August Wilson Fences Women

Upon reading the chapter from Junger’s book, I was drawn to the status of women in the Western and Native American cultures. The rights women had in the Native American culture are similar to the rights men have in today’s culture: the right to marry who they want, divorce, and the right to sexual limitation. In August Wilson’s Fences, Rose Maxson are faced with the challenge of forgetting and forgiving the wrongdoing of her husband, Troy. As a result of the western cultural beliefs, Troy felt like because he was the man of the house and the provider, he had the right to step out on his wife and she should deal with it. The mentality that men have the right to have sex and engage in a relationship with anyone they want and women should just deal with it has become a crutch for men. Troy uses that as an excuse to validate having an affair on his wife, but when the universe catches up to him and he produces a love child, Troy is forced to confess to Rose.

When Troy finally confesses to Rose what did, Rose and Troy have a scene where Rose is rewarded a powerful monologue that challenges western beliefs. In her monologue, Rose talks about the feelings and impulses she had to cheat, but she didn’t because she accepted her role as Troy’s wife. At one point Rose tells Troy that she knew he wasn’t the “finest man in the world,” but wherever he was going, she wanted to go with him. That line is a parallel to Voltaire’s Candide. After Candide completes his journey and he returns to find that Cunegonde is no longer the beautiful woman he left at home, Candide sucks up his pride and keeps his promise of love to Cunegonde. Yes, Candide settled to a simple life and his physical attraction to Cunegonde deteriorated, but he made a decision to accept Cunegonde for who she became; much like Rose did Troy. Despite his faults, Rose continued to love and respect Troy until he