P H I LOS OPHY O F WO MA N

The Second
Sex:
Myth and
Reality
P R E S E N T E D B Y:
D AV I D
The myth of woman plays a considerable part in literature; but what
is its importance in daily life? To what extent does it affect the
customs and conduct of individuals? In replying to this question [sic]
it will be necessary to state precisely the relations this myth bears to
reality.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 259
To begin, de Beauvoir talks about the different types of static myths that we have
towards women. Each of these myths assumes a certain idea as given, for these
notions that we have about women are, historically speaking, deeply ingrained
our collective consciousness and have been upheld by the various institutions
and cultural norms within the community. Therefore, these projections that we
have towards women in different situations has been widely accepted by many as
the unquestionable truths of which we can use to understand women.
The Myth of Woman
as the Other

This myth portrays that women have been defined

as the "Other" in relation to men. It positions
women as fundamentally different, separate,
mysterious, and lesser than men, perpetuating the
objectification, subordination, and justification of
unequal power dynamic between the sexes.
The Myth of Woman
as the Eternal Feminine

This myth portrays femininity as a fixed and

essential quality that is biologically determined. It
suggests that women have an innate essence that
defines their behavior, emotions, and roles in
society.
The Myth of Woman as
the Mother

This myth emphasizes that a woman's primary

purpose is motherhood. Because society often
expects women to prioritize their roles as mothers
above all else. This existence of this myth
perpetuates to limit their opportunities and
reinforce traditional gender roles.
The Myth of Woman as
Intellectually Inferior

This myth suggests that women are intellectually

inferior to men. It was believed that academic study
was against women's nature and that too much
knowledge could affect women's fertility.
Therefore, historical disadvantage and cultural
conditioning have reinforced the perception of
women's intellectual inferiority.
The Myth of Woman’s
Natural Subservience

This myth asserts that women are naturally

submissive and meant to be subordinate to men
due to their inherent differences between that
determine their roles and capabilities,
perpetuating the idea that women should be
passive, obedient, and dependent.
Even with these notions that we have towards women, it must be
understood that the definition and meaning of a woman is something that
we cannot compile nor summarize by means of using a few key ideas and
concepts, as we often do define them in pairs that are opposite of one
another.
 The saintly mother has for correlative the cruel step-mother, the angelic
young girl has the perverse virgin: thus [sic] it will be said sometimes that
Mother equals Life, sometimes that Mother equals Death, that every virgin
is pure spirit or flesh dedicated to the devil.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 259
Yet despite of the contradictory notions that we have towards women, and
the fact that we know very well that this does not correlate with the reality
that we have, it can't be denied that the myths that we mentioned are still
perpetuated in our society to this day. As such, de Beauvoir called this
phenomenon as the "feminine mystery," to describe the phenomena of
where men uses the myth of womanhood within society for their own
benefit, regardless of the consequence it may bring to women.
How does men benefit from
maintaining these myths
about women?
To preserve
male Beauvoir maintains that the myth of woman as has
been advantageous to the ruling men for it
privilege provides a justification for the privileges that they
enjoy. By employing the notion that women's
Of all these myths, none is more struggles as something that is "intended by
firmly anchored in masculine Nature," it positions women as inherently different
hearts than that of the feminine
from men, leading to the unjust subordination of
'mystery'. It has numerous
women. Therefore, the myth of woman allows men
advantages.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth to maintain their dominant positions in society and
and Reality," in The Second Sex, justify their power, abuse, and control over women.
p. 262
 • King James Version was the first English translation to
be widely disseminated
Things to • Brown–Driver–Briggs or BDB Lexicon is a standard
take note: dictionary reference that is used for Biblical Hebrew and
Biblical Aramaic Language
Of all these myths, none is more • Strong's Concordance, is a Bible concordance written
firmly anchored in masculine by James Strong in the King James Version (KJV).
hearts than that of the feminine ◦ It is an alphabetical word index of the Scripture that is used
'mystery'. It has numerous to provide references to the instances they are used
advantages. throughout entire biblical text.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth
• Strong's Concordance is commonly used alongside
and Reality," in The Second Sex,
with the BDB Lexicon when we're using the English
p. 262
translation of the Bible.
 Genesis 2:21-22 Hebrew

