Weyward

Weyward contains so many incidents of domestic abuse that it becomes a recurring motif, resonating with the theme of Gendered Oppression and Power Struggles Under Patriarchy. As previously mentioned, male dominance is perpetuated by instilling fear into a targeted woman. While Altha and her mother are relatively free of domestic violence, Grace is not. Her husband forces her to have sex frequently for the sole purpose of giving him a male heir. When she miscarries, he beats her. After churchgoers notice the marks on Grace’s face, her husband is careful to inflict injuries that will be hidden by clothing.

Violet’s story includes physical violence, sexual violence, and emotional abuse. When Lizzie ceases to be useful to Rupert, he locks her in her chamber. When she protests, she is diagnosed with hysteria, and a doctor is called to perform a hysterectomy. This is forced sterilization, a form of reproductive abuse. Complications from this surgery end up killing Lizzie, creating a physical manifestation of domestic abuse trauma.

Rupert then transfers his malice to the daughter, who looks exactly like her mother. Violet is confined to her home, denied an education, and repeatedly corrected for her wild temperament, which also echoes her mother’s.