In our current society, men and women are more or less equals. However, when “The Paradise of Bachelors and the Tartarus of Maids” was written, this wasn’t the case. Not only was there inequality between sexes, there was inequality between social standing as well.
First Melville starts by describing a night where a group of wealthy bachelors all get together for a feast with “innumerable niceties” (Melville 1262). The men have no cares at all in the world, as they are all unattached to wives or children and do not ever have anxious thoughts about them. The men care only about each other, which becomes clear when Melville mentions that “the nine bachelors seemed to have the most tender concern for each other’s health.” (Melville 1262) For example, they only drink if all of them will drink. This one night is described as “the very perfection of quiet absorption of good living, good drinking, good feeling, and good talk.” (Melville 1264)
After the narrator leaves the feast he rides his horse to a nearby factory. Right away it becomes apparent that this place is far below the “heaven” that was described earlier. And straight away, it is clear that the women, or girls, in this story, are inferior to men. This is clear when you are introduced to the first girl; a girl whose “face is pale with work, blue with cold and eyes supernatural with unrelated misery.” (Melville 1270) Right after, another male is introduced who is obviously in charge and he is described as a dark-complexioned and well-wrapped personage. The narrator is invited into the factory and once again, the inferiority of these girls comes to light. They are being used as slaves to the machinery. He describes them simply as “mere cogs to the wheels” of the machine. (Melville 1271) The girls are compared to mares halted to a rack, symbolizing that they are nothing more than animals to the factory owners. When the narrator questions why the girls are in such bad shape, the factory owner an ignorant, heartless comment about it. (Melville 1274)
There is so much inequality between the wealthy men and the working women in this story that even the narrator finds it disgusting. He, himself, makes note that where he has visited is the polar opposite to his Paradise of Bachelors, and that’s saying something.
Nice observations Emily. But do you think that Melville believes that men and women are always going to be treated differently? Or is this just a case of two classes being compared to highlight differences?
I agree with you Emily. There are certainly themes of social inequality and gender difference. Just like Living in the Iron Mill, there is a great gap between high-class men and working class women, and it is separated by gender and mostly occupation. Whereas the bachelors all have honorable backgrounds, the girls in the factory are living a harsh and dull life with unfair working condition. There are many possible reasons for Melville to do so. He might want to raise awareness for social difference, or just simply makes the story more interesting. Either way he describes an unequal social phenomenon that is undeniable.