Blake Boyd Essays - Gender, Gender Studies, Social Status

Blake Boyd Writing 2 Dr. Wetherbee Unit 2 paper Gender Studies response to "The Death of a Bachelor" by Arthur Schintzler Arthur Schnitzler writes an interesting short story over the lives of three men and their wives, as well as a colleague of theirs who leaves them impaired and questioning life after he depicts a certain act of adultery towards all three of them. An interesting point to be made-women in the story speak no words. Are women prizes to be conquered and or taken? Is this due to the masculinity in the males that suppress the females? No, I don't believe it is that simple. Masculinity is the possession of the qualities traditionally associated with men. What makes you think the why we don't hear from the wives in this story? First, what needs to be done is examining the story itself, and evaluating the theme and motives to understand their meaning. Prepare for a story with no happy ending. "The Death of a Bachelor" involves four men-the author, doctor, merchant, and the bachelor. Other characters include: the wives of the three men, Johann, and a maid for the bachelor. The story starts with a dark rainy night the doctor awakens to a knock on the door, and is informed that his old friend (the bachelor) is on his death bed. The doctor is overcoming with bitterness as he gets ready to leave, but not because of him upset with the death; He is upset with the fact that they are all around the same age (fifty-five) and beginning the downfall of what is known to be their life. Upon arriving at the old friend's house, two other gentlemen join the last moments of the friend's death. Each one arriving at a different time all find out that the bachelor has passed, "my master died a quarter of an hour ago, (401 Schnitzler)". The three men begin to question why it is that they were all asked to be here: each not believing that is was merely a coincidence to all be brought here, "it is very odd," began the merchant," that he has sent for all of us" (403). The three men pondered why they were all there, each stating their own reasoning behind the bachelor's motive. The doctor presumed that he could leave at any time because he was in fact a doctor, but still chose to stay. Eventually, "the doctor noticed that the middle drawer of the writing-table was half open" (405); but did not deduce that it was of any significance. The beginning of the story leaves room for thoughts to ponder, and a mystery that has yet to be solved, stay a while longer to unveil the grand scheme that is the bachelor's. As the story continues, the three men begin to make funeral arrangements for the bachelor. The three men ask the servant if he has any clue to the reason behind their summoning, the servant replies with, "pulled a swollen-looking wallet from his jacket-pocket, took out a sheet of paper, and explained that seven years ago, his master had written down the names of friends whom he wanted sent for when he was dying (405). At this moment, the doctor then catches the words to my friends written on an envelope that stared at him through the opening of the drawer. Excitement filled the room as they finally found a legitimate reason for being there. The doctor begins to read the note, and in the beginning, they might have had a sentimental attachment to it. The bachelor in his letter speaks of admiration in all of them, and theirs in him all in their own way. The tone of the letter begins to morph into a confusing tone as the bachelor begins to say, "perhaps it arose from a deep and not essen tially ignoble desire not to leave the world with so many lies upon my soul (407)." It is then that everybody begins to wonder what might have he lied about. The letter goes on and eventually the ball drops, and the bachelor explains the reason that he has called them all there is to tell them that simply he slept with all their