Hello everyone, hope you all enjoyed your break! 

Mercè Rodoreda’s book “The Time of the Doves” centers on the life of Natalia (a young woman), against the backdrop of Barcelona during and after the Spanish Civil War. It tells the story of the young woman who was originally engaged to Pere. Still, it also shows how her life changed when she accepted a man named Quimet’s invitation to dance at the Placa Del Diamant and was informed that she would marry him before the end of the year. In the hopes of having a better life, Natalia marries Quimet despite her family’s warnings about his character. Nevertheless, Quimet’s domineering behavior and his fixation with having kids quickly overwhelm their marriage and cause tension. In addition, when the Spanish Civil War started, Quimet joined the army, leaving Natalia to raise her two kids by herself. Quimet’s death, of course, put the already impoverished family in an even worse predicament, and Natalia and her kids reached a breaking point so much so that Natalia considered killing her kids and then taking her own life. Natalia’s life is turned upside down as the Civil War breaks out. She personally witnesses explosions and the death of loved ones, among other atrocities of war. While Quimet grows increasingly detached and focused on his own goals, Natalia fights to survive and defend her family throughout the battle. Natalia’s life does not go better after the war as she had anticipated. Instead, Quimet’s persistent infidelity and violent actions cause her to experience further suffering and destitution. Despite everything, Natalia was devastated by Quimet’s passing and grieved for him. This may illustrate the intricacy of love and the fact that we can love someone despite their hurting us. After that, Natalia meets Antoni, who seems to treat her much better, but she can’t help but think of Quimet. Even after her second marriage, Natalia’s love for Quimet would always remain complex.

A quote that stood out to me was “I wanted to free myself from him, and I felt my strength go out of me”. I felt like this was extremely powerful as it sends a message of how Natalia really felt. She is depicted as feeling helpless and exhausted in the face of her husband’s authority, which effectively captures the exhausting effect of her attempts to express independence. The intense resistance Natalia encounters in her pursuit of independence from an abusive relationship is symbolized by her evident desire for release and her sense of weakness. It portrays Natalia’s fight to escape her husband Quimet’s oppressive rule. Furthermore, it illustrates the depletion of an individual’s strength and agency caused by abusive relationships on an emotional and psychological level. The sensation of helplessness Natalia feels in the face of Quimet’s authority contrasts with her longing for freedom.

Question for the class:

Why do women find it hard to leave abusive relationships? And if a woman is involved in multiple abusive relationships…when does she have to take accountability for her choices of men?