Palomares, Camille Kate S.

Section D, 0900-1030, G207

Mrs. Rachelle T. Cayog

Gender Equality in a Patriarchal Society

For most liberated, modernized cultures, gender equality is a right

established long ago as a product of several movements that fought for it. In our
present society, many women have succeeded in breaking free from the
traditional domestication of women and are now seen as equals with their male
counterpart, if not greater. However, the fact remains that it is not the same case
for everyone, as there are still women who are locked within the confines of
being a housewife not because it is their choice, but because it is their
obligation. The ambiguity of gender equality itself is explored in Marra
PL. Lanots poem entitled Wife as it exposes the womans inferiority
in a patriarchal, male dominated, society.

It is stated in the first stanza of the poem that starting childhood, a woman
in a patriarchal society is considered as inferior. To have no horns, no wings, and
no tail (3-4) denotes her vulnerability and dependence both as a child and a girl,
already implying her subordination. This status is intensified as she is
surrounded by [her] fishbowl silence (2), a strong metaphor considering how a
fishbowl allows people to see its content but nothing can be heard from it. As the
poem claims how she is unnoticed, while adults talked at mealtime (6-7)
implies that while she is present in the discussion of family matters over meals,
her opinions are disregarded and considered irrelevant, rendering her voiceless.
It seems to say that an adults (or parents in this case) words are irrevocable
and should never be challenged by children, even more so by a girl.

Aside from that, the poem asserts that she did not ask what worth she
had - who am it or what is I. (8-10) Again, this shows how women are
subjugated in a patriarchal society by showing a disregard in her worth as a
person. It seems to say that a woman is to just accept everything that is
predestined for her, as what is dictated by societal norms, and to never question
the real purpose of her existence. This, in turn, inhibits a woman from exploring
and knowing more about herself: her strengths and weaknesses, talents,
interests, potential, and capabilities. Because of this, coupled with the restriction
from voicing out her opinions, she is forced to go back to the confines of her own
room and find refuge in this solitude as she is likened to a bubble that burst
behind closed doors, never meddling with guests and other affairs that society
deemed as something that does not concern her in any away.

However, in the second stanza, this same woman who experienced this
inferiority is now trying to find her worth as a person. This is related to the
metaphor, she is an actress in search of a script, (16-17) demanding that she
be recognized in this patriarchal society that she lives in. She knows she can
succeed, but because she was inhibited from knowing her potential and skills as
a person during her childhood days, she is tied to the role of being a housewife.
This is shown in the lines sometimes she freaks out, tired of her horns, wings,
tail; tired of bowing, smiling for no one. (18-22) In a sense, she has limited
herself to this role as she was inhibited of knowing her potential of succeeding in
other areas. Subsequently, it makes her significantly unremarkable with her
profession as the guests come and do not wonder who she is or is she an it.
(23-24)

From here it can be seen that even as a woman grows up and assumes the
responsibility of a wife, she remains unnoticed by society even if she is doing
what is supposed to be a significant role. This is shown in the poem because of
how she is compared to a doormat, an empty chair, [and] a wallflower. (25-26)
Nothing has changed from her childhood; in fact, it only got worse for her. Even
as a wife, she is still regarded as the bubble that burst behind closed doors, her
opinions still disregarded and never meddling with guests and other affairs that
do not concern her. Ultimately, with the lack of any other option, she retreats
back to the confines of her room, seeking solitude.

The persona seems to be a mere observer, describing the dramatic

situation of this girl who grows up from being a girl to being a wife in a male-
dominated society. But this observation by the persona poses a disturbing
question as to why the woman just merely accepts the status quo. As she grew
up, she had wings to soar and explore more of herself, she had horns to defend
herself had anyone tried to hurt her, and she had a tail that was not meant to
hide between her legs in sign of defeat. She could have fought for herself and
her freedom to succeed in areas that would make her happy, but she chose to tie
herself down to this limit set by the society upon her.

This just reflects how some women still choose to tolerate this sexism and
continue to retreat into their room and keep silent about it. This is still rampant
in several cultures and aspects of the society we live in, despite having the
movement for gender equality won decades ago. This might be the case because
society has different expectations of people based on sexual differences, and
culture plays an important key for it. The poem does not in any way incite any
movement to effectively stop this - it merely presents the tragic reality of a
womans inferiority to her male counterpart in a patriarchal society that is still
prevalent and this is where the ambiguity of gender equality lies.
Works Cited
Solmerano, Ernesto Thaddeus M. Wife by Marra PL. Lanot. 15 Jun 2007. 27 Jun
2015 <http://patientnumber23.proboards.com/thread/59/wife-marra-pl-lanot>.