Age Quote by Robertson Davies
“That was what stuck in the craws of all the good women of Deptford: Mrs Dempster had not been raped, as a decent woman would have been-no, she had yielded because a man wanted her. The subject was not one that could be freely discussed even among intimates, but it was understood without saying that if women began to yield for such reasons as that, marriage and society would not last long. Any man who spoke up for Mrs Dempster probably believed in Free Love. Certainly he associated sex with pleasure, and that put him in a class with filthy thinkers like Cece Athelstan.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Fifth Business, 1940
The passage critiques societal hypocrisy that forces women into sexual submission, warning that such yielding threatens marriage and social stability.
In simple terms: Women yielding to men for sex threatens societal stability.
Key Takeaway
Challenge oppressive norms.
Themes
gender
power
sexuality
social order
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- activism
- education
- policy reform
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
feminist theory
ethics
historical context
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies protect women's autonomy?
- What are the consequences of normalizing coercion?
A Different Perspective
Complex historical context may limit relevance today.
