Veronica vs. The Wives

Venice is at war. The wives are anxious to know if their husbands are still alive. They reluctantly call on Veronica because the men correspond with her. Tense meeting!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Dangerous
• Beauty
• Catherine
• McCormack.

[JackieP17402]

Its called "Dangerous Beauty."

[JANEBETO]

how humiliating, having to ask another women for your husband!

[JackieP17402]

It is. Women in those days were told pleasure was a sin Intercourse is for producing children and the duty of a wife. Sad.

[blackiemittens]

"He's alive."

Her victory's complete in this scene. Dismissed, and shunned she didn't have to tell Julia her husband would come home. But. . . she got a kick out of letting

the wife know he was in touch with HER!

--if that's the phrase!

[MysticalJaguar]

I love how this scene demonstrates how truly sheltered the wives were back then...

"I know we own it... but where exactly IS Cypress?"

[missdbd]

Guila: "che lo abbiate saputo dire in latino non lo ha reso meno osceno"..

Veronica:" che vi siate date in matrimonio, non significa sappiate amare".....

Grandissima veronica

[Gabrielaheart1]

in those days a man of wealth would marry a woman of wealth and position. the woman was chosen by the king or by the father. to obtain more power and retain it you must obtain more power and gain more. the man did not have a say or the woman had a say who they marry their weddings where arrange.

[RhiannonULlewelyn]

@bistokidsfan Actually that is true about this movie, it does omit a huge part of her life that was not fluffy at all. Thats why the movie bugs me though I do like it. Like having 6 kids, 3 surviving. She faught for womens rights, set up houses for destitute women and in fact set her will to support those who could not afford dowries so that they might marry better then otherwise. Indeed she never promoted her profession but stated that it did not lessen her as a thinking woman.

[bistokidsfan]

@RhiannonULlewelyn I have read an English translation of a letter Veronica wrote to a mother thinking about turning her daughter into a courtesan. Veronica basically tells her that it's not all sunshine and roses. And before you start telling me that this movies portrays that other side of this profession I will tell you that it glosses it over in my eyes. I know the point of this scene, it's just that I believe that it is contrary to how the real Veronica would have acted.

[RhiannonULlewelyn]

@bistokidsfan The point of the scene is the power of knowledge. The power of sex and the use of the brain. Not just spouting what is safe and acceptable. Veronica was strategic, never stupid.

[RhiannonULlewelyn]

@bistokidsfan Veronica Franco was a renowned writer and poet in Venice, there is a very powerful book compiled of her work, her views and her personality. Check it out. As women we have always been expendable. In whatever we do. As wives or sex workers.

"The Honest Courtesan" By: Margaret F. Rosenthal

[bistokidsfan]

Also, noble Venetian wives may have not been allowed to do much but they did have some influence. They bore the family's children even if they did not raise them (servants did) and they were the ones who ran the household, keeping things afloat so that the husbands could be free to screw around (literally). They also fulfilled the role of the virtuous matron which was important in Venetian society. They provided the men with a sort of maternal relief while the whores were for sex. and fun.

[bistokidsfan]

Remember, what is generally known about courtesans comes from accounts written by men who had an obvious bias since they were the ones who benifitted from the sex trade. Men had the cash and a courtesan's wealth and opulence depended on pleasing him so he could get paid. Now some of them may have enjoyed their work but I can imagine that for most it mush have sucked ass (perhaps literally in some cases). Also these accounts may have been interpreted wit a feminist bias.

[bistokidsfan]

The only reason courtesans were educated was because they had to be great entertainers and provide interesting conversation. If Venetian society truly respected the courtesans they would have let the noble women have an education and sexual freedom, but they didn't. Why? Because courtesans were fancy sex toys and wives were baby-making machines. Courtesans may have had influence in the arts and sometimes in politics but more often than not they were exploited.

[bistokidsfan]

That is is why this scene bothers me. The real Veronica would never have been so lewd. She would have sympathised with these wives and told them how fortunate they actually were in some cases. This movie glosses over all the icky aspects of being a courtesan. The only reason they made so much money was because they had to kiss up to men and give them everything they wanted at the expense of their body and soul.