Representing marriage, patriarchy, and class in Harley Granville Barker's The Marrying of Ann Leete

Abstract

Abstract

Marriage was very important in Victorian society because it was tied to how men and women were expected to act, the power of families, and the different levels of society. Many past studies have looked at marriage as a topic in Victorian literature, but not much focus has been on how marriage works as a way of talking about culture that creates and supports power relationships. This study looks at how marriage is shown in Harley Granville Barker’s play The Marrying of Ann Leete by using Stuart Hall’s ideas about representation and Michel Foucault’s concept of discourse. The study looks at conversations, how characters act with each other, and the big disagreements about marriage in the play, using a detailed description approach and by looking at the text closely. The results show that marriage is shown in four connected ways. Marriage is seen as a social responsibility, especially for women, and serves as a way to control how women are seen and act. Second, marriage gives power to fathers and men, allowing them to decide who women can marry. Third, marriage helps keep the class system in place by limiting relationships based on social standing and family background. In the end, the play shows how Ann Leete deals with negotiation and resistance by questioning common ideas about gender, power, and social class. The study finds that marriage in this drama works as a way of talking about culture that both supports and challenges the existing power structures. By using both Hall’s and Foucault’s ideas, the study shows how literature helps shape, settle, and deal with social power.