# Gender and Power in Là-Bas

> Theme guide for Là-Bas by J.-K. Huysmans.

Female characters like Madame Chantelouve and Jeanne d'Arc are depicted in complex roles of power and victimhood, with the novel examining female sexuality, manipulation, and the constraints of marriage and societal expectations.

## Where it surfaces

- [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/l_bas_se/chapters/vii): Mme Chantelouve's dual personality—reserved society woman vs. passionate letter-writer—highlights the constraints and covert agency of women in her social position.
- [The Visit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/l_bas_se/chapters/x): The power struggle between Durtal and Madame Chantelouve is central: he attempts to dominate physically, but she resists and controls the terms of their relationship.

## Links

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