6. The old woman tells Candide: “Imagine my situation, the daughter of a pope, only fifteen years old, who in the space of three months had been exposed to poverty and slavery, had been raped almost daily, had seen her mother torn to pieces, had endured war and famine, and was now dying of the plague in Algiers” (p. 29). What does this passage, and others like it, suggest about the reality of women’s lives during the Age of Reason?
This passage, and others like it, suggest that the reality of women’s lives during the Age of Reason was never respected. This time period was specifically known for mistreating women. Most males only believed that males should be shown respect and that they can just use the woman body as such toy that can be thrown away or given to the next person. The passage shows that women were being ran over. People at that time didn't care if they were hurting a woman because they were not at their height of importance.
I completely agree with your answer to this question. Women during this time were classified as only objects of pleasure, and there place was not at the same height of men but rather below, not to mention most served merely as servants and were often humiliated, and raped, in short they were powerless. The acts done in the 'Age of Reason' are everything but reasonable. I find it bizarre, the name of this age and the behavior of men. Perhaps they reasoned and advanced in areas of science, math, and philosophy, but they forgot about the importance of humanity--their rights, freedom, etc. Why should one pave the way in these areas and not focus on the well-being of 'us'?
ReplyDelete