Gender Roles and Power

Women like Olivia and Sabine navigate a world where their value is tied to marriage, beauty, and obedience, yet they subtly resist or subvert male authority, while figures like Aunt Cassie wield power through manipulation and moral judgment.

Olivia fulfills a dutiful, passive role while Savina's boldness and extravagance challenge traditional feminine ideals.

The chapter explores how women like Aunt Cassie wield power through manipulation and feigned frailty, while Olivia is denied the fulfillment of motherhood.

Olivia's quiet authority contrasts with Aunt Cassie's hysterical bid for matriarchal control, revealing the struggle for power among women in a patriarchal family.

The chapter examines the limited power Olivia holds within her marriage and the Pentland family, emphasizing the gender dynamics of the era.