The Secret Woman- an alternative question

Judging by the discussion in class today, opions on "The Secret Woman" seemed to be across the board- especially as to whether the man feared more that his wife was having an affair or that she was an active participant in the opera ball's scandelous activities. But to me, there is a more interesting question to consider. Once the husband character discovers that his wife is readily indulging in the opera ball activity, he seems (to say the least) shoked by her behavior. As he observes her behavior, he is left wondering whether his wife, here at the party, is 'fessing up to the person she truly is, or is she disowning herself. If the first presumtion in true, then he must recongnize that he does not know his wife's true character, but if the second is correct maybe he will be able to rationalize that his wife is merely experimenting a new selfhood that she will not ultimately accept.

Comments

[CiCi F.]

It seems to me like the wife fits pretty well into this opera ball environment, which makes me think that this really is her true character or it's at least part of her character. I don't really see her as an experimenter-type, like she might reject this way of life soon. I think that's why her husband is so alarmed. He sees something in the woman he thought he knew--something he's never seen before. It's shocking to him that she's doing this, but I think it's more shocking to him that it's his wife doing it. Hmmm...that didn't really come out right, I don't really follow myself. How about this: her outrageous actions are news to him, but the front page is her secret character? secret woman maybe?

[lucianarez]

The woman reminds me of those women that you read about in stories where the wife is devout in her duties at home. She cooks, cleans, takes care of the kids...but then night falls and she becomes a completely different person. Racy and daring while away from her husband. A social butterfly wherever she goes. I get the feeling that the couple in the story is bored of their marriage. I hear it tends to happen after a few years of being with the same person, so maybe they're looking for some excitement outside of their marriage. Once the man finds out his wife is also looking for adventure, he reacts naturally be following her and trying to figure her out. He's a little jealous maybe?

[TrishK.]

Yea well we were talking in class about how some people thought that the man didnt even care that his wife was at this "orgy" party...as Bernie said...But I thought like the group who was presenting, that he felt so many emotions that he just didnt know how to react and all he could do was walk away from the situation. I liked this story a lot cause it really made me think...

[Camille Gebert]

This story was great. You could take many different positions on who's feeling what, and who's doing what, and with whom. Agreeing with Lucia, this story brings about the possibly very daring life of a bored woman seeking for excitement. I'm not sure what I think about the husband yet, but I'm sure that reading the story a couple more times might help. For some reason, while reading The Secret Woman, I pictured a real opera in which this short story was being acted out. I think that would be unique and interesting. Also, I'm surprised no one touched on the colors in the story. The woman wore purple, to represent superiority, as the man wore green, signifying jealousy and envy. I don't know, just a thought.

[StephL.]

I saw the man as being angry at the end of the story, but I still felt that he would not confront his wife. I thought the fact that his wife was almost a different person at the party made it harder for him to confront her because he wouldnt know who to confront. If he confronted the woman he knew, would it be helpful? He also might be embarassed that he was at the party too, when he said he wouldnt be. Maybe they both have divisional sides.

[Rachel M.]

I don't necessarily believe that the persona of the woman at the opera ball was her true self, or simply a natural experimentation. I think that, had the woman lived in a society less-cloistered for women, (which, I think we can assume, given the time period), she would not have found it necessary to behave in such a manner. In the way the husband describes her as dainty, and later satanic, and her sweet and innocent way of talking at the beginning, it seems to me as if the woman has been forced to live up to the idea of woman that her husband, and likely many men in society hold. After living in this persona, for so long, it is no wonder she feels a need to take such an extreme opposite persona.