In pages 130-131 of “The Secret Agent,” Conrad's description of the female protagonist Winnie Verloc gives the reader insight of the generally contemptuous attitude towards women of the Victorian era. In the excerpt, Conrad presents Winnie as somewhat politically and intellectually ignorant – a notion carried by the patriarchal society of the late 19th century. The passage also alludes to the expectations of women to fulfill their roles as wives and mothers, as Winnie is said to obey an internal "instinct", thus suggesting that her sole motivation is to serve her husband and son . However, Conrad implies that rather than providing her with a sense of fulfillment, Mrs. Verloc's marital situation only creates a void in her life. Winnie ends up representing the Victorian woman; in Conrad’s words, “fair,” “still,” “placid” (p. 130). This passage therefore allows the reader to reflect on the passive nature of women like Mrs. Verloc and how they are influenced by societal expectations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay In the extract, Conrad reflects the parochial attitude of Victorian society when discussing political participation in relation to gender , implying that women are politically incompetent and worthless in the eyes of the state. Conrad builds on this idea by describing Winnie as somewhat obtuse, stating that "she felt deeply that things were not worth examining" (p. 130). This notion is reinforced at the end of the extract, as Conrad repeats it: “She was rather confirmed in her conviction that things did not bear being looked at” (p. 131). This idea that issues are "investigated" alludes to the superficial nature of women who, during Conrad's lifetime, were largely considered politically unimportant - and for this reason, those like Winnie showed very little interest in the events diplomatic. The use of the strong word "deeply" contributes to the image of women as helpless and stubborn beings, as Conrad suggests that Winnie is blindingly naive about the importance of the country's political situation, given that her lack of depth is something she believes in herself. in a lot. This concept is explored by critic Stephanie Brown when she states: "It is difficult to imagine a character less politically inclined than Winnie Verloc"; building on Conrad's presentation that women are naturally dependent and simply incapable of having the means necessary for political consent. Brown argues that "the novel draws on gendered criteria of citizenship in order to designate appropriate political actors and forms of political participation." This alludes to Conrad's choice to use Pooh as a symbol for women, as his political naivety reflects stereotypical societal beliefs. Brown goes on to explain how an ideal political community is generated by excluding attitudes and types of people deemed "unhealthy" in relation to their influence on English political life – Winnie therefore represents the exclusion of women from the perfect polis. In the excerpt, Conrad also explains how Winnie makes “this instinct her strength and her wisdom” (p. 130). This statement is somewhat unusual because it implies that, strangely, Winnie's power as a woman comes from the fact that she lacks political depth; it is suggested to the reader that she is using her ignorance to establish control. Although it seemssomewhat retrograde and technically inconsistent, when assessing the significance of the passage in relation to the rest of the novel, it should be noted that Pooh's unexpected actions during Verloc's murder support this assertion to some extent. This description of the female protagonist serves as a subtle foreshadowing device, as the reader is led to consider the way in which a character as seemingly helpless and ignorant as Winnie can use her stereotypical image to help her. Another way Conrad addresses feminism in the passage is via his depiction of Winnie as a mother and wife. Throughout the excerpt, he incorporates several phrases that allude to her subservient nature, suggesting that her predominant goal as a woman is simply to adopt a maternal and marital role. For example, the first words spoken by Mrs. Verloc are simply "You'll catch a cold walking around like that in your socks" (p. 130), demonstrating that her automatic reaction as a woman is to look after Verloc - as she did it. husband and superior. Conrad intensifies the importance of her submissive nature by following his speech with the statement “This speech becomes the care of the wife and the prudence of the woman” (p. 130). Here Conrad explains to the reader how Winnie is almost unconsciously driven by her wifely compulsions - to the point that she can barely act without it influencing her. Similarly, Brown explains how Winnie carves out a fulfilling role for herself as Stevie's mother and sister, but this reliance on Stevie to give her a purpose in life only contributes to the novel's assessment of his ineptitude as a political actor. Mrs. Verloc's almost robotic nature as a mother and wife is illustrated in the statement "Practical and subtle in her way" (p. 131), as Conrad presents her as somewhat detached. The choice of the word "practical" highlights Winnie's functional nature as a woman, rather than her emotional value. Later in the excerpt, Conrad refers to Winnie's "instinct" for the second time, stating that "the singleness of purpose had the infallible nature and force of an instinct" (p. 131). Here, the words "purpose," "nature," "strength," and "instinct" are particularly resonant because they each relate to Winnie's responsibility as a woman deeply motivated by her marital situation. Despite the purpose given to Mrs. Verloc as a wife, in the passage Conrad also expresses a sense of isolation, as he reveals that Winnie feels "a sharp pang of loneliness" (p. 131). Here the reader is made to sympathize with the female protagonist, as the use of the words "acute" and "pang" creates a feeling of severe agony - "pang" is almost onomatopoeic, producing a sharp and somewhat jarring effect to reflect the concept. of pain. The pathos used by Conrad therefore marks the suffering endured by Winnie because of her femininity and her loyalty to her husband Verloc. Here, Conrad implies that Mrs. Verloc's loneliness is triggered by her marriage – it has come to hinder her ability to construct her own identity; instead, it was shaped by men. This is emphasized by critic John Palmer, who declares Winnie to be one of "Verloc's essential victims". This is represented through Conrad's description of her being "under the expressionless gaze of her husband" (p. 130), which conveys a sense of belonging, alluding to Winnie's lack of independence as a Victorian bride. The use of the word “under” is significant, because it implies that Winnie is not only subject to Verloc's gaze, but to him as a being – being beneath him in terms of social authority. The word “’.