Gender Struggles in “Doubt: A Parable” In the preface to “Doubt: A Parable,” John Patrick Shanley describes an important factor to consider into account when reading his play: “I “set my story in 1964, when not only I but the whole world seemed to be going through a sort of vast puberty” (Shanley viii). During this time, America has experienced tremendous growth in all areas of life, from home to school to politics. Even the Catholic Church seemed to embrace this period of change with the new attitudes developed from the Second Vatican Council. The Church has decided to break away from the old and rigid structures of the past and adopt a more accessible and approachable presence to the community around it. Despite the reception to these radical changes, much of the old order within the Church structure was more than firmly entrenched and, to this day, has not undergone much change: the Church Catholic continued to operate under a strict patriarchal hierarchy. In Shanley's play, Sister Aloysius is in a position of power as headmistress of St. Nicholas School, but within the church structure, this power is relinquished to men based on the simple fact that she is a woman. When Sister Aloysius finds herself in a difficult situation that she doubts will be handled appropriately within the established patriarchal hierarchy, she is pushed to exceed the boundaries of the structure in order to prove that her suspicions were correct, thereby encroaching about herself and her beliefs. The patriarchal hierarchical order of the Church places nuns at the bottom of the order. Thus, although Sister Aloysius plays a leading role at the school, she is considered primarily a nun and is therefore required to submit to the authority of all other clerical powers. ... middle of paper ......' accusations/suspicions. Sister Aloysius only holds power in title, as her authority within the Church is diminished when her male colleagues come into play. Dilemma at the end: Her accusations may have scared away a highly regarded potential leader, but if she was right, Father Flynn is a sexual predator and lying to drive him away justifies her means. It is evident by the end of the play that Sister Aloysius felt greatly crippled by the constraints placed on her as a woman within the strong patriarchal society of the Catholic Church. She is angered by the lack of discipline reflected in Flynn, but she is more frustrated by the conclusions she has reached about her place in the hierarchy. She needs structure, but it backfires. Works Cited Shanley, John Patrick. Doubt: a parable. New York: Theater Communications Group, 2008.Print.