# Gender and Power in Calvary

> Theme guide for Calvary by Octave Mirbeau.

Juliette's manipulation of the protagonist through her sexuality and emotional volatility exposes power dynamics in relationships, where women are both victims and agents of moral decay.

## Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/calvary_se/chapters/i): Mother's marriage described as a 'business transaction' and 'sacrifice'; she feels like 'a piece of dishonored flesh, a prey, an instrument of man’s pleasure,' highlighting her lack of agency.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/calvary_se/themes/gender_and_power
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/calvary_se/themes