Hyacinth embodies the three Victorian male ideals: strength, finance (wealth), and societal class standing.

FINANCE AND SOCIETAL STANDING

“Hyacinth has just married a rich, fashionable wife, and of course he cannot lose caste by associating with Ruth now” (Fern 94).

“It frets Hyacinth to a frenzy to have her poverty alluded to” (Fern 236).

Mrs. Millet later remarks on Hyacinth’s advice for achieving the ideal of social standing by saying, 

"Hyacinth has often told me how much it made or marred a boy’s fortune, the set he associated with” (Fern 100).

Hyacinth’s advice proved to reinforce the toxic Victorian ideal as it was seen by others in his own life. 

STRENGTH

“Here was her brother Hyacinth, now the prosperous editor of the Irving Magazine” (Fern 137).

Not only did Hyacinth gain wealth, a high social standing, but he also gained strength through a powerful job. 

UNBALANCED GENDER ROLES

Hyacinth consistentally leverages the unbalanced gender roles through Ruth's apperance, and then later through her writing.

“Then, Ruth remembered how she used to wish she were beautiful,—not that she might be admired, but that she might be loved. But Ruth was “very plain,”—so her brother Hyacinth told her, and “awkward,” too” (Fern 2).

After Ruth’s husband Harry passes and she is contrived with grief this is his main concern.

“It is really quite dreadful to see her in this way. . .Somebody ought to tell her, when she comes to, that her hair is parted unevenly and needs brushing sadly” (Fern 62).

Hyacinth uses his privelge as editor to keep Ruth down as a writer.

"I have looked over the pieces you sent me, Ruth. It is very evident that writing never can be your forte; you have no talent that way" (Fern 137).

Hyacinth consistently uses the unbalanced gender roles against Ruth in order to keep her in lower position through his strength as her brother and then an editor. He constantly critiques her apperance and talent as a writer. He does all of this all while elevating himself into wealth and high societal standing. This representation of an ideal man leveraging the unbalanced gender roles only served to reinforce Victorian toxic masculinity.