The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

Constantinopla takes on a more important role in these chapters, especially in her foray into London with Tom to rally Queen Victoria to the Wisteria Society’s cause. Constantinopla and Tom complicate the theme of Romance and Partnership Between Equals. Constantinopla, at 16, is younger than Tom, having lied about her age during the beginnings of their romantic relationship. However, she does not believe her youth makes her lesser than Tom. She thinks, “Tom might be three years older, but Constantinopla was obviously his superior in meaningful ways” (168). She does not view Tom as her equal, instead seeing him as inferior to her due to his lack of formal piracy training and the impossibility of him joining the Wisteria Society.

She also easily tricks Tom into going to London, a plan he did not agree with until he was already physically inside Windsor Castle. These schemes demonstrate Constantinopla’s cleverness and cunning, two traits important for a successful pirate. As Constantinopla notes later, Tom’s lack of education and seeming lack of intellect are a hindrance to any successful pirate future he could hope to have; this causes Constantinopla to see herself as the superior partner. Tom, meanwhile, has different ideas about their standing. He tells Constantinopla after they break into Windsor Castle, “You win—this time. But understand for the future that I intend to be the head of my household” (171). Constantinopla verbally agrees, but it’s clear that she does not intend to follow through on that arrangement in their marriage. Tom wants to adhere to traditional gender roles and norms, while Constantinopla seeks to follow the model set by the Wisteria Society ladies, where the men stay home and raise the children while the ladies go on piracy-fueled adventures. 

Meanwhile, Ned’s perception of Cecilia is also complicated by his growing feelings for her. As he looks at her while they search for Northrangerland Abbey, he thinks, “This was, after all, innocent young Cecilia, who had never gone more than a few hours from her aunt’s guidance. Her big eyes gazing at him with hurt made him want to cringe apologetically” (163). In his thoughts, Ned occasionally infantilizes Cecilia, seeing her as innocent and young when in reality she keeps her emotions strongly in check. She speaks out against overly romantic poetry, as illustrated by her dismissal of Wordsworth’s poetry in the carriage with Ned and her distaste for the hyper-emotional adventures of Wuthering Heights. Cecilia is young and innocent in some aspects of life, particularly romance and sex, but she is knowledgeable and capable when it comes to formulating a plan to save the Wisteria Society and to foil her father’s schemes. Ned’s view of her is clouded by his romantic feelings for her, a view that will continue to change and shift as he and Cecilia go into battle together against Morvath later in the novel.

Cecilia’s conflict over her moral code and her romantic desires continues, invoking The Quest for Independence against Societal Constraints. When Ned kisses her in Lady Armitage’s house, she thinks, “How rude he was! How disgraceful! She lifted herself on her toes to get closer, curving her tongue around his, not wanting him to escape” (156). In the same thought, she calls Ned “rude” and “disgraceful” for his conduct toward her, while simultaneously trying to pull him closer and deepen the passion of the kiss. She allows herself to physically act even as her own thoughts attempt to chastise her for wanting more intimacy with Ned. As Cecilia strives to push back against the constrictive ideals set forth by Miss Darlington and by broader Victorian society, she begins to develop more independence in her conduct and more openly pursues her desires.

The Subversion of Gender Roles appears in Holton’s depiction of Queen Victoria. She is described as a large woman, sitting in bed eating breakfast and talking to the portrait of her long-dead husband. At the same time, she remarks on the misogyny she often faces, saying, “But then, when you’re surrounded by so many pompous men who think they can manage the realm better than you can, the names tend to blur together” (176). She will later admit that she does not much care about the rights of women outside of herself, but her awareness of the men like Morvath, who think that they could rule better on the basis of their gender, shows a hint of awareness of feminist concepts and thought—the same concepts and thought that inspired the development of the Wisteria Society.