How Is Curley's Wife A Mistreatment Of Women

The Dehumanisation and Mistreatment of Women in the 1930s as Reflected by the Characterisation of Curley’s Wife

It is the 1930s, an era of desolation and regression; there is a growing influx of antagonistic archetypes of women represented in media and an even stronger re-emergence of traditional gender roles in real life. John Steinbeck contributes to this phenomenon in his novella, Of Mice and Men. The author offers a range of diverse characters that rely on exaggerated and controversial caricatures of human nature. This is certain for one character who is known only in reference to her husband: Curley’s wife. Steinbeck implements a male-driven perspective that reflects the deeply misogynistic society that still permeates to this

Curley’s wife continuously expresses her distaste towards her husband’s shortcomings, in particular, Curley’s “bark and no bite attitude”. For instance, she says, “Sure I gotta husban’. You all seen him. Swell guy ain’t he? Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guy he don’t like, and he don’t like nobody. Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twicet, and then bring in the ol’ right cross?” (Steinbeck 38). This statement addresses her dissatisfaction with her inadequate marriage to Curley. Perhaps she is least fond of his perceived suaveness, the “possession” of her life, combined with his small stature, and ineptitude in physical strength. Not to mention, she married Curley not out of true love but for her own necessity of financial stability and domestic conformity. To conclude, Curley’s wife is a reflection of a time where she, similar to most women, settles with intolerable and borderline abusive husbands because they are inexplicably deprived of financial success

The features of the female experience at the time are the tragic fates of women, being the object of the male gaze, and being cruelly dehumanised by society. Curley’s Wife is a precursor to the infamous “femme fatale”, a testament to the men’s perceptions of her as a temptress, a troublesome wife, and a foil to the ranch. Steinbeck punishes her for verging on the line of flirting with other men and confessing her desires of freedom, financial stability, as well as her enjoyment in doing so while her husband isn’t around, essentially completing his misogynistic characterisation of Curley’s