Response to "The She-Wolf"

                                                                    

                                                                       Societal Outcasts

             Verga's and Tarchetti's leading ladies disagree sharply with the societal standards set for women during their times.  Pina and Fosca are both societal outcasts; Pina because of her undying desire and Fosca for her ugliness.  Despite the apparent grotesqueness that each of these women exude, in the context of their respective literary works, they hold an obvious power over the men.  However, while Fosca's power over Georgio stems from her helplessness, Pina's power over the men of the village, especially Nanni, is a result of her tendency to take what it is she wants.  This makes it unclear if each author's depiction of a powerful woman is a praise or a critique of the societal standards that the women are held to.
               While it seems unlikely that either author would write about the weakness of men, each of these texts can certainly be read that way.  In Tarchetti's Passion, Georgio is broken down by Fosca's manipulation of his pity.  Understanding her own ugliness, Fosca knows that "all women choose; [she] must be chosen" (99).  She must therefore make herself attractive by inviting pity.  Fosca alleviates her own weakness by exploiting Georgio's.  Verga's short story, "The She-Wolf" lacks compassion, but features this same selfishness.  Though described as being animal-like, Pina holds a certain sexual desire.  Where Fosca uses her weakness to exploit the weaknesses of men, Pina uses her strength to expose the weakness of men.  Both women strive for their goals selfishly, making each author's depiction of them a critique as opposed to a praise.  However, one mustn't ignore the more subtle critique of the men, who in each literary work, succumb too easily to the women's power over them.