Gender Dynamics in "The Lady's Dressing Room" Selena R Barron College

The gender dynamic constructed in the Restoration and early eighteenth century British literature manifested itself around the conceptual binary of man and woman. The debate that appears in literature of this time roots itself in societal expectations for the performance of gender: when these expectations are not met, gender roles that were once in place may be thought of critically and reevaluated. However, the threat of these gender roles transforming also inspires a lot of contempt. While male authors in the Restoration and early eighteenth century Britain certainly portrayed gender dynamics in unconventional ways, it is important to recognize when this portrayal is exclusive, rather than inclusive, of women. Jonathan Swift presents a peculiar case of this exclusion in “The Lady’s Dressing Room”. While this piece challenges our understanding, and certainly the 18th century British understanding, of gender roles, it also uses the criticism of women as its vehicle.

The object of satire in Swift’s poem “The Lady’s Dressing Room” is misleading. In the poem, Swift documents a young man wandering through the dressing room of the lady that he loves. The young man, Strephon, is depicted as quite dimwitted. He is satirized for his...