The Red and the Black Gender Quotes

One of the first things that attracts Madame de Rênal to Julien is that his youthful looks remind her of a girl more than a man. When she first meets him, she even wonders if he's a girl disguised as a boy. Julien wouldn't appreciate this, but it's actually what makes Madame feel safe enough around him to get intimate with him.

Madame de Rênal isn't comfortable talking about her feelings with her husband. Every time she does, he just ignores her and talks about how irrational and emotional women are in general. It's hardly the support Madame is looking for.

Monsieur de Rênal never misses an opportunity to talk about how foolish women are. It seems like there's nothing his wife can do that doesn't inspire him to make a sexist comment.