Things to ‫ישן וַי ַַּ֗קח אַ ַחת֙ מצַ ְלעֹ ָ֔תיו וַי ְס ֹּ֥גֹ ר‬
ָׁ֑ ‫ל־הא ָ֖דם וַי‬
ָֽ ַ‫ֹלהים | ַת ְר ֵּד ָ֛מה ע‬
ִ֧ ֱ‫ַויַפֵּ ל ֩ יְהֹ ָ֨וה א‬

take note: :‫ב ָ֖שר ַת ְח ָֽתנה‬

‫ן־הא ָ֖דם ְלא ָׁ֑שה ַו ְיב ָ֖אה‬

ָֽ ‫ת־הצֵּ ָ֛לע אֲ שר־ל ַ ֹּ֥קח מ‬
ַ ‫ֹלהים | א‬
ִ֧ ֱ‫ו ַ֩יב ֩ן יְהֹ ָ֨וה א‬
:‫ל־הא ָֽדם‬ ָֽ ‫א‬
Hebrew Word: ‫צֵּ ָ֛לע‬
Genesis 2:21-22 King James Version
Pronunciation: ṣēlāʿ 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam,
and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the
Translation: side, rib flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made
he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Things to Daniel 7:5 Hebrew
take note: ‫ּות ֹּ֥לת ע ְל ָ֛עין ְבפֻ ַ ָ֖מּה‬
ְ ‫ימת‬ ַ ָ֔ ‫ר־חד֙ הֳ ק‬
ַ ‫ה ָֽאחֳ ָ֨רי תנְ י ָ֜נה ָֽד ְמי֣ה ְל ַֹּ֗דב וְל ְש ַט‬
֩ ‫הוָֽאֲ ֣רּו ֵּחיו‬
ַ
:‫ּומי אֲ כֻ ָ֖לי ְב ַ ֹּ֥שר ַש ָֽגיא‬
ָֽ ‫ֵּ ֣בין שנַ ָּׁ֑ה (כתיב שנַ ָׁ֑יּה) ְוכֵּן֙ ָֽא ְמ ֣רין ָ֔לּה ֹּ֥ק‬
Hebrew Word: ִ‫עִ לְ ע‬ Daniel 7:5 King James Version

Pronunciation: ʿălaʿ 5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it
raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth
of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise,
Translation: rib devour much flesh.
 KJV Translation Count — Total: 41x.

The KJV translates Strong's H6763 in the following manner:

side (19x), chamber (11x), boards (2x), corners (2x), rib (2x),
Things to another (1x), beams (1x), halting (1x), leaves (1x), planks (1x).

take note: Strong’s Definitions

tsêlâʻ, tsay-law'; or (feminine), tsalʻâh; from H6760; a rib (as

curved), literally (of the body) or figuratively (of a door, i.e.
Hebrew Word: ‫צֵּ ָ֛לע‬ leaf); hence, a side, literally (of a person) or figuratively (of an
object or the sky, i.e. quarter); architecturally, a (especially floor
Pronunciation: ṣēlāʿ or ceiling) timber or plank (single or collective, i.e. a flooring):—
beam, board, chamber, corner, leaf, plank, rib, side (chamber).
Translation: side, rib Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon

1. rib of man Genesis 2:21, 22.

2. rib of hill, i.e. ridge, or terrace 2 Samuel 16:13.
3. ribs of cedar and fir, i.e. planks, boards (plural), of temple
wall 1 Kings 6:15, 16 floor 1 Kings 6:15.
Things to KJV Translation Count — Total: 1x

take note: The KJV translates Strong's H5967 in the following manner:
ribs (1x).

Strong’s Definitions
Hebrew Word: ִ‫עִ לְ ע‬ ălaʻ, al-ah'; (Aramaic) corresponding to H6763; a rib:—rib.

