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Motifs
Definition of Setting
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or it can be an imagined... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the... read full definition
Setting
Explanation and Analysis:
While Mrs. Warren's Profession is set in both Surrey, England and London, England, respectively, other physical locations feature prominently in the play. These serve as emblems of the moral and cultural conflicts at the heart of Shaw's drama.
One such location is the cottage/house in which Mrs. Warren raised Vivie. This locale represents Mrs. Warren's hard work and financial independence. Like one of the wealthy patriarchs of her time, Mrs. Warren has taken care to build a profitable business empire for the benefit of her child. The fact that she can, from her own earnings, afford to buy and maintain a house distinguishes Mrs. Warren from her female contemporaries. This house is also a front of respectability: a socially-expected marker of financial and professional success. Once others are made aware of Mrs. Warren's profession, this front of respectability comes under question, extending to anyone or anything associated with her (including the house, and including Vivie).
The "hotels" or brothels that constitute Mrs. Warren's business also serve as a significant place setting in the play. These remain out of "sight" over the course of the narrative, but their existence as a place setting in Mrs. Warren's Profession drives most of the conflict. The mere fact that Mrs. Warren owns brothels is enough to drive a wedge between her and the other characters.
