Shadow and Persona in Theatrical Drama
Although Alcott’s interest in theatrical drama can be linked to her own brief career as an actress in small local performances, the importance given to it in the book rather borders on a much more serious dimension, and touches upon the psychological components of human personality. Throughout the novella, Jean's acting skills are recorded with a touch of appreciation and a note of applause. Her abilities to persuade and deceive give her power over those who are far more powerful than she is. The façade of herself which she offers to the world, in the form of a carefully knitted persona, answers her purpose of shading her true self and hiding her shadow from the eyes of all mortals. Jean manages this task so perfectly that at the end of the story, we see that her hold over Sir John is even stronger than all the evidence gathered by his nephew against her.
Class Clash
Many are the authors who were concerned about the class struggle in the second half of the 19th century. Louisa May Alcott is one of those who consecrated their works to dwell upon the issue. Behind a Mask is one such example. The novella investigates the limitations set upon people of the lower classes by following the progress of Jean Muir who, belonging to an inferior class, finds herself chained to it with no other chance of escape than deception. People from the lower classes back then suffered a lack of mobility. They could not ascend the social ladder by any fair means. Thus, the only way Jean could have attained the social and economical security she so much desired was through marriage with one of the Coventry men.
Women’s Power
For a starter Jean is given the central role in the work as both protagonist and antagonist. She is depicted as an extremely smart and capable woman who uses her skills to get what she needs and wants. While her methods decidedly leave some room for ethical questions, her capability of accomplishing her goals stresses the real power of women especially during an era where they were considered inferior to men. Alcott emphasizes this point through the ease with which Jean manipulates the Coventry men who are superior to her in all respects according to the norms of late Victorian society. She proves herself thus to be mentally more powerful than her betters. What is more, she uses them to secure herself a fortune and a title.
Female Autonomy
The Victorian era was a period during which women were considered one of the domestic ornaments. The feminine ideals then included total reliance on the male counterparts in almost everything. Alcott expresses her feministic views on the issue by portraying Jean Muir as the opposite of all what was dictated by such norms. Jean is thus depicted as an independent woman with big dreams and strong means to achieve them all by herself and with no help of any man.
The Angel in the house Vs. the New Woman
Alcott’s novella includes an example of each of these opposing concepts. During the latter part of the 19th century, the concept of “The New Woman” came to challenge that of “The Angel in the House”. The latter dictated to women their roles as ornamental additions in homes with no free will and with utter reliance on the male relatives. The new women, however, chose independence and defied norms to achieve it. In the book, Lucia Beaufort is the example of the angel in the house. She is depicted as the epitome of feminine beauty who exerts herself in entertaining her intended, or spends her leisurely hours in purely feminine activities. Jean Muir, on the other hand, represents the new woman who gains her own living by means of her toil as a governess. She is independent and self-sufficient. She needs no help from men to achieve her goals, and in fact is capable of outwitting them effortlessly.
