“Equal Rights,” Chivalry, and Satire in I Love Lucy

One crucial facet of the structure of I Love Lucy in every episode is the interplay between Lucy’s individual explorations and the tug back to the reality of inescapable domesticity. Feminist scholars have argued on both sides of this exchange as to what the show ultimately decides is the most important part of the episode: the triumph of patriarchal norms or the joyous ambition that comes before. Ultimately, the comedic focus upon Lucy as an agent of delight proves that she is to be emulated, not condemned. The best place to examine this interplay is in one of the most overtly relevant episodes to gender studies, S3.4: “Equal Rights.” A particularly salient scene is when Ricky snaps at Lucy and insists that he should have be the figure of authority, and that she should obey him. She immediately demands equal rights, though her fundamental misunderstanding of the word “equal,” results in not only hilarious comedy, but also subversive discourse. The scene, which aired in 1953, is inherently radical for mass media. It satiricizes a remark skeptics of feminism have made for years: “women don’t actually want to be treated like men!” 

In the course of a two-minute-long scene, through witty dialogue imbued masterfully with humor, the four-person cast is able to tackle a discourse which has been long recapitulated throughout the history of feminism. After Lucy decides that the Mertzes and the Ricardos are going to get steak, regardless of Ricky’s views, he quickly retorts that is is tired of her bossiness (3.4.4:15). The shot is visually tense as well as it quickly switches to a medium two shot, in which it is clear Lucy is trapped against the mantlepiece by Ricky’s body. The classic two-camera setup the show is famous for begins to function, with the angle switching to behind Ricky’s back, so you can only see Lucy’s shocked facial expression as she stammers back. This suggests that we are inclined to identify with Lucy and her scared and wounded state of mind. Her eyes continue to widen as Ricky turns slightly to now show his face within the same frame and shouts, “I want to eat spaghetti tonight, so you’re going to eat spaghetti” (3.4.4.25). The shot jumps to a medium, eye-level shot so we can see Lucy’s unusually tense kinesiology, who interjects only with defeated repetitions “Yes sir” and even “Sí, señor” as he continues his misogynistic tirade: “You stay out of it and be on time from now on, or we’re going to go without you. We’re going to run this house like we do in Cuba, where the man is the master and the woman what she’s told. And don’t get smart. And go get your coat” (3.4.4:53). He jocularly leans up against the mantle, the hearth of the home, as if he is trying on a farcical cosplay of patriarchy as Lucy steps out of the shot to grab her coat in the background. As she slowly steps back into the same shot, which has been plagued by silence for half of a minute, she then steps to where Ricky had previously been before, annexing him against the fireplace, and retorts, “Oh yeah?!” (3.4.5:03) The shot switches to a shaky medium shot of Ethel and Fred, who look surprised by Lucy’s uncharacteristically submissive character, breaking up the tense interchange. 

The shot jumps to a medium close-up of the Ricardos, with only half of Ricky’s face visible as Lucy rebukes, “This is the United States and I have my rights,” to which Ricky responds, “I am not arguing about women’s rights. I am the first one to agree that women should have all the rights they want, as they stay in their place” (3.4.5:25) The shot switches to Fred and Ethel, suggesting that this disagreement is specific to each domestic relationship. Ethel responds, “You men tell us that we have equal rights, but you certainly don’t give us a chance to act like it,” to which Fred says, “What do you want?! You’ve got the vote, you drive pants, you drive buses, wrestle, go every place you please except the steam room in the YMCA” (3.4.5:43). Lucy demands to be treated “equal,” meaning that everything is the same as the men. What follows is a particularly comedic scene in which Ricky and Fred realize they no longer have to help the women put on their coats. 

In a mere two minutes, this show is able to satirize the notion that women want to be treated by men like men when they advocate for equal rights. Lucy ultimately rescinds her request because Ricky has ultimately conflated equality with a lack of chivalry, which is what critics of feminism often say women find fault with. Instead, the episode ultimately decides upon equal rights as the treatment of women with respect. The exploration of this discourse is remarkably subversive to be on national television at this time and stands out among other programs and episodes of the era. 

Works Cited 

“Equal Rights.” I Love Lucy, Season 3, Episode 4, Desilu Productions, 1953.