The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
“Sex, yes; sexism, no.”
The Stepford Wives is a phrase that is so well known that many people may not even realise that it originates from a novel. This satirical thriller is exceptionally short – most people could probably get through it in a day – but the layers of meaning, still relevant today, are what sticks with you. Regardless of the fact that The Stepford Wives was published in 1972, it still feels extremely modern and reflective of current issues – particularly the feminist struggle of today. At the time of publication, it was also a comment of the conservatives’ attack on women’s liberation, which was a new and growing trend.
The narrative follows of the life of Joanna Eberhart, a photographer and young mother. Joanna and her family move to a new area in Connecticut (Stepford in County Fairfield), but she soon starts to suspect that the housewives may actually be robots that have been created by their husbands. Joanna does not understand why none of the housewives ever want to socialise, and why their excuse is always that they have too much housework or cleaning to do.
It is interesting to note that Ira Levin, if you did not know, is a man. Characterisation of women from male authors is something that is often easy to detect – as is often done badly. But Levin manages to capture the internal workings of Joanna and the other women of Stepford well. The writing is generally tight and easy to follow, but there is a sense of dread and subtle horror that runs through the text, which is appreciated against the backdrop of perfection in the town.
All of the men in Stepford are members of a Men’s Association where they spend most of their time, which is a stark contrast to the lack of movement and independence (in and outside of the home) of the women. The Stepford men are unassuming and come across as ‘normal’ which is perhaps one of the most frightening aspects of the novel. They don’t appear outwardly traditional (Republican for the modern reader) in their thinking, and perhaps that is why Joanna’s husband thinks that he can change them ‘from the inside’. Instead, it is apparent that he becomes equally as brainwashed, or convinced, by the ideals and principles of the Men’s Association. Sexism is a fundamental belief of these men – they do not care about equality.
Joanna observes that the Stepford wives resemble “actresses in commercials, pleased with detergents and floor wax, with cleansers, shampoos and deodorants. Pretty actresses, big in the bosom but small in the talent, playing suburban housewives unconvincingly, too nicey-nice to be real.” Although for a modern reader, it may be difficult to imagine the level of housewife-centric advertisements that existed in the 70s, but ultimately, this was just another facet of objectification which still exists to this day. Objectification is one of the biggest issues that women continue to face today (“grab them by the pussy”) and whilst many women would say it has gotten better since the 70s, this is one theme in the novel that is easy to relate to.
The term ‘Stepford wife’ now is recognised to be a derogatory term that refers to a submissive and docile wife who appears to conform to the stereotype of an old-fashioned subservient role in relationship to her husband. The adjective ‘Stepford’ is officially part of our lexicon (“blandly conformist and submissive” according to the Collins English Dictionary). Although the novel ends rather flatly and on a massive cliff-hanger it is clear from the many adaptations and references to this novel that it has had a profound impact on society.
#FLODown: This poignant novel has also got two film adaptations. There is the 1975 version which follows the narrative from the novel more closely (featuring Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, Peter Masterson and Patrick O’Neal), and then the 2004 version which strays from the original a little more (featuring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, Bette Midler, Christopher Walken and Glenn Close). Plus, there are three television sequels!
Words by Mollie Kate Cohen
