The Concept of A New Woman in Mrs. Warren's Profession: A Feminist Perspective

Abstract: Irish dramatist and critic George Bernard Shaw, who popularized social realism on the British stage, wrote Mrs. Warren's Profession in 1893. The poem, which defies traditional Victorian conventions, is a social satire that was first presented in London in 1902. The play advanced the feminist movement while also reflecting Shaw's feminist ideas. The ―New Woman‖ figure, who defies nineteenth-century male-centered customs and conventional female depictions, is introduced in Mrs. Warren's Profession. The play's central theme is prostitution, a contentious taboo subject. Shaw uses the two unconventional female characters to emphasize this line of work. Vivie is a self-reliant, highly educated lady who criticizes her mother for her occupation, while Kitty Warren is a bold mother who runs a brothel to give her daughter a better life and schooling. Mrs. Warren's Profession emphasizes that women chose this career path because of the moral, social, and economic injustices in society. Using a feminist perspective, this essay examines how the idea of the ―New Woman‖ is portrayed by examining the connections between these two unconventional figures. This essay also looks at the ways in which these characters rebel against the conventional roles that are assigned to them as women in order to establish their own identities in society. As a result, this work illuminates contemporary feminism and dismantles the notion of the "Angel in the House," the ideal Victorian lady, via the lens of these two female characters.