Hair cutting, flowers symbol

36:29 corset, unexpected,

Around 39:07 corset symbol
Global issue: societal expectation, feminism, gender roles, use of violence to
47:18 purple ribbon
48:50 leaflet women suffrage
49 Eudoria: militant campaign using gunpowder
52: flashback, violent means
54: corset protection
55: reverve of gender roles
56: Female etiquette

IO:
1. Examine the ways in which the influence of gender roles on freedom of choice is
presented in the …
a. Choice limitation
b. Gender roles vs social expectations
2. Examine the ways in which the desire for equality and liberty is presented

IO
1. Examine the ways in which the influence of gender roles on freedom of choice is
presented in the …

Point 1: Males stereotyped as a masculine and independent figure

What: Tewksbury was presented as a male character that did not fit into the gender
stereotypes and drew negative feedback from society.
How:
a. Time: Between 31:10 ~ 31:52
Event: Tewksbury showed his knowledge towards flowers and herbs
In the society flowers connotes femininity
i. Technique
 Shot-Reverse-Shot: The perspective is constantly switching between
Tewksbury and Enola to indicate their conversation. It also reveals Enola’s
reaction to Tewksbury’s knowledge on plants.

From another point of view

a. Being a Erudite, which are scholars with manners, were the Social Standards of
intelligent males during 19th century England:
b. Males made their decision based on these standards. If not, they would be
considered as not masculine and rejected by society.

Furthermore, males are pressured to be conservatives, and Tewskebury contrasts this. As

the dowager emphasizes that Tewksbury was one of the new-thinkers. These new-thinkers
are intolerable to the eyes of the conservative party and mainstream of Victorian society.

With that, most males make decisions based on acceptance from society rather than
morality.

Point 2: Education of gender roles

What: The use of juxtaposition to contrast about the mother of Enola, and the father of
Tewksbury
How:
a. Between 32:34~32:48 (script)
“Who taught you to sharpen it (knife) like that”
“My mother”
“Your mother is very different to mine”
“Who taught you about flowers and herbs?”
“My father”
b. Although it was not clearly stated about the role of a father and mother during the
victorian period, a father would not be expected to teach their kids flowers and herbs
as it gave an image of feminine.
c. A mother would be expected to imbue their kids with knowledge of becoming a fair
lady so to prepare them for the finishing school. However, Eudoria did the opposite,
she taught Enola knowledge relating to cold weapons.
d. The role of mother and father (2 different genders) were reversed in the film, creating
a sense of contrast between the expected role of both genders during the Victorian
period.
e. The sense of contrast accentuated the common gender roles during 19th century
England, and presented to the audience about how genders influence the task and
responsibility of parents on their kids

Point 3: Repression of women

Finishing school
32:48
What: The movie presented the expected roles of females through the necessity of them to
go to the finishing school.
How: Enola expressed her reluctance to go to the finishing school.
 a. At 32:48 Enola :”I didn’t want to go to Miss Harrison’s Finishing School for Young
Ladies”
b. As later in the movie, Enola would be forced to stay in that school by Mycroft
c. The movie here exhibited females’ limited choice for future through Enola’s
reluctance to go to the finishing school
d. The finishing school itself prepared the girls to be “an Angel in the house” that suit
the society’s standard
i. Enhance their domestic abilities
ii. Train females to walk in certain posture, talk and laugh in certain tones
iii. If not, females would be unmarriageable
e. This presented the expected role of female: to become a decent housewife that took
care of the chores

Point 4: Social expectations of females

What: The movie presented the social expectations and stereotypes on females through
Enola’s wits outweighing her brothers, creating a stark contrast between Enola and other
girls in the society.
How:
a. It was not allowed for women possessing any quality of intelligence, courage or
strength. As this was considered as quality for males.
i. In the movie, Enola is dominantly leading Tewksbury with her intelligence.
54:05
1. Flashback to Eudoria telling Enola that “let nature take its course….” -
however Enola went against this advice and wishes to rescue
Tewksbury, going against female stereotypes.

ii. Earlier in the movie it was stated by Mycroft that he wanted Enola to head to
the finishing school, become a proper lady and marry a noble guy.
Showcasing the traditional mindset of people in the Victorian era
To conclude this point, women were limited to possessing domestic ability but not
intelligence, even if they were smart, they were required to hide their smartness.

