Frank live in happiness? What was the
story of Reverend and Mrs. Warren relationship? . The beauty of the play is how Show forces the
audience to question the society. Similarly, throughout the play, the fundamental secrets are Mrs.
Warren profession and the identity of Vivie’s father. For example, Mrs. Warren’s profession is a secret
Mr. Praed hides from Vivie in Act I but by Act IV Vivie knows simply everything concerning her mother’s
life. Hence, Shaw tries to camouflage the truth and reveals it at the end of the play.

In conclusion, Shaw’s play is a battle between secrets , prostitution and the concept of Modern Woman.
It deals on how these protagonists overcome their struggles by secrets and cover their work. Money,
career, survival; are the prominent concepts of Shaw. He angered all these topics perfectly as he said “It
makes my blood run cold; I can hardly bear the most appalling bits of it. Ah, when I wrote that, I had
some nerve.” Shaw presents his ideology through the use of characterization, allusion and symbolism.