Early Modern Narrative Disposition in Female Writing

Early Modern Narrative Disposition in Female Writing

            Virginia Woolf theorized that women in the early modern period did not get the same platform to promote their writings as men did. She uses Judith Shakespeare as an example because Judith was as gifted as her brother William, but Judith never received the same chances as William because she was a woman. In the early modern period, it was standard practice to suppress women’s writing, leaving them to write amongst themselves and as their own audience. Through these closeted writings, readers will notice that the suppression of these writings is a response to patriarchal domination. It is through patriarchy that the “women’s question” arose, and the notion to challenge value systems of patriarch gave birth to prominent writers such as Elizabeth Cary. Through her writings, Cary establishes an interesting narrative on social discussion through which she challenges patriarchy, and the “women’s question.” The “women’s question” suggests that women belong in the private sphere, which is their homes. The inequity between genders are quite elicit in Cary’s writings as she challenges patriarchy, and misogyny in her culture. The Tragedy of Mariam is one of Cary’s play that shows social hierarchy at its best. The play challenges women’s place in the social order of society. The Tragedy of Mariam highlights contestation of the “women’s question” in the way she challenges cultural assumption towards women’s inconsistencies by displaying the lack of female homosocial bonds.

Female homosocial bond is the notion that women would bond socially through common interest or ideas. Professor Duchesne argues that Cary’s play “inverts the perspective of the “women’s question” debate, by foregoing female protagonists” (slide 5 /). The lack of female protagonists shows the lack of female bonds as each female competes to achieve their true desires. Cary’s contestation of the “women’s question” becomes clear upon careful analysis of the narrative voice.

The narrative voice is the agent through which readers confirm Cary’s challenges of cultural assumption towards women’s inconsistencies. Women are considered inconsistent because of their common nature, common because they are considered to all be the same. Cary starts and finish the play by placing emphasis on female speech. In many cases, it is necessary to separate the author from the narrator, and the narrative itself. Cary uses her authorship to achieve a similar narrative voice because her audience was mainly women. It is hard to separate the author from narrator because of how Cary uses the play to examine female speech as a contestation to the “women’s question,” and societal norms. The play’s introduction shows readers that “by beginning her with a female soliloquy and engaging with debates about female speech, Cary clearly signals her desire to explore the constraints of early modern gender ideology” (Cary, 8). It is evident that the “women’s question” is being addressed and patriarchy is being challenged at the same time. Cary uses the soliloquy to establish women as being subservient and silenced because it is what they are expected to do. The first line in the play suggests that the use of a female voice is a challenge to their silence. “How oft have I with public voice run on” (Cary 1.1.1), shows Cary countering the idea of female silence. She uses the word “oft” which translates to “often,” that further shows the degree to which women have been limited in their speech.  For readers, this line becomes a rhetorical question that Cary poses to address females’ ability to speak out in public.

However, the play’s soliloquy adds the public speech that women were limited to having. Not only does the play opens with a female voice but it is one the longest female speech readers will be exposed to throughout the play, going on for over seven five lines. The next time readers will see a female’s speech close in length will be Salome’s speech challenging her desires to be divorce which occurs under sixty-five lines. The length of Mariam’s speech reveals a lot of crucial information for the play. Mariam is the wife of the perceived belated king. The speech flips the idea of patriarchy upside down because in the slight moment that Herod is perceived dead because she is the queen of his subjects. Patriarchal values are reversed because the queen assumes the position of matriarch thus the limitations on public speech can be lifted in severance of the queen. Cary’s desire to give Mariam a matriarchically role challenges the limits as a woman and a wife.

The matriarchal role challenges the limitations placed on women through the culture of marriage and divorce. It was often acceptable for men to divorce their wives but never the opposite. The introduction of the play reconfirms that: “Mariam is acutely concerned with issues of marriage and divorce, dealing not only with Mariam’s marital dispute with Herod, but with the implication of Herod’s divorce from Doris and Salome’s desire to rid herself of Constabarus” (Cary, 14). Readers will notice that it is only a desire for both women to get a divorce because of their gender and the societal norms, yet, it is acceptable for Herod. Though Mariam thinks that her husband is dead in the first half of the play, there was hesitation to remarry because of the implication attached to her status. The hesitation can be seen when Mariam stated: “And Blame me not, for Herod’s jealousy / had power even constancy itself to change, / For he, by barring me from Liberty” (Cary, 1.1.23 -25), and this speech demonstrates even in death she is not free from him. Thinking of remarrying the person she truly loves is all she can do because she has to mourn her husband’s death. However, once Herod returns and was deceived that she was unfaithful, it does not matter that she thought he was dead – she met a terrible fate. The way the events of Mariam’s tragic unfold suggest a challenge to patriarchy because women can only think about divorce at the time. Yet, Mariam is content with dying to get freedom from a loveless marriage rather than live a subservient lifestyle.

Additionally, the “women’s question” is revealed to amendable rather than it is stable because the challenges of cultural assumption break down. However, because of strong dominance, patriarchy manages to rebuild itself each time it is broken down. Cary demonstrates the constraints of patriarchy towards women by showing a challenge to the popular cultural assumption that women are all the same. Constabarus reinforce the idea of a woman’s position as property through his speech to Salome. Salome is important to analyze because of her elevated status. However, Constabarus reminds her that leaving the marital bond of her husband is not only a disgrace to her but to all women and her country. Constabarus states “Oh, Salome, how much you wrong your name, / your race, your country, and your husband most” (Cary, 1.4. 1-2), which shows the danger of venturing of the marital course. It is not only unfaithful but treason to be in “a stranger’s private conference” (Cary, 1.4.3). Another instance that shows the temporary breakdown of patriarchy is Salome’s bold response later in the conversation: “I mean not to be led by precedent: / My will shall be to me instead of law” (Cary, 1.4.79 -80). Her response speaks to her rejection of female oppression. She is unconcerned with Moses’ law on marriage and laws in general. She is concerned about her own desire being fulfilled.