Gender Discrimination In Cunegonde

Words: 1240
Pages: 5

Whether I was writing this paper in the twenty-first century or before the Common Era, the same sexist concepts would still hold truth. Despite the two thousand year old advancement, women are still frequently considered less than men and their role in society or the state is continuously thought of as less than notable. Although women have done the magnificent favor of bearing the inhabitants of the society who continuously dismisses them, their full credit will never be acknowledged. Today, it seems as if we live in a more equal society than the one during the ancient Greek world, but looks can most certainly be deceiving. Doubtless, the gap in gender discrimination has closed, but by just how much? As a woman in this very social structure, …show more content…
Both females show that “having faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains.” In contrast, that being a famous quotation from a gospel in the Bible, it was actually religion that seemed to have a major impact in the burdened lives of Cunegonde and Nawal. Cunegonde, whose character is only there to support Candide and his elongated quest for a “better world”, knew firsthand the evils of man, even those who considered themselves religious leaders. Although Cunegonde is only reconnected with her lover Candide for small periods of time, his character would not have fully developed without hers; Cunegonde was the reason behind a number of activities that Candide encountered. Throughout the novella, not only is Cunegonde subjected to sexual assaults but the three other main women we meet as well. For three days of the week including the Sabbath, Cunegonde was the property of the Jew and for the remaining four she belonged to the Grand Inquisitor. Her voice was essentially muted when it came to divvying up her body, leaving her with no possible way of escaping the repetitive weeks of suffering. Yet, once Candide finds out about the horrible arrangement he kills both of her abusers, lives that would not have been taken if he didn’t deeply love