Introduction
“Moonlight” is a short story by Guy de Maupassant that presents insight into the author’s thoughts regarding marriage and love. Madame Henriette faced challenges in her marriage, which prompted her to seek a lover. The author uses the story to show the importance of emotional intelligence in a marital union, as it can help prevent the development of depression.
Women are at a disadvantage as they are more likely to be affected by a union without love. Society has placed varied expectations that limit their ability to express themselves. Stereotypes have been employed in literary texts to convey meaning and facilitate a reader’s understanding of the context. Female representation in stories reveals a need for a shift in how authors perceive women. In “Moonlight,” the author uses female stereotypes to depict the effects of unfaithfulness and the need for emotional intelligence to navigate a marriage successfully.
Unfaithfulness
The characters in the story are sisters who share a close bond. Madame Henriette feels the need to confide in her sister, a secret that indicates her unfaithfulness in her marriage. One instance where the author depicts unfaithfulness is when the two sisters meet, and Madame Roubere asks, “What has happened to you? What is the matter with you? Answer me’ (Maupassant 2). The quote reveals a level of concern regarding Henriette’s appearance.
The author follows up after the quote with an explanation of the secret. The writer employs irony to demonstrate that acquiring a lover did not fulfill the lady’s desires, as it actually worsened the situation. This is evident in using sorrow to describe Madame Henriette’s emotions when telling the secret. The situation faced by Henriette can be referred to as a moral dilemma.
People often face moral situations that require difficult decisions. Literature has shown the problematic balance between “principles, affections, judgments, decisions, and actions” that people face (Marco 145). The short story also presents a moral dilemma that explores the issue of infidelity in marriage.
Madame Henriette must decide whether to accept a loveless marriage or find a lover who can fill the void left by her husband. The writer puts the character in such a situation to expound the theme. The short story also seeks to show that each choice has consequences in the way the character reacts after being unfaithful. Therefore, desires of the heart and mind can lead to acts of unfaithfulness that may cause sorrow, anxiety, and panic.
Impact on the Individual
The behavior of Madame Henriette can be used to understand the impacts of unfaithful acts on an individual. The character of Henriette is used to depict the side of women who are in unhappy marriages. Anidita suggests that the portrayal of women in “Moonlight” is intended to illustrate the impact of marriage on women (2). The character admits there is no love in the union, but does not want to leave.
The depiction of marriage by the author also shows that during the setting of the story, patriarchy was dominant. This is due to how Madame Henrietta describes her husband as mature and sensible. The story also provides insight into the individual impacts on Madame Henriette—the need to visit her sister and discuss shows that the issue weighed heavily on her.
The unfaithful act also affected the character’s mood and emotions, which is an indicator of the author’s intended message. In creating the story, the author presents unfaithfulness as having a greater impact on the individual who committed the act. The moral lesson is that women should prioritize faithfulness and consider leaving a marriage rather than engaging in infidelity. The description of Henrietta’s character during the meeting with her sister also indicates the impact of infidelity on an individual. Qizi notes that characters in Maupassant’s work “inhabit a world of material desires and sensual appetites” that drive disappointment (124).
The author uses words like “sorrow” to convey the character’s emotional situation. This is crucial as it confirms that the character may have experienced depression due to the impact of the decision. To achieve the desired results, the author bases the representation of women on various female stereotypes.
Female Stereotypes
Stereotypes are essential in understanding people’s thought processes. Authors base some of their characters on pre-existing stereotypes in a literary text to develop the story. Syafarina indicates that the “negative representation of women is also implemented into the real world” (123).
“Moonlight” is a short story that adopts these stereotypes to depict the idea of marriage. The author represents women as being unable to control their sexual desires. This is evident in the description of the meeting with the young barrister, where the writer illustrates how easily the lady fell in love.
Another stereotype is that women have a different view of love that causes them to behave in a certain way. The author uses this idea to illustrate the differences between the two characters. Based on this understanding, the story creates a scene that prompts the reader to question their views on love. Maupassant uses irony to show that Madame Henriette was the victim of a lack of emotional intelligence, as Henriette was unable to make proper decisions.
The author also stereotypes women as people with unstable moods. This aspect is common in Maupassant’s stories (Qizi 123). The stereotypes may reveal the writer’s true views on women and indicate how society was structured during the period the novel was written.
The differences in how women and men are depicted also aim to provide insight into the moral issues that arise. The narrative form adopted has a direct connection to the narrative content, which enhances the moral understanding of the short story (Marco 146). Therefore, female stereotypes are essential in understanding the story as they show the moral dilemma the main character faces.
Impact on Meaning
As a result of employing various female stereotypes and moral dilemmas, the story can convey different meanings. The author depicts women as significantly affected by unhappy marriages, as society views marriage as being dominated by a man. This results in women lacking a voice, creating a situation where one partner is unhappy.
The story can also be used to understand the effects of cheating on an individual. The author succeeds in providing the reader with a perspective on a moral dilemma. Marco believes “good literature is successful in providing a perspective” (146). Based on the quote, a perspective allows the reader to link the form and the content.
The adoption of female stereotypes can impact the meaning for readers whose perspective differs due to their background. The story must be understood in the context of the period in which it was created and published, as societal norms differed in how women and men related. This requires readers to understand the various contexts that authors may use to represent specific ideas.
The representation of men also influences how readers conceptualize some of the ideas presented by the author. Authors can utilize various tools to effectively depict an issue, thereby enhancing the story’s plot. Therefore, through the representation of women and the moral dilemma, the author can shape the direction of the writing.
Conclusion
In summary, “Moonlight” is a short story that explores a moral dilemma stemming from a lack of emotional intelligence. The author employs female stereotypes to illustrate the consequences of infidelity and emphasize the importance of emotional intelligence in maintaining a successful marriage. Madame Henrietta is the character who helps the author develop the moral dilemma.
Women are stereotyped as being unable to control their desires, which affects the way readers interpret the meaning. This is essential as it shows that the author directly influences the perspectives a writer develops. The story provides insight into how women suffer in unhappy marriages without speaking.
Works Cited
Anidita, Widya Rahma. “Female Depression in Guy De Maupassant’s” Moonlight”.” Thematic Journal of English Criticism, vol. 3, no. 1, 2019, pp. 1-21.
de Maupassant, Guy. Moonlight. 1882.
Marco, Salvador Rubio. “Novels and Moral Knowledge: Henry James Evaluating Guy de Maupassant.” European Society for Aesthetics, vol. 13, 2021.
Qizi, Bekturdiyeva Guli Sodiqjon. “Description Of Human Emotions in Guy De Maupassant’s Works.” Devotees of Education, vol. 16, 2023, pp. 122-125.
Syafrina, Rany. “Feminine Stereotypes, Educating Women Through Literature: An Analysis of Guy de Maupassant Short Stories.” Jurnal Hawa: Studi Pengarus Utamaan Gender dan Anak, vol. 2, no. 2, 2020. Web.