The first of the contradictions Manley addresses appears in relation to the economics of an 18th-century woman. ... Forced to keep her marriage to the Count a secret because of his aversion to her "low degree", and unable to otherwise explain Roderigo's presence in her home every night, Violenta becomes, in the eyes of her neighbors, a rich man's whore, "a prey to shame and dishonesty". ... Despite having done everything according to the stipulations of how proper virtuous women should behave, Violenta is left destitute by her husband, for although he gives her 2...

• Word Count: 1986
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Graduate