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W.E. is a film paralleling the lives of two women, from the past and the present, who had to sacrifice much for the sake of their marriages. Both suffered from the Myth and the expectations imposed on their gender, and one of them also faces the challenges associated with motherhood, while the other is a historical figure under constant scrutiny. In this paper, I will argue how various harmful concepts of motherhood, marriage, and gender expectations affected the lives of the film’s two main characters.
The idea that men are breadwinners and women are housewives is traditional, but it has consequences in the world where women are capable of performing myriads of jobs. According to Mehta (2005), such husbands are more likely to divorce than those who believe in equal gender and family roles. In W.E., Wally leaves her husband after a domestic violence incident caused by not having a personal bank account, as she does not work (Madonna, 2011). Wally sacrificed her job after marrying William, and the idleness only aggravates her fears of William’s infidelity and sparkles her own (Madonna, 2011). Similarly, Wallis’s first husband’s conviction about breadwinning and the wife’s role could also lead to their divorce, although the times were different (Madonna, 2011). Thus, the two women’s experience demonstrates that outdated views about who provides for the family may lead to a couple’s separation, which also involves domestic violence.
As women are denied work, they are also expected to offer emotional support for their husbands and be in charge of all housework, which might be more physically demanding than a potential job. That is why marriage is an institution which could be more beneficial to men, as their wives have to shoulder many responsibilities (Mehta, 2005). Although the viewer does not see the physical aspect of their marital duties, both Wallis and Wally carry a big emotional burden in the respective unions (Madonna, 2011). The latter constantly worries about her husband and the rarity of bonding between them, as she actually wishes to support him (Madonna, 2011). Meanwhile, Wallis’s suffocating position is revealed through her letters, which highlight that the abdication scandal made the couple bound for life, so she had some regrets and complaints (Madonna, 2011). Nonetheless, Wallis remains by David’s side until his death, accepting her lot, while Wally leaves hers after finding a better alternative (Madonna, 2011). Overall, marriage puts an enormous emotional burden on the women, which they either have to accept or eventually refuse, ending the relationship.
The hypocritical attitude towards women’s role in society and its institution is apparent in the Madonna concept, which dictates a woman to act in a certain way. To be more exact, the phenomenon is called the Madonna-whore complex, which implies that women can either be entirely pure or completely corrupted and promiscuous (Bareket et al., 2018). It transpires Wally and William’s relationship, as he refuses to view his wife in a sexual way (Madonna, 2011). At one point, William accuses her of being a “whore” for dressing seductively for his sake (Madonna, 2011). Therefore, as Bareket et al. (2018) claim, the complex may enable patriarchy and deteriorate relationships. On the other hand, Wallis is victimized by British society, which shares that perception, for the previous divorces, but the king himself loves her regardless (Madonna, 2011). To summarize the idea, a man subscribing to the Madonna concept is likely to have a poor family relationship, as demonstrated by William, while the opposite will solidify it, as evident with David.
While pondering over why women aspire to marry and have children, the concept of external conditioning becomes relevant. It suggests that society encourages them to engage in those activities, as they do not have such urges naturally (Carroll, 2012). To some extent, Wallis realizes that, being unenthusiastic about marrying David and preferring to fill Thelma’s role as his mistress (Madonna, 2011). She also takes the second marriage lightly and probably uses her husband to infiltrate the high society, which is the opposite of the expectations (Madonna, 2011). Wallis seems interested in having children, according to a TV announcement, but never acts upon it, and the non-royal status further saves her from having to perform the child-bearing function (Madonna, 2011). Conversely, Wally seems highly affected by external conditioning, as she is married and wishes to have children (Madonna, 2011). Eventually, she becomes disillusioned with her marriage, although the desire to be a mother remains (Madonna, 2011). Despite the difference in their circumstances, both women agree that they are under a “life-controlling plan” (Madonna, 2011). Altogether, external conditioning affects women’s lives, and they may not even identify the influence.
Another reason a woman may decide to have children is to save her marriage from disintegrating. It is an essential part of the Myth, aiming to mend the union, but the statistics indicate that marriages without children are happier (Rollin, 1970). If one takes the idea into consideration, Wally’s desperation to get pregnant from her husband appears logical (Madonna, 2011). The distinction is important, as she initially only considers William as a potential father, meaning that Wally may have viewed a child as a means to restore their failing union (Madonna, 2011). However, her affair with Evgeniy implies that she abandons the idea, and the unspoken confirmation of her pregnancy signifies that Wally no longer associates it with marriage (Madonna, 2011). Wallis’s case is more complicated but bears similarities with Wally’s, conceptually and visually (Madonna, 2011). Her first husband rejects the unborn child, insinuating that it would not save their marriage, even if Wallis wanted to have one for other reasons (Madonna, 2011). Consequently, the concept of children making marriages hotter is toxic, as it does not lead to the suggested outcome and hurts women who want them for love.
In conclusion, this paper analyzed how outdated and harmful concepts intertwined with marriage deeply impact the lives of W.E.’s main female characters. Wallis suffers from emotional pressure, society viewing her as impure, and the whole idea of marriage, having experienced it twice already. Wally is mostly antagonized by her husband, who forbids her from working, does not view her sexually, and refuses to conceive a child with her, also causing the woman great distress. Both women are victims of domestic violence due to them not conforming to social expectations. Still, they manage to overcome those obstacles, even if it requires the assistance of men who do not subscribe to patriarchic views. Through the parallels of Wallis’s and Wally’s lives, the film relays the idea that women have always had to fight those noxious concepts to achieve happiness, as submitting to them only brings misery.
References
Bareket, O., Kahalon, R., Shnabel, N., & Glick, P. (2018). The Madonna-whore dichotomy: Men who perceive women’s nurturance and sexuality as mutually exclusive endorse patriarchy and show lower relationship satisfaction. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 79(9-10), 519–532. Web.
Carroll, L. (2012). The ‘biological urge’: What’s the truth? HuffPost. Web.
Madonna. (2011). W.E. [film]. Semtex Films.
Mehta, M. (2005). The myth of marriage. A Call to Action. Web.
Rollin, B. (1970). Motherhood: Who needs it? Look, 34(19), 15-17.
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