Ann was not allowed to pursue her higher education
It is a situational irony where Ann’s father, Mr. Stanley forbids her to study Science at the Imperial College at West-minister yet she was qualified for it and he could afford to send her to study there. Mr. Stanley forbade her fro going merely because she was female and he believed that their place was beside a man who would provide for them.
Mr. Stanley’s Parenting
It is ironical that when Mr. Stanley got married, he did not want to raise daughters yet they were his children to as much as his sons were. When his wife died, and Ann was a little girl, he called his sister to raise her so that he could avoid the stress of raising her himself. He felt that Ann would distract him from his hobbies.
Mr. Manning’s Ideas About Women
It is ironical that Mr. Manning felt that women should not vote because they were beautiful and fragile creatures yet they were also part of the country and they were affected by any political decisions that were made. He thought that voting and other professions were a man’s work and that women should be provided for rather than work for their livelihoods.
Irony of Societal Expectations
The societal expectations of the early 20th century on women are ironical. This is because the society expected young women to say that they do not know anything about any particular matter when asked even if they did know about it. This was because they were told to behave like they were not interested in the political or economic scene.
The Arrest of the Suffragettes
It is a situational irony that the women who stormed parliament were arrested and locked up for a month because of demanding for their rights. This was oppression because every person should be allowed the right to protest about unfair treatment which in this case was the denial of the right to vote.
