On pages 130-131 of "The Secret Agent", Conrad's description of the female protagonist Winnie Verloc provides the reader with an insight into the attitude generally contemptuous of women of the Victorian era. In the excerpt, Conrad presents Winnie as somewhat politically and intellectually ignorant, an idea common in the patriarchal society of the late 19th century. The passage also alludes to women's expectations to fulfill their purpose as wives and mothers, as Winnie is said to obey an internal "instinct", thus suggesting that her only motivation is to serve her husband and son. However, Conrad implies that, instead of providing her with a sense of fulfillment, Mrs. Verloc's marital position only creates a void in her life. Ultimately Winnie comes to represent the Victorian woman; in Conrad's words, 'equal', 'immobile', 'placid' (p.130). The passage then allows the reader to consider the passive nature of women like Mrs. Verloc and how they are influenced by society's expectations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay In the excerpt, Conrad reflects the parochial attitude of Victorian society as he addresses political participation in relation to gender, implying that women are politically inept and worthless to the state. Conrad builds on this idea by describing Winnie as somewhat dim-witted, stating that she "felt deeply that things aren't worth looking into much" (p. 130). This notion is reinforced at the end of the passage, as Conrad repeats, “She was quite confirmed in her belief that things did not bear scrutiny” (p. 131). This idea of ​​issues being "looked into" alludes to the superficial nature of women, who during Conrad's lifetime were largely seen as politically irrelevant – and because of this, those like Winnie showed very little interest in diplomatic events. The use of the strong word "deeply" contributes to the image of women as helpless and willful beings, as Conrad suggests that Winnie is blindly naive to the importance of the country's political situation, as her lack of depth is something in which she herself believes. immensely. 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 of women who are innately dependent on and simply incapable of fulfilling the means of gaining political consent. Brown argues that “the novel draws on gendered criteria for citizenship in order to designate appropriate political actors and forms of political participation.” This alludes to Conrad's choice to use Winnie as a symbol for women, as her political naivety acts as a reflection of stereotypical social beliefs. Brown goes on to discuss how an ideal political community is generated by excluding attitudes and types of people deemed "unhealthy" in terms of their influence on English political life: Winnie therefore represents the exclusion of women from the perfect polis. In the excerpt Conrad also discusses how Winnie draws "her strength and wisdom from that instinct" (p. 130). This statement is somewhat unusual as it implies that, strangely, Winnie's power as a woman presumably comes from the fact that she lacks political depth; the reader is suggested to use his ignorance to establish control. Although this seems somewhat backwards and technically inconsistent, when evaluating the meaning of the passage in relation to the rest of the novel, it is worthIt is worth noting that Winnie's unexpected actions upon the occasion of Verloc's murder support this claim to some extent. This description of the female protagonist serves as a device of subtle foreshadowing, as the reader is led to consider the ways in which a character as seemingly powerless and benighted as Winnie can exercise her stereotypical image to help her. Another way Conrad addresses feminism in the passage is through his portrayal of Winnie as a mother and wife. Throughout the excerpt, she incorporates multiple phrases that allude to her submissive nature, suggesting that her predominant purpose 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 in socks like that” (p. 130), thus demonstrating that her automatic response as a woman is to take care of Verloc – as her husband and superior. Conrad intensifies the significance of his submissive nature by following his speech with the statement "This speech becomes the wife's solicitude and the woman's prudence" (p.130). Here Conrad informs the reader how Winnie is almost unconsciously driven by her compulsions as a wife - to the point that she can barely act without them influencing her. Similarly, Brown discusses how Winnie forges a fulfilling role for herself as Stevie's mother and sister, but this reliance on Stevie to give her a life purpose only contributes to the novel's assessment of her unsuitability as a political actor. Mrs. Verloc's almost robotic nature as a mother and wife is exemplified in the statement "Practical and subtle in her own way" (p.131), as Conrad presents her as somewhat aloof. The choice of the word "practical" highlights Winnie's functional nature as a woman, rather than one of emotional value. Later in the passage Conrad refers to Winnie's instinct for the second time, stating that "The singleness of purpose had the infallible nature and strength of an instinct" (p. 131). Here the words “purpose,” “nature,” “strength,” and “instinct” are particularly resonant as they each refer to Winnie's responsibility as a woman deeply motivated by her marital position. Despite the purpose afforded to Mrs. Verloc as a wife, Conrad also conveys a sense of isolation in the passage, as he reveals that Winnie feels 'a sharp pang of loneliness' (p. 131). Here the reader is led to sympathize with the female protagonist, as the use of the words "sharp" and "pang" creates a sense of grave agony - "pang" is almost onomatopoeic, producing a sharp, somewhat jarring effect to reflect the concept . of pain. The pathos employed by Conrad thus marks the suffering endured by Winnie due to her femininity and her faithfulness 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. The critic John Palmer refers to this, saying that Winnie is 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 ownership, alluding to Winnie's lack of independence as a Victorian wife. The use of the word “under” is significant, as it implies that Winnie is not only subject to Verloc's gaze, but him as a being, being beneath him in terms of social authority. The word "stare" also alludes to the treatment of Winnie and women as a social group in the late 19th century, as it suggests that her husband constantly monitors her behavior due to the expectations and pressures of’.