Response to Death and the Maiden

            Death and the Maiden follows the story of Paulina, who is raped by an unidentified man.  When her husband brings in a guest who Paulina believes is her rapist, she traps the man and interrogates him until he gives a confession, which may or may not be the truth.  This ties in perfectly to what we have been discussing in class – that a confession is needed for torture (or a trial/interrogation) to end, and that it is often not clear whether the victim of torture is merely saying what the interrogators want to hear in order to end their ordeal.  In this case, Paulina believes Roberto is telling the truth, but it is not entirely made clear that he is.  The truth of his confession is left vague, like many confessions generally are.

            This story also illustrates Scarry’s theory of a tortuous experience being self-destroying.  Paulina is clearly traumatized from being raped, and she suffers extreme psychological damage from the event.  This is symbolized by the song Death and the Maiden, which is playing during her rape.  She is scarred by the event and this is shown by her fear of the song and how it never leaves her.  The damage that is done to her that she never recovers from is the result of her world and self being destroyed through the tortuous experience of her rape.