The Power of Sexuality in Bel Ami - 1692 Words

The can-can, cabaret and prostitution dominated Paris in La Belle Epoque. Sex was a commerce, an escape, and a way of life. Its prominence in Parisian culture made sexuality synonymous with power and a tool for obtaining it. The combination of beauty and assertiveness could get you places that hard, honest work simply could not. Both men and women took advantage of this lustful commodityÂâ€"prostitutes and mistresses were seen as status symbols, while flirtatious femme fatales had their way with the rich and successful. But love, illustrated in Guy de Maupassants Bel-Ami, was far from romantic. It was a well-planned out ritual, full of lies, deceit and infidelity. However, the power of sexuality in La Belle Epoque does not stray far from†¦show more content†¦Maupassant informs the reader of Duroys lack of conscience, while at the same time is careful not to criticize his behavior. The power of sexuality and the act of using others to get what one wants is portrayed as only natural. So, naturally, the women of Bel-Ami are also culprits in this web of selfishness. Duroy sees females as fish to catch (Maupassant 25)Ââ€"but is he the fisherman or is he the fish? The term feminism, as it is described today, did not exist n La Belle Epoque. Prostitution was not seen as degradingÂâ€"in fact, women using their sexuality to get what they wanted could be viewed as a feminist act. In Bel-Ami, Duroy uses both Rachel and Madame de Marelle, but at the same time they are using him as well. Rachel makes a living by selling her body, so to her, he is just another paying customerÂâ€"there is no romantic involvement or emotional attatchment. If it wasnt Duroy, it would be someone else. He is using her for sex, but she is in turn using him for money. Then there is Clotilde, who uses her power of flirtation and sexuality not for money but to fulfill her own lustful desires. She is married to an older man and finds her secret relationship with Duroy to be different and exciting. Clotilde loves going out to seedy places with DuroyÂâ€"places that she could never set foot in with her husband. Duroy takes her to a small cafà © whereShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Humiliation In Tartuffe1494 Words   |  6 PagesEnlightenment in Europe, when questions were raised about the role and authority of the Church. Cleante, the voice of reason, represents the true meaning of religion, while Tartuffe symbolizes the Catholic Church, which had been using its authority and power for monetary gains. This play humiliated the Church, who threatened excommunication to those associated with it. While humiliation is present within the text itself, it also manifested into external humiliation to those who read the play-- a social