Gender Struggles in Doubt a Parable

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Recommended: The roles of women in the Contemporary Catholic Church

Gender Struggles in “Doubt: a Parable”

In the preface to “Doubt: a Parable,” John Patrick Shanley describes a significant factor to consider when reading his play: “I’ve set my story in 1964, when not just me, but the whole world seemed to be going through some kind of vast puberty” (Shanley viii). During that period in time, America experienced vast growth across all areas of life- from the home, to schools, to politics. Even the Catholic Church seemed to be embrace this time of change with the new attitudes developed from the Second Vatican Council. The Church set out to break from the old, rigid structures of the past and take on a more relatable and approachable presence for its surrounding community. In spite of welcoming these radical changes, a big part of the old order within the Church structure was more than firmly rooted and, to this date, has not undergone much change- the Catholic Church has continued to operate under a strict patriarchal hierarchy. In Shanley’s play, Sister Aloysius holds a position of power being the principal of St. Nicholas School, but within the church structure, that power is relinquished to the men based upon the mere detail that she is a woman. When Sister Aloysius encounters a predicament that she doubts will be dealt with appropriately under the established patriarchal hierarchy, she is driven to go beyond the limits of the structure in order to prove her suspicions right, trespassing against herself and her convictions in the process.

The patriarchal hierarchy order of the Church places nuns at the bottom of the order so while Sister Aloysius plays a prominent role at the school, she is foremost seen as a nun and is therefore required to submit to the authority of all other clerical po...

... middle of paper ...

...’ accusations/suspicions. Sister Aloysius holds power in title only, for her authority within the church is diminished when her male colleagues come into play.

Dilema at the end: her accusations may have driven away a well-liked potential leader, but if she was right, Father Flynn is a sexual predator and lying to drive him away justify her means.

It is evident at the end of the play that Sister Aloysius strongly felt paralyzed by the constraints placed over her as a woman within the strong patriarchal society of the Catholic Church.

She’s irritated by the lack of discipline reflected in Flynn but she’s more frustrated by the conclusions she’s reached about her place within the hierarchy. She needs the structure, but it’s turning against her.

Works Cited

Shanley, John Patrick. Doubt: A Parable. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2008.

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