# Gender and Moral Agency in The Cloven Foot

> Theme guide for The Cloven Foot by M. E. Braddon.

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.

## Where it surfaces

- [XIV: “You Have but to Say the Word”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/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”?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/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”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/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.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/themes/gender_and_moral_agency
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/themes