Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig - Essay Example

Seduction The Seduction in a Kiss The employment of seduction in the Kiss of the Spider Woman was initially to enhance the entertainment valueof Molina's German film story. This was plain in the lines:Molina: 'Leni's heart was beating so fast that her swelling breasts lept out of her low-cut gown. Like luscious hors d'ouevres on a silver platter.Valentin chuckles. (Puig, 57).Then it was used as a stimulus for interaction "Molina: ' she unfastens her taffeta night gown [] until finally her whole body is caressed with foam -' (Valentin) 'I told you.

No erotic descriptions.' Molina, amused, hides his delight at having evoked a response" (Puig, 3), between the two main characters.It was also for fueling basic desires, "Molina: ' and the boxes contain contraband delicacies [] not to mention the hams, and the pats -' Valentin: 'I'm serious. No food and no naked women.'" (Puig, 6), most especially those that are deprived of the characters.Seduction was suggested as a form of escape when the characters argued about giving value to fantasies:Seduction 2Valentin: " fantasies are no escape.

"Molina: "If you've got the keys to that door, I will gladly follow. Otherwise, I'll escape in my own way, thank you." (Puig, 20).As a diversion from physical pain, the seduction from Molina's German movie provided them with considerable comfort, although it was implied that Molina's line "what about my movie It might help you forget the pain." regarded the entirety of the German movie and not merely its element of seduction. (Puig, 53)The humor in Molina's account on the heroine's seductive appeal was a desperate attempt at making their stay in a penitentiary slightly bearable.

The seduction worked in the guise of a German movie being retold by Molina who happened to be a romantic escapist. It was clear in the play that Molina worked the exaggerated details of the heroine to fit his fantasies being that he identified with her thus he projected unto her the endowments that he wanted for himself.As the play progressed, it can be noted that the seduction also worked on Valentin when he sought its progression to its end.At first, the seduction in Molina's narrative only vaguely touched on morality.

However, when he justified that its inclusion had the Seduction 3purpose of heightening the emotion of the film, it began to make sense, as the element of seduction did in a way overpower the propaganda being presented in the film because through the narration of Molina, the political issues on the Nazi and the Resistance dimmed in contrast to the love story and its morality about love and sacrifice.Puig was a Marxist, and through Valentin's character he made the ideology appear appealing, that beyond the risk and the danger there is the seduction of rebelling against authority for a cause.

However, it was through Molina's fantastic escapism that Puig employed most his power of seduction as it was implied that escapism appears to be a more pain-free resort compared to political activism which stakes more sacrificed for so little change.As it can be seen how the events turned out, the characters met their ends when they pursued the path of political involvement as a way out of their prison cell. Because of this tragic resolution, I am inclined to think that perhaps Puig wanted to impress that to don political conviction is actually brutal fanaticism, and though it may appeal to most people, it does not necessarily mean it is the best countering action against oppression.

Borges' remarks on the metaphorcity of language is relevant to Puig being that in Molina's narrative on his Spider movie, the use of Seduction 4metaphors was evident when he projected his vulnerability unto the Spider Woman, the isolation of the tropical island comparable to that of their prison cell, and the occasion of the shipwrecked man the metaphor of the interaction with Valentin.Work CitedPuig, Manuel. "Final Screenplay." Kiss of the Spider Woman. 1985. Sugarloaf Films, Inc. 20 Apr. 2006