Point 5: Vulnerability of women in a patriarchal society

What: The movie subverts the traditional stereotypes of women that they were vulnerable or
delicate through portraying Enola as a strong female character.
How:
 a. Edith as a female suffragette, she learnt jitsu to protect herself.
b. Enola was capable of defeating the assassin which again emphasized on her
strength. - Flashback 52:00
i. Technique: cross-cutting of the scenes which Enola fought Eudoria and the
scenes which Enola fought the assassin
ii. This accentuated on the Eudoria (mother’s role) on Enola which influenced
Enola’s choice of actions.
c. This produced a stark contrast between Edith, Enola and Eudoria with other typical
Victorian ladies.
d. This emphasized the message that women were expected to stay weak and should
not resist against patriarchal society.

Point 6: Lack of right to clothing

The garments of Enola - restriction of attire
36:22/39:07
What: The expected garments of females during the Victorian period was manifested
through irony and symbolism in the movie.

How: Enola used the word “unexpected” to refer to the clothing she was about to dress on.
However this garment, aka the corset, was indeed the expected garments for all ladies
during the 19th century.
a. “I must become something…. Unexpected”
b. The movie here presented the social norms for females here. Enola in her disguise
as a male, wore no gloves with her sleeves rolled up her arm.
c. When she wore typical female clothing, she claimed it was unexpected although it
was the opposite indeed.
d. Social norms/ etiquette :
i. Females should wear long dress to covered her legs
ii. a corset to mould her body into a decent form and to support her bosom
iii. gloves to protect hands from becoming rough and thick.
iv. Hat to protect injury from the sun
Overall, women were limited to stay delicate, exquisite and gentle during the victorian.
Besides, women needed to wear specific clothing that fits in the social norms.

Point 7: Clothing as a symbol of women’s repression

v. Use of close camera to emphasize the significant of this undergarment
 vi. Repression on the freedom of choice, they are force, but did not choose to
wear it
vii. Again, Enola break this social norm and choose to wear it for her own good:
to hide the money from eudoria and even protect her from being stabbed later
viii. The movie therefore encouraged females to act against these social
expectations and make choices out of their free will.
ix. Technique: low key lighting to

Point 8: Deprivation of women’s suffrage

36:40 - Once again, Mycroft represents the ideals of the Victorian society, and portrays the
perspective of the conservatives - Unwilling to give voting rights to women and people of
lower social status.

1. With this, many women were unhappy with their situation and the women’s suffrage
campaign was created to combat this.
2. In the movie several historical allusions were showcased. In the scene where Enola
went to Limehouse Lane, leaflets of the campaign and abundance of explosives can
be seen.
a. The technique ‘close up’ is used to draw the audience in and inform them of
the motif of lack of voting rights through the objects.

These objects alludes to the real militant campaign like bombings and arson that women
suffrage campaign engaged in and utilized with the ultimate goal of expanding the franchise.

Point 9: Typical gender role in the patriarchal society.

53:55
The reverse gender role between Enola and Tewksbury
→ Enola recalled her past experience of saving a little sheep on the cliff that caused her almost dying
→ to bring up her aim - Tewksbury was in the same situation like the little sheep
→ to show her determinants and courage that did not fit in the society
Techniques:
Flashback - tewksbury being attacked in the train
→ The Repeating scene of Tewksbury highlights the dangerous situation and helpless
position he was in.
→ the position of seeking help also did not match the social expectations of male.
→ this scene emphasized the mainstream typical gender role in the 19th century England

Point 10: Limitation of choice

56:07-58:37
Aside - dramatic device in which a character speaks to the audience. Usually is a
monologue from enola holmes.
Enola Holmes claimed that she is sherlock holmes assistant and want to investigate the
attempted murder of Tewkesbury. - This act is against the expectation for women

But during that period of time, since enola holmes is a girl, being a detective is not what
other people expect from her. In that time period, being a good girl in school studying and
learning what ladies should do is their daily route. Because there’s so much expectation for
ladies during that time, everything they did has to be thought beforehand. Which we can say
that this is a limitation for women's freedom.