Analysis Of Merce Rodoreda In The Time Of The Doves

Merce Rodoreda in the Time of the Doves reveals the female submission prevalent in the 1930s Spanish culture through Natalia’s and Quimet’s relationship; Quimet’s possessive attitude, his verbal abuse and Natalia’s naiveté shows the man’s dominance and the woman’s lack of choice. The treatment that Natalia receives from Quimet is parallel to the treatment of the Spanish women in the 1930s. Throughout the novel the reader can see the dominance that Quimet has over Natalia and how normal it is in the Spanish culture for the women to have no choice or say in any matter.
Quimet’s attitude towards Natalia throughout their relationship enhances the man’s dominance in the Spanish culture. In the novel, Quimet, “delivered a long sermon about men and

And as a woman in general, Quimet’s mindset as well as men of the time, “You’ve got to like it, because that means it’s something you don’t understand” (22). This statement that he gives to Natalia is Quimet basically telling him that as a woman you must obey and like the same things as your husband because you are unable to understand something on your own. This quote helps to imply that women were unable to think for themselves and needed a man to do it for them. Quimet represents the mindset of the Spanish men in that era and how close minded they were to the idea that women were to be dependent on men. The jealously that Quimet has in this novel helps show the possessive attitude that most men of the era had. For example, Quimet doesn’t, “want [Natalia] working anymore for that boss. [Quimet knows] he’s after all the girls in the shop.” [Natalia] started trembling and told him not to

In many of the instances in the novel where Natalia seems alone and not knowing what to do when Quimet is not around, helps in showing the dependence and dominance of her husband. For example, Quimet, “said goodbye and [Natalia] was alone again [Natalia] looked at the sky and it was all black. And [Natalia didn’t] know… all together it was very mysterious…” (24). Natalia has grown dependent on Quimet mainly due to his dominance that he has on Natalia and on their relationship in general. In their entire relationship, Natalia has no say in almost everything in their relationship she has grown used to the fact that Natalia needs Quimet’s guidance or else she will be lost and not knowing what to do. This “thought” that Natalia has of believing that she will be lost without the guidance/dominance of her husband is the basic thought that most Spanish men of this era believed was true as well as a thought that most Spanish women had as well for the same reasons Natalia did. Throughout Natalia’s childhood she has to grow up without a mother figure and is left with only her father to care for her. Natalia throughout most of the novel is seen with a man, which is mainly her husband, which helps in portraying how strong the male dominance and female submission were in that era. Natalia