Gender Roles In H. Rider Haggard's Novel '

Does H. Rider Haggard’s novel ‘She: A History of Adventure’ promote gender equality?

“She” tells the story of three white Englishmen who become shipwrecked during their voyage to Africa, leaving them amongst the predominantly black Amahagger tribe, who are supremely ruled by a white goddess, Ayesha (or ‘She’). In the many years since its first publication, critics have, for the most part, focussed on the racial aspect of the novel, due to Haggard’s presentation of the black characters and how they relate to the white characters. However, after close inspection, it is also apparent that the issue of gender roles and powers within the novel are an equally interesting talking point, not least to feminist critics. The fact that the tribe is
During the period of the novel’s creation, Britain was dealing with various issues brought about with the turn of the century. Men feared a decline in their status caused by the gradual emergence of women into society, and were apprehensive over the ever-increasing independence and freedom of the ‘New Woman’. The position of women was changing rapidly towards the end of the nineteenth century, as the female gender became progressively more liberated. They began to contradict the status quo of the traditional Victorian woman, through entering the workplace and gaining better educations. This unnerved many males. Haggard himself expressed his opinions in 1894 that women should be married or deemed a failure in life: “it is the natural mission of women to marry; if they do not marry they become narrowed, live half a life only, and suffer in health of body and mind”. These thoughts
An example of this is through the character of Ustane. When Ustane is first encountered, Holly remarks that “women among the Amahagger are not only on terms of perfect equality with men, but are not held to them by any binding ties”. However, Haggard’s presentation of Ustane’s subsequent relationship with Leo suggests the author’s view that even when not forced, a woman’s natural instincts cause them to serve their male counterparts. This is shown firstly through her (and the rest of the young Amahagger girls’) immediate and uncontrollable “excitement” at first glance of Leo’s “tall, athletic form” and his “curling yellow hair”. The “vexation” of the other girls when Ustane kisses Leo suggests an involuntary but inexorable female attraction towards men. Ustane subsequently remains at Leo’s side as far as possible, as she “stuck to him like his own shadow”. Ustane herself echoes the common nineteenth century English viewpoint of submissive women, degrading herself in claiming she is “not fit to wash [Leo’s] feet”. When Leo is gravely injured in the struggle which ensues between the Englishmen and the Amahagger tribe, none other than Ustane is there to tend to his every need, even though the injuries have been brought about by her own people. She shows no hesitation and devotes