Carolyn Sales's Representing Lavinia

Women have long been portrayed as less of a human than a man. Somehow, due to the differences in physical structure, women are seen as underneath the bar of humanity as well as being portrayed as weak, unintelligent, and naturally required to be fully devoted to their male counterpart and maternity. Women, for centuries, have been referred to as property and were only worth what they could give to a man, whether it be monetarily or sexually. In Representing Lavinia, Carolyn Sales discusses a legal case in the early 1600s that had to do with the ravishment of a young girl. Back then, it was said that a man could only be prosecuted for ravishment if his crime was “motivated by his intention to secure her property as his own.” (3) This shows that what was generally used to determine whether or not a rape could be condemned was whether or not the woman victim was actually “worth” something in terms of land or wealth. If the woman was not an heir nor had any properties or personally owned wealth, the rape was usually not condemned due to unknown intentions. Women whose most private and sacred piece of their spiritual, emotional, and physical humanity …show more content…
Speaking out about a situation such as this is necessary though. Without the voice of the victim, justice would never be served. Along with the silence desired by men, there is instances where they insist on her voice, but only under certain pretextes. “Sometimes patriarchal culture needs and wants female speech- of a certain kind under certain circumstances.” (1) It is generally the male figures of the woman’s family who beckon the victim’s voice and testimony so that they may avenge her. Yet, as much as it seems as they are avenging the victim, it is more seemingly so that they are avenging and restoring their own honor, or rather honor to the