The Not So Domestic Goddess

Take a Deep Breath . . .

Jane Anger's Protection, is a strong piece that I found to be so over done there were times I thought it to be a satire. I know Anger is advocating female sexual autonomy and criticizing men for their deceptions but I felt it was rather harsh. Perhaps this was written after a bad relationship and Anger was emotionally charged while writing the piece. I cannot agree with the binary she presents; man bad/woman good: "We are contrary to men because they are contrary to that which is good." Bad and good can be found in both men and women, men do not hold a patent on bad behaviour.

Anger argues that men have ulterior motives if they flatter a woman or court her: "Their fawning is but flattery; their faith, falsehood; their fair words, allurements to destruction; and their large promises, tokens of death or of evils worse than death. Their singing is a bait to catch us; and their playings, plagues to torment us." She takes this criticism one step further and attrributes "three accidents to men, which of all are most inseparable: Lust, Deceit, and malice." At this point I'm wondering what horrible thing was done to this woman. The name, Anger, if this is indeed her name, suits her perfectly.

This piece is so emotionally charged with anger that I had to stop in the middle of my reading to take a deep breath and try to look at this for what it is, a piece of writing that clearly indicates the frustration felt by women looking for respect and sexual autonomy.

posted by Lucy @ 7:24 AM