Three carved theatrical masks in black, charcoal and pale grey show different degrees of frowning against slate.

Original artwork, not a still

The Quality of Mercy ‧ 1900

Ouida

Sport inevitably creates deadness of feeling. No one could take pleasure in it who was sensitive to suffering; and therefore its pursuit by women is much more to be regretted than its pursuit by men, because women pursue much more violently and recklessly what they pursue at all.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The passage condemns sport as a source of insensitivity to suffering and judges women’s participation especially harshly. Those claims express its critical view, not established differences between women and men.

Context reviewed

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