The essay "Woman: Myth and Reality", written by Simone De Beauvoir, in my understanding, provides an excuse as to why men believe women are not equal to them. The concept of the 'Eternal Feminine' myth has no basis or concrete grounds for existence. Women are said to be 'mysterious' because they are not like man. Is this because we do not look like men? If so, then the reasoning would be considered ridiculous. I believe the anatomical structures of a woman and man hold no relevance as to why women were and still are treated as the subordinate sex. However, women too have helped the myth of the 'Eternal Feminine' grow.

In her essay Simone De Beauvoir mentions how women are seen as the 'Other' human sex. In connection to that she also writes about the story of the master and the slave. The story is significant because it points out how both the slave and woman are called the "Other", leaving man with the title 'master'. The irony of the story is how man is the master, who rules over woman, who in turn has been lowered to the level of the slave. The sad thing is that women over the years have played into the 'myth of women' and the 'Other'. We, in essence, have

2) Jacobus, Lee A..A World of Ideas. Sixth Edition. Boston and New York 2002. Bedford/St. Martin's.

De Beauvoir also points out in her essay that women are believed to be 'mysterious' (pp.824). However, men too are mysterious to women, but they are still glorified as the dominant sex rather than the 'Other'. I think each sex will always be mysterious to one another. But being mysterious is not a negative attribute. If men and woman know everything about one another there would be no fun in trying to figure the other one out. Women would become bored with men and men would become bored with women. There has to be some diversity between the sexes, but in saying that, there also has to be a realization that woman and man are equal. No one must preside over the other.

Some common words found in the essay are:
De Beauvoir, Myth Reality, Women Altruism, Jacobus Women, de beauvoir, Eternal Feminine, myth reality, women myth reality, Simone De, simone de, women myth, Women Myth, simone de beauvoir, 'eternal feminine', Boston York, Knopf Inc, Reality Sex, 'eternal feminine' myth, essay women, feminine' myth, subordinate sex, story master, women realize,
Approximate Word count = 1051
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)