Scripture Index of Brown-Driver-Briggs

Pronunciation: ʿălaʿ
Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon
Translation: rib 1. rib Daniels 7:5.
To disregard
women’s Beauvoir argues that men perpetuate the feminine
suffering mystery because it allows them to blame their
indifference by claiming that these burdens that
Men need not bother themselves
with alleviating the pains and the
they experience, whether it may be physical or
burdens that physiologically are social, are natural and intrinsic to women's
women's lot, since these are existence. As a result, men have used this
'intended by Nature'; men use
them as a pretext for increasing reasoning to justify exploiting women, leading to a
the misery of the feminine lot still further increase in their suffering.
further, for instance by refusing to
grant to woman any right to
sexual pleasure, by making her
work like a beast of burden.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and
Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 262
To sustain
apathy towards
Beauvoir notes that by allowing the perpetuation
women's of female mystery, the myth of womanhood
experience provides a convenient explanation for men to
justify their laziness and disinterest towards
And first of all it permits an easy
understanding the complexity of women. As a
explanation of all that appears
inexplicable; the man who 'does not result, it becomes an excuse that allows men from
understand' a woman is happy to admitting their ignorance and instead blame their
substitute an objective resistance for a
inadequacy towards women themselves, enabling
subjective deficiency of mind; instead
of admitting his ignorance, he them to avoid making any genuine efforts towards
perceives the presence of a 'mystery' understanding and empathizing with them.
outside himself: an alibi, indeed, that
flatters laziness and vanity at once.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and
Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 262-263
To excuse
erratic Referring to the previous point, having a lack of
behaviors comprehension of women, both in understanding
and empathizing with them, paves the way for men
A heart smitten with love thus to use the myth of women to blame the existence
avoids many disappointments: of women as a justification for any unusual or
if the loved one's behavior is strange actions that they may end up doing. It
capricious, her remarks stupid, gives way for men to not hold women accountable
then the mystery serves to by avoiding confrontation with the reality of their
excuse it all. actions.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth
and Reality," in The Second Sex,
p. 263
To provide The myth of woman allows the perpetuation of a
negative relationship between men and women, a
psychological relationship in which an individual may find
comfort pleasure in a relationship characterized by a
person's longing and unfulfilled desires. Beauvoir
And finally, thanks again to the refers to Kierkegaard's perspective, for the myth of
mystery, that negative relation is
perpetuated which seemed to
womanhood allows men to remain isolated in their
Kierkegaard infinitely preferable to own fantasies, dreams, hopes, fears, and desires.
positive possession; in the company of
a living enigma man remains alone — As such, the enigmatic nature of women ensures
alone with his dreams, his hopes, his that men are always perpetuated in a state of
fears, his love, his vanity. This
subjective game, which can go all the longing and desire that prevents them from being
way from vice to mystical ecstasy, is for
many a more attractive experience connected or confronted with the complex reality
than an authentic relation with a of a woman's being.
human being.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and
Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 263
Even though there exists a feminine mystery that is being perpetuated in
society, de Beauvoir points out women doesn’t necessarily have to be the
only mysterious one in this dynamic, because regardless of what sex a
person may have, the same can be said to the other, for all people are
mysteries to one another.
For man also is flesh for woman; and woman is not merely a carnal object;
and the flesh is clothed in special significance for each person and in each
experience. And likewise [sic] it is quite true that woman — like man — is a
being rooted in nature; she is more enslaved to the species than is the
male, her animality is more manifest; but in her as in him the given traits
are taken on through the fact of existence, she belongs also to the human
realm.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 262
 The truth is that there is mystery on both sides: as the other who is of
masculine sex, every man, also, has within him a presence, an inner self
impenetrable to woman; she in turn is in ignorance of the male's erotic
feeling.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 263
If both men and women can be mysterious
in a way that we’d find it hard to understand
each other, then why is it that women are the
ones who are normally mysterious?

de Beauvoir explains that women have learned to

be mysterious because it serves as defensive
mechanism in a patriarchal society where men
oppress them as they continually disregard their
experiences and emotions. By appearing
enigmatic, they’re able deceive people without
showing them their true feelings. Women are able
to maintain a certain level of autonomy and
protect themselves from harm or control. It’s what
allows women to navigate their lives and
relationships with a degree of agency and self-
preservation.
If both men and women can be mysterious
in a way that we’d find it hard to understand
each other, then why is it that women are the
ones who are normally mysterious?

It is important to note that de Beauvoir’s analysis

does not necessarily imply that women are
implicitly deceptive by nature, nor that they
willingly perpetuate this mystery for their own
benefit. We must remember that this adoption of
mystery as a part of their femininity is a necessary
response to the power imbalance in our society. It
serves as a way for women to navigate themselves
in a world created by men and designed for men.
 Furthermore, like all the oppressed, woman deliberately dissembles her objective
actuality; the slave, the servant, the indigent, all who depend upon the caprices of a
master, have learned to turn towards him a change-less smile or an enigmatic
impassivity; their real sentiments, their actual behaviour, are carefully hidden. And
moreover [sic] woman is taught from adolescence to lie to men, to scheme, to be
wily. In speaking to them she wears an artificial expression on her face; she is
cautious, hypocritical, play-acting.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 265
Because of these myths, men are still being led to believe that the only
acceptable definition of a woman are of those who accepts their
subordination to the myths we have collectively created out of selfish
interest and ignorance in the past, that they must accept their role as the
Other, but de Beauvoir believes that the necessary step towards making a
firm progress towards this problem is to disestablish these myths that are
harmful to both men and women, for it prevents them from having a much
closer and intimate understanding of one another.
But to do this, a cooperation must be made between men and women, for
the recognition towards the true emancipation of women can only begin
when men, in their conscious effort to realize and understand the situation,
makes a deliberate decision to not only address, but also acknowledge
the truth that men and women are just as equal, that they are not different
from each other.
In the process of doing so, not only do we begin dismantling the ill-
intentioned traditional and conservative beliefs our predecessors created,
of which has been harmful to all of us, but we also begin to foster a society
that recognizes women's equality as we build a better future for each
other by rejecting the notion of inferiority and subordination.
 To recognize in woman a human being is not to impoverish man's
experience: this would lose none of its diversity, its richness, or its intensity
if it were to occur between two subjectivities. To discard the myths is not to
destroy all dramatic relation between the sexes, it is not to deny the
significance authentically revealed to man through feminine reality; it is
not to do away with poetry, love, adventure, happiness, dreaming. It is
simply to ask that behaviour, sentiment, passion be founded upon the
truth.
— Simone de Beauvoir, "Myth and Reality," in The Second Sex, p. 267