This week, I chose to read Elizabeth Howe's article "The Arrival of the Actress". The part of the article that stood out to me the most was the discussion that there was a lot of confusion about exactly what solidified women's place on stage in the 17th century: "...while "A lack of suitable boys may have precipitated an abrupt change in actresses, but that does not explain why the change was considered desirable in the first place." It appears that women were pushed onto the stage both to follow the trend admired by the royal family in Spain, France and Italy, as well as to attract an audience to witness this previously taboo spectacle. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Exploring Howe's article highlighted the interactions between men and women as I read The Country Wife. Just as Howe's article made it seem like women were being used simply to imitate other countries and attract audiences, they are systematically objectified by men, but in reality, what's new? ? The objectification presents itself not only in a bawdy way, but also as a system of exchange between the men in the play: through the women, the men gain both relationships and dominance over other men. Power shifts as women remain passive, being used strategically to foster male allegiance or even incite fear. In Act I, Hoerner discusses Pinchwife's recent marriage to him. In the same scene, fearing that Hoerner will cuckold him if he comes into contact with his wife, Pinchwife does everything he can to dissuade Hoerner from Margery: "No, no, she has no beauty but her youth, of attraction than her modesty She is simple and housewife, that's all She is too clumsy, unloved and stupid to be brought into town At the mere mention of the woman in Pinchwife's life. capable of asserting dominance and instilling fear It's like he's playing with his food Conquering the woman may not even be as satisfying as pushing your husband into a corner and eating him. watching him squirm: “But was that your wife? She was extremely pretty. I was in love with her from that distance." Horner cleverly increases Pinchwife's paranoia while knowing that the majority of husbands believe him to be harmless in his impotence rumor. As does the uncertainty about the reasoning behind the staged women exist, so does where Hoerner gets the most pleasure. He doesn't just sleep with women, but he carefully chooses his use of women and words, putting himself across. for an outsider, to imply his own domination over women's husbands..