Know how Quote by Honore de Balzac
“A married woman is a slave you must know how to seat upon a throne.”
About This Quote
A satirical observation that marriage can reduce a woman's autonomy, likening her to a slave who must be positioned to please a dominant male authority.
In simple terms: Marriage can imprison women.
Key Takeaway
Marriage may suppress female agency.
Themes
gender dynamics
satire
power imbalance
social critique
marriage institution
Mood
ironic
critical
cynical
Type
aphor
satire
social commentary
When to use this quote
- married couples
- historical gender debates
- feminist discussions
- literary analysis
- cultural critiques
Key Concepts
autonomy
patriarchy
symbolism
social roles
Practical Applications
- critical essays on gender
- educational curricula on social history
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view reflect its historical context?
- Can the metaphor be applied to modern relationships?
A Different Perspective
Some argue marriage can be a partnership of equals, not oppression.
![“In the forties [1940s] in Washington it was still unusual for a rich and socially well-connected married woman to work. If she did, her husband was assumed by his peers to be unable to support a household on his own and somehow to be inadequate.” quote by David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9ba/david-brinkley-25462_connected_in-the-forties-1940s-in-washington-it-wa_2386979.jpg)
![“[The married woman is] is a bonded slave, who takes her master's name, her master's bread, and serves her master's passion; [and] who passes through the ordeal of pregnancy and the throes of travail at his dictation.” quote by Voltairine de Cleyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c98/voltairine-de-cleyre-13597_bread_the-married-woman-is-is-a-bonded-slave-w_893588.jpg)
