《独白》 Author: [France] Simone de Beauvoir Publisher: Shanghai Translation Publishing House

* "Her way of retaliation is monologue"

* Career women, single mothers, full-time housewives, betrayed women—

* Simone de Beauvoir's collection of short stories, writing about women in crisis

“The Woman Destroyed” is a collection of short stories published by Beauvoir in 1967. Among the various categories of her writings—essays, novels, autobiographies, and letters—that Beauvoir published, this collection belongs to her later works.

The three short stories in the collection all feature female protagonists, serving as personal testimonies from three types of women in modern society. Among them, "The Age of Discretion" tells of a middle-aged career woman's dissatisfaction and anxiety about herself, her husband, and her son's marriage and career prospects; "The Monologue" is entirely the rambling of a single mother, beneath her neurotic words lies the poignant grief over her young daughter's suicide; "The Woman Destroyed" portrays, in diary form, the emotional journey of a housewife dealing with her husband's extramarital affair.

Beauvoir depicts three women in crisis: one who prides herself on being a good mother and tries to control everything; one who is full of resentment and worry about her family and children; and one who is abandoned by her husband and feels at a loss. The collection of short stories has significant sociological importance, reflecting Beauvoir's view on the fate and living conditions of women. "The woman destroyed is a victim of the life she chose; her dependence on family has cost her everything..." "Her way of retaliation is monologue."

★ Feminist themed books, a model of fictional writing centered on women in crisis.

The three short stories in "The Woman Destroyed" each depict a woman in crisis: "The Age of Discretion" portrays the anxiety and exhaustion of a career woman, her fear of stagnation and aging, her worries about her adult son and attempts to control his life, and her anger and estrangement from her husband; "The Monologue" is the rambling and cursing of a single mother, railing against her ex-husband and mother-in-law, talking about her son, daughter, and her own mother, and her daughter's suicide in the midst of it all drives her to mad hatred; "The Woman Destroyed" is about a woman who is deeply attached to her husband, children, and family, but whose husband has an affair after twenty years of marriage.

★ Strong sense of immediacy.

The narrative styles of the three stories in "The Woman Destroyed" differ: "The Age of Discretion" is a first-person narrative; "The Monologue" is particularly unique, a first-person monologue with continuous text and almost no punctuation, vividly portraying a "madwoman"; "The Woman Destroyed" is in diary form, like a betrayed wife revisiting each day of the past, trying to find the source of the change. The writing styles of the three pieces create a strong sense of immediacy, allowing readers to deeply feel the tragic nature of the characters.

★ Topics that are highly relevant and expandable today.

Topics related to "The Woman Destroyed" include feminism, women's crisis, career women, single women, full-time housewives, female depression, marriage as a besieged fortress, extramarital affairs, dysfunctional families, family affection, adolescent development, mother-child relationships, psychological control, and more.

Witty, mature... The three women in the book are credible individuals, yet they present a mixed image of vulnerability and anger. — "The Atlantic Monthly"

Resonant, impressive and weighty work! — "The Times Literary Supplement"

A brilliant masterpiece! — "Harper's"