A Woman

In Sibilla Aleramo’s A Woman, the author narrates her brutal coming-of-age and her exploration of feminist ideas. Eventually experiencing the devotion and happiness caused by maternity, she is forced to leave her son to escape her controlling and abusive husband. She conquers depression and shame to provide her son with an image of a strong, independent woman. The paradox in A Woman exists in that the author ‘s desire to embody feminism is instilled by her father, an anti-feminist, overbearing husband. Her father exerts dominating control over her mother, governing her actions, yet neglecting her emotions. He even robs her of religion, when “at (his) insistence, she no longer went to church and so gave sanctimonious women cause for gossip” (19). He publicly degrades her in this instance but, also, privately shames her as she checks her reflection, declaring, “’Must I conclude, then, that you are nothing but a flirt?’” (18).  His mistreatment of the author’s mother is so blatant, that the young author even notices, “Perhaps my father didn’t love my mother as much as he did me” (18). Later in the novel, it is discovered that the mother contemplates leaving the father. Yet, without women’s rights, she is unable to have custody of her children, and she remains in the marriage. He is against the independence and empowerment of women, as shown in his treatment of his wife. However, he instills in the author a love of freedom and self-sustainability and a sense of equality with men. She possesses a tremendous love for her father, and he promotes her “beautiful, carefree adolescence!” (14). He instills in her a love of life and knowledge and with him “the future seem(s) filled with promises and adventure” (4).  He doesn’t quell her ambition. Rather, he supports her goals and augments her self-confidence. He gives her a job at his factory and “begin(s) to take (her) into his confidence. (She) seem(s) to have grown in years and in importance” (13). He gives her a sense of empowerment, providing her with a job at a very young age, and a sense of equality, asking for her advice. The author begins to view herself with the rights of a man, even cutting her hair “short at the back, making (her) look like a young boy – at (her) father’s suggestion. . . (She) thought of (her)self as a conscientious worker, and drew confidence from the importance of (her) job” (15-16). Her father encourages her to be hardworking and self-assured. He instills in her the foundation for a future desire to lead a feminist movement. Though she is initially shocked by the anti-feminism of her husband and of the world, her childhood years, centered around her relationship with her father, give her the strength to once again be a self-empowered woman who can make her own decisions.