The notion of power is presented in various ways in Woolf's “Orlando” and Campion's “The Piano”. This essay will compare these two texts and how they show power in different but similar ways. The first part of the essay analyzes the basic idea about gender roles in the Victorian era and the 19th century. The second part analyzes Orlando's aristocratic past and its ability to inherit wealth. This is compared to Orlando as a woman unable to inherit. Third, there will be a comparison between Orlando and the Piano and how women control men. Finally, the main points are summarized in the conclusion. As both stories are set in the Victorian era and the 19th century, Orlando although begins in the Elizabethan period, but has a chapter set in the Victorian period. The concept of cultural expectations is present in both texts. Furthermore, cultural expectations played a vital role in the early periods. The expectations of men and women were thus set at their time. For example, women were expected to be modest and take care of household chores and children, while men were expected to work and hold authority over the home. In other words, the concept of power was only present in the male patriarchal regime; however, this notion of gender roles is challenged in these two texts. In the first chapter of Orlando, he gives a clear picture of Orlando coming from a noble and aristocratic upbringing. The notion of power is present in two different ways in Orlando, for example, his noble education gives him the power of authority. This is demonstrated by his act of mutilating the “shrunken head of a moor”: “it was cutting off the head of a moor that was swinging from the rafters. It was the color of old paper... middle of paper ... This is shown by Baines making strange deals with Ada in order to physically possess her. As far as Stewart was concerned, his madness was motivated by Ada's disobedience. Ada's strength lies in her silence when she refuses to communicate with her husband. The notion of power manifests itself in different ways. The main concept is that women, like Sasha and Ada, have the most power over men in both texts. However, there are certain types of power that only men possess, such as inheritance in Orlando. This is also shown in The Piano when Baines owns Ada's piano which Stewart sold to him. Thus, the notion of power is presented through language since Sasha communicates in French with Orlando as well as physical violence with Stewart. This is demonstrated through Stewart's attack on Ada. In other words, power is represented as both positive and negative..