An Analyisis of "The Widow of Ephesus" by Petronius

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“True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about and few have seen,” Francois de la Rochefoucauld once said. As part of his novel Satyricon, the short story “The Widow of Ephesus” was written by Petronius. The story revolves around a woman who is so devoted to her husband that she has become famous for her fidelity. So famous in fact that women from neighboring villages and towns come just to see her. One day, her husband dies and she becomes known as the widow of Ephesus, mourning all day and night in his tomb. When assigned to guard the bodies of three crucified thieves, he hears loud moaning and is led to the widow whom he manages persuade to live and gains her love (DiYanni 45). This story seems romantic at first. However, in between the lines are some negative traits: misogyny, vulgarity, and betrayal.
One negative aspect of this short story is that it is misogynistic. The story puts women in a very bad spotlight by depicting that they are dramatic and ridiculous. “Although her extremes of grief she was clearly courting death from starvation, her parents were utterly unable to persuade her to leave, and even the magistrates, after one last supreme attempt, were rebuffed and driven away” (DiYanni 44). This shows that even the attempts of the magistrates, who are similar to modern-day cops, could not get the widow to leave the tomb of her husband. “The Widow of Ephesus” also makes women seem cheap, like their love can simply be bought. “The soldier repeated his arguments and pressed her to take some food,” which her maid takes (DiYanni 45). This leads to her helping the soldier in persuasion and ultimately, he instant love connection between him and the widow.
This story is also very vulgar due to the actions...

... middle of paper ...

...kes women seem melodramatic and easily bought. Vulgarity is seen in the widow’s actions. She and the soldier sleeps in her husband’s tomb and she is quick to hang her husband to ensure her lover’s safety. Lastly, betrayal is apparent. The widow’s devoted maid breaks their hunger strike and accepts the soldier’s food. Then, the wife’s fidelity to her husband is compromised when she and the soldier sleep together. Though at first it seems that the widow was truly in love with her husband, it may have just been another one of Rochefoucauld’s ghosts.

Works Cited

DiYanni, Robert. Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 2nd ed. Boston:
McGraw Hill, 2008. Print.
Lateiner, Donald. “Gendered and Gendering Insults and Compliments in the Latin Novels.”
EuGeStA. 2013. Web. 13 February 2014.
“True Love Quotes.” Brainy Quotes. n.d. Web. 14 February 2014.

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