Like for like Quotes on Virginity Flashcards
Tess
“Why didn’t you tell me there was danger? Why didn’t you warn me? Ladies know what to guard against, because they read novels that tell them these tricks; but i never had the chance of discovering in that way; and you did not help me!”
In this quote Tess is expressing her frustration and anger towards Alec d’Urberville for taking advantage of her naivety and innocence. She is blaming him for not warning her about the potential dangers of their situation and accuses him of being manipulative. This quote highlights the idea that women are often expected to be responsible for protecting their own virginity, but in reality, they are often taken advantage of by men who are more experienced and knowledgeable.
Tess
“For years he had sworn that Tess was an unapproachable divinity to him, and had laughed at the idea of Tess falling in live with any man alive. But he knew, in his secret heart, that a barrier was not insurmountable. A proof of it lay in his own emotions. What was now the engrossing topic of debate with him?”
In this quote, Angel Clare is reflecting on his own feelings towards Tess and the concept of virginity. He has always seen her as an unattainable ideal, but he is now realising that he is in live with her and that his desire for her is stronger than his respect for her virginity. This quote illustrates the idea that even men who claim to value a woman’s virginity can ultimately be swayed by their own desires.
ATSS
“her father used to say that a woman’s virtue is like a silk dress: the slightest stain will ruin it. But the stains were already there. Mariam knew that. What she didn’t know was how to get rid of them”.
In this quote, Mariam is reflecting on her own virginity and the expectations placed on women in her culture. She has already experienced sexual abuse from her stepfather, and she feels as though her virginity has already been stained. She is struggling to reconcile her own experiences with the traditional view of virginity as a woman’s most valuable asset.
ATSS
“Rasheed, of course, didn’t share her disappointment. On the contrary, Mariam saw that he was pleased with her. He had been inspecting her bed sheet every morning, searching for bloodstains. Now he was content, and Mariam had the sense that he was congratulating himself on his foresight”
In this quote, Mariam has just married Rasheed, and she is disappointed that she did not bleed on their wedding night, which is traditionally seen as a sign of virginity. However, Rasheed is pleased with her and sees her lack of bleeding as proof that she is not “spoiled”. This quote highlights the idea that virginity is often viewed as a symbol of a woman’s worth and purity in many cultures, and the absence of it can have negative consequences for women.
Tess
“There was an inflexibility in her which, fortunately for herself, for her husband indeed, she had never been able to wear down. It was the feature in her character which had enabled her to hold out against the man who had wanted to make a toy and a convenience of her”
In this quote, the narrator is describing Tess’s character and how her inflexibility has helped her resist the advances of men who only see her as an object. Tess’s refusal to compromise her own values and beliefs is a strength, but it also highlights the oppressive societal expectations placed on women to protect their own virginity at all costs.
Tess
“Poor Tess, who had already suffered so much, suffered now a pang of more complex origin. Her lip lifted slightly, and she pressed her two hands together till they hurt her. Then, like the animal she was, she yielded herself to her own sensations and began to cry”
In this quote, Tess has just been raped by Alec d’Urberville, and she is feeling a mix of emotions, including shame, guilt, and anger. Her physical reaction of crying is also significant, as it highlights the animalistic nature of sexual violence and the way it can dehumanise and traumatise victims.
ATSS
“In the end, Laila was forced to accept that this was what she had become, a woman who owned nothing, whose life was somehow worth less than her unborn child’s, a woman who had no claim to the city, no claim to the lives left behind, who had to beg for shelter and food from a man she hardly knew”
In this quote, Laila is reflecting on her own circumstances and the ways in which her value as a woman is tied to her virginity. She has become pregnant out of wedlock, which has resulted in her being ostracised from her community and forced to rely on the mercy of a man she hardly knows. This quote highlights the way in which women’s worth is often tied to their sexual purity, and the consequences of failing to uphold this ideal.
ATSS
“Mariam was relieved to see that there was still some feeling left inside her, some flicker of revulsion at this man lying naked beside her. She wished it wasn’t so, but there it was. It amazed her sometimes that she could still blush”
In this quote, Mariam is reflecting on her own experiences with Rasheed, her abusive husband. Despite being forced to have sex with him, she still feels revulsion towards him and wished she could feel differently. This quote highlights the way that women’s agency and bodily autonomy can be undermined by societal expectations surrounding virginity and sexual purity, as well as the lasting effects of trauma and abuse.
