Susan Sonntag’s writing is correct but also wrong in A Woman’s Beauty: Put-Down or Power Source? She is right yet her perspective is dated, having written this article in 1975 for and audience of all women in vogue magazine. Sontag fails to recognize the current day reality of what level of responsibility men hold for women’s beauty and on what level women hold responsibility for one another’s beauty. She focuses on the perception of beauty in the classical Greek culture and in early Christian times. Sontag is correct in her writing when discussing society’s view on beauty.
It is not wrong for a woman to want to be beautiful but it is when it comes down to cultures expectations to be, as explained in the following quote; “It is not, of course, the desire to be beautiful that is wrong but the obligation to be- or to try” (238).
Instead, Sontag shows that the desire for women is to simply be confident. A woman is not considered beautiful as a whole but instead, they are taught to find minor flaws that detract from their beauty, and by extension, chip away at self-confidence. We in society do not consider a woman beautiful by the sum of her parts.
Instead, we focus on the make up of a woman by looking at individual parts (breasts, buttocks, eyes, etc. ).
This leads us to view a woman not as a whole but as a combination of parts. Therefore, we point to certain flaws, she may have a pretty face and well-fit body yet if she has a large scar on her face is takes away from her beauty. Sontag claims this in women but not necessarily in men. She states “In men, good looks is a whole, something taken in at a glance” (239).
The Essay on Analysis Of Centaur Abducting Woman With Fallen Lapith Man
Perhaps the most interesting period in Greek sculpture is the Classical period. During this glorious period of unbelievable craftsmanship, numerous pieces celebrated the Greek's infatuation with fable and war. The sculpture, nicely titled Centaur Abducting Lapith Woman and Fallen Lapith Man, is a wonderful symbol of the artistic period and image of war. Sculpted somewhere around 447-438 B. C. , ...
This is not correct. Men may have a nice face but does there body fulfill to impress, does their personality match up.
In men the personality needs to over power the looks. She also believes a woman’s life can be controlled by the need to be beautiful. This is correct. A woman who is more attractive in life is going to be apt to more opportunities given by the public. As Sontag sates here; “For a woman, can never be just a pleasure. It is also a duty. It is her work. If a woman does real work, even if she has clambered up to a leading position in politics, law, medicine, business, or whatever- she is always under pressure to confess that she still works at being attractive” (239).
The fight and pressure to be more beautiful to the woman standing next to you will always be a struggle. It shows how woman feel obligated to work at being beautiful along with every day work. Many women use beauty as a part of their life in order to succeed further. Sontag is correct and incorrect; from observations made by society the more beautiful women will most likely succeed faster the more average looking ones. Although society has changed in many ways since this article was published the fight and expectations for beauty have not, nor has a woman’s mentality to impress not only the other sex but also more importantly one another.
