Carmela Soprano a Feminist? Carmela's Care Ethics

1. Carmela Soprano a Feminist?Carmela's Care Ethics

2. FEMINISMintro • Feminism consists in the fight for women's liberation of the male domination. • Carmela Soprano would portray Anti-feminism since she lets Tony order her around. • She has become dependent on an emotionally violent husband.

3. Justice & Care in Moral Reasoning • The concept of morality known as “Justice Tradition” has been dominant since Freud. • This concept is said to have originated in philosophers such as Kant and Locke. • Women hesitate to solve moral conflicts by preserving inalienable human rights (Locke) • But Tony on the other hand, feels no regret after killing a human being. • Women tend to feel torn between responsibilities to themselves and those they owe to their loved ones. On the contrary, Tony has no problem being selfish sometimes.

4. Carmela on Marriage and Morality • Carmela looks to religions for guidance when she feels there is no longer a solution available for her marriage. • Carmela tells her friend to discard the option of divorce, yet she ends up leaving Tony. Does not practice what she preaches. • She applies moral rules concerning divorce which are dictated by a higher authority than herself. This doesn’t show Feminist traits. • Carmela confuses caring for her children with staying together with her abusive husband, which ultimately only hurts her, and her children, even more.

5. Carmela Vs. Dr. Krakower; Care vs. Justice • Carmela agrees to couples therapy to help Tonys panic attacks. • Carmela wants Tony to stop hurting, but she fails to do something about it. She is able to express her anger to Dr. K. • Her fear controls her, therefore changes are rarely visible between them. • She defends her husband saying he is a “good man”, but inside she knows how much he's hurt her. • Later she tries to find a solution that will positively affect her and her loved ones. • She's finally growing as a care thinker, and speaking up for herself.

6. Carmela's Mature Care Ethics • Carmela falls in love with a man who is very different than her husband, he is open and responsible. • Though in love, she still seems to be affected by “empty nest syndrome” and does not know what to do. • She says she's ready to think about herself again, we all have to be selfish sometime. • She now practices how to balance her own life with that of her family's, but is always there when she is needed, • She protects her daughter, Meadow, from Tonys true nature. • She succeeds using mature care ethics in her own moral dilemmas.

7. Carmela & Feminism: Perfect 2Gether • Modern women have developed care ethics in their reasoning under extremely oppressive conditions of being silently forced to care for others. • Using care ethics in moral reasoning is parallel to being a feminist. • Carmela needs to change her belief that if she stays with Tony it is better for her and her children. • She eventually rejects traditional concepts and leaves Tony.