The gender dynamic constructed in Restoration and early 18th century British literature manifested itself around the conceptual binary of man and woman. The debate that appears in the literature of this period is rooted in societal expectations for the performance of gender: when these expectations are not met, gender roles that were once in place may be thought about critically and reevaluated. However, the threat of this transformation of gender roles also inspires a lot of contempt. While male authors in Restoration and early 18th-century Britain certainly represented gender dynamics in unconventional ways, it is important to recognize when this representation is exclusive to, rather than inclusive of, women. Jonathan Swift presents a peculiar case of this exclusion in “The Lady's Dressing Room.” While this piece challenges our, and certainly 18th century British, understanding of gender roles, it also uses women's criticism as a vehicle. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The object of satire in Swift's poem "The Lady's Dressing Room" is misleading. In the poem, Swift documents a young man wandering into the dressing room of the woman he loves. The young man, Strephon, is described as rather stupid. He is satirized for his ignorance of women's human nature, with associated and often disgusting bodily processes. This critique of gender roles could be done very well and could potentially bring to light the fact that women are wrongly expected to exist as consumable and pleasing to the male gaze despite being human. However, Swift satirizes Strephon through a type of thinly veiled violence towards women as beings. The satire is formed in Strephon's ignorance of women as human beings, but the sentiment is not that women are therefore free to be human beings. This is because Swift details the existence of women as human beings through a graphic representation of personal bodily functions. This graphic representation is not intended to criticize Strephon, but women, as objects of disgust. Strephon may be considered foolish because he thinks women are always perfectly coiffed, but women are also described as revolting. Women are allowed to be disgusting, but Swift's poetry reveals the idea that this is something to be forgiven. We can see this at the beginning of the poem, where Swift writes, “Five hours (and who can do less?) / From haughty Celia spent in dressing” (Swift 1-2). Turning to “and who can do it less?” Swift is taking a swipe at women for the time they spend getting ready. Five hours is excessive and deserves critical thinking, which is why simply taking a jab isn't enough. The question “and who can do it less?” it does not criticize the institution of oppression that women face and in which they must compulsively conform to expectations of beauty. Instead, he criticizes the only "haughty" Celia, and he does so in a condescending way. Swift's condescending sentiment appears again at the end of the poem. He writes: "I pity the miserable blind Strephon/ For all the charms of womankind; / Should love's queen refuse, / Why has she risen from the stinking slime?" (Swift 237-240). Swift creates a playful tone here by creating an expectation in the reader for an effective affirmation of women. This expectation is created in the line “To all the charms of womankind” (Swift 238). However, he follows this expectation with the statement that women are.