some thought about "The Ravage of Vice"

After reading “The Ravages of Vice”, I had some thoughts about the story that Lisis told. I am most impressed by the last scene that Don Donis killed all of people in his house. When he found that the servant Fernando left his wife’s bedroom at midnight, he immediately assumed that there was an adultery between his wife and the servant and killed them without doubt. It reveals two things. First, Don Donis had little faith in his wife. Actually, he did not see any scene that could truly prove the adultery. However, he was very certain that his wife betrayed him. It was because Don Donis disregarded and distrusted women before. He even claimed women as “false, treacherous, immoral, dishonorable”. So when he saw the servant was with his wife, the first thought he had was adultery.

Another thing I derive from this story is that men always tolerate their own betray but ask more for women’s loyal. Although Don Donis had betrayed his wife for four years， he did not consider himself as guilty. Instead, he thought that he was pursuing the true love, which was totally right. However, when he discovered the “adultery” between his wife and the servant, he was raged and gave the most harsh punishment to both of them. Don Donis’ sexual double standard implies that he had a great desire to control women’s bodies.