On a superficial level these disenchantments appear to portray men in a kindly light, as people who have to deal with the betrayals that women inflict upon them. A more intense look at the stories proves that “it’s men who are the cause of women’s faults (114)”. These faults are often caused by the deceits and trickery that men use to get their own way.
In many ways deceit and trickery are the foundation of the disenchantments. Without them the women wouldn’t be forced into the positions they find themselves in when it comes to men and their intentions regarding love and marriage. The women who have experienced deceit and trickery (Isabel and Angeliana) are more likely to use the same methods in the future to get what they want.
The code of honor represented in the stories is a double edged sword. The women feel as though they are forced to live within its confines while the men act as though it doesn’t apply to them. This breach with the code leads to all the problems. If men acted as honorably as the women are expected to there would be no deceit and trickery in relationships.
In “Slave to Her Own Lover” Isabel is doing what she believes to be right. Society has influenced her reaction to her rape by Manuel. She is ashamed and believes that she has lost her honor. Society dictates that she is at fault and will lose her reputation and position if it becomes known. “The minute he becomes your husband the slip is mended (54)”. Isabel decided the course she follows in an attempt to save herself from shame. I think it would have been easier to let Manuel leave for Sicily. With her rape still a secret from the general population, she could have still married. Instead she deceives everyone, as Manuel deceived her, and ends up spending the rest of her life as a slave. She thinks this best represents her position in life— as a slave to what society dictates and believes. Isabel’s contradicting identities serve as a parallel to her relationship with Manuel. When she is a Christian Manuel is infatuated with her and won’t stop his pursuit. When she is a Muslim she is determined to be Manuel’s wife and won’t stop what she is doing. Isabel finds it easier to believe in herself and is more sure of her actions when she is pretending to be a Moorish slave.
I don’t think that this quotation excuses men from blame. Lisarda is trying to explain that women often help to cause their own misfortune whether they mean to or not. Men have such lowly opinions because women declare their intentions to do one thing but are willing to do another when they think they are going to get what they from the men. Rather than give into men with nothing but promises women should wait until they’ve gotten what the men promised. Octavia’s mess could have been avoided if she hadn’t listened to Carlos’s empty promises. I find it intriguing that she knew she wasn’t good enough for him, because she was poor, but she believed that it would all work out when he promised to marry her. Women shouldn’t go against what they know to be true where men are concerned on the basis of promises that have been made—promises are easy to break.
The supernatural element allowed Juan to escape the punishment that was meant for him attempting to seduce another man’s wife. It appears that he, the one intending to sin, is being saved while Roseleta, the virtuous one, is being punished. I think this element is relating that not all men who are punished are guilty of the crime, but not all guilty men are punished. Juan being saved by the hanged man increased the tension between Roseleta and Pedro. I think the inclusion of the supernatural was meant to save Roseleta and Juan from dishonor, but it didn’t accomplish it.
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