The Cloven Foot · Question
How does The Cloven Foot develop the theme of Gender and Moral Agency?
Answer
The Cloven Foot by M. E. Braddon develops Gender and Moral Agency across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Female characters like Laura and La Chicot navigate limited options; Laura's purity is tested by her husband's deceit, while La Chicot's beauty and ambition lead her into a life of dissipation and moral compromise.
La Chicot asserts her independence and pride, yet is trapped by her marriage and societal expectations of women.
La Chicot grapples with her agency as a woman, weighing the societal expectations of an 'honest woman' against the temptation of financial independence and luxury offered by Lemuel.
Laura's agency in forgiving John and agreeing to the secret marriage reflects her moral strength within societal constraints.
Evidence in the book
- XIV: “You Have but to Say the Word”
La Chicot asserts her independence and pride, yet is trapped by her marriage and societal expectations of women.
- XVI: Shall It Be “Yes” or “No”?
La Chicot grapples with her agency as a woman, weighing the societal expectations of an 'honest woman' against the temptation of financial independence and luxury offered by Lemuel.
- XIX: “To a Deep Lawny Dell They Came”
Laura's agency in forgiving John and agreeing to the secret marriage reflects her moral strength within societal constraints.
