Montesquieu's Critique of Society through Persian Letters
Download
Read an extract
Themes
Montesquieu, Persian Letters, Usbek, Rica, Roxane, feminist critique, 18th century society, women's rights, harem culture, jealousy, possessiveness, gender inequality, women's freedom, societal norms, European culture, Orientalism, women's submission, natural law, male dominance, patriarchal society, women's condition, eunuchs, slavery, love, cruelty, violence against women, polygamy, cultural comparison, social commentary, satire, women's roles, marriage, relationships, authority, power dynamics, Enlightenment, philosophical literature, French literature, historical context, social critique, women's voices, Roxane's letter, Rica's letter, Usbek's letter
Reader
Abstract
Extract
of 4
Abstract
Analysis of Montesquieu's Persian Letters, focusing on Usbek and Rica's perspectives on women's roles in society, highlighting the critique of societal norms and gender inequality.
Extract
[...] I find myself in this regard in a lack of sensitivity that leaves me no desires.' It is not about love, but rather possession. Usbek possesses several women. This possession leads to another sentiment: secret jealousy that devours him.' Even though women do not have the right to have multiple husbands, Usbek's multiple women suffer from his jealousy. Yet, jealousy should rather intervene in the other direction, but Usbek does not question the sentiment of his women regarding the plurality of Usbek's love. [...]
[...] It is a major question for our societies. The place given to half of the population makes sense when Usbek finally realizes what he has lost, having not taken care to love Roxane properly. The question of sex inequalities is very widely addressed in the Lettres Persanes. Usbek is a jealous and despotic husband, encouraged by his friend Rica who sees, in European society, that women have the same role as in Western society. He still questions the well-being of his women but does not act or position himself differently than all the men in the text. [...]
[...] This condition is also described in the letter XXI that Usbek writes to the first white eunuch. Reading of the letter XXI (from 'And who are you, wretched instruments that I can break at my whim,' to 'that of insects that I find under my feet.' In this excerpt, Usbek threatens the first white eunuch. Jealousy blinds him. Thus, while women suffer', Usbek does nothing to help them except to send a eunuch man to distract them and whom he is still jealous of. [...]
[...] The point of view of men is often approached in the Persian Letters. Fortunately, Roxane is the character who comes to make this unilateral and masculine gaze tip over. In letter CLVI, Roxane writes a letter to Usbek in which she complains about her life in the harem: Reading of letter CLVI. The cruelty of Usbek is seen through the eyes of Roxane: 'we have nothing left but tears free', Roxane writes. In this letter, Roxane threatens to kill herself to regain freedom. [...]
[...] The female condition is one of the subjects submitted to a wide questioning in the Persian Letters of Montesquieu. Usbek is a Persian from a noble family. He lives in France where he is an ambassador. His correspondence, particularly with Rica, is the subject of interesting reflections that lead readers to question societal issues not only very impactful for the time - the work is published in 1721 - but also in a cross perspective, between East and West. What place does the female condition take in the work of Montesquieu? [...]
