Two Women

About “Two Women”

The two women of Alberto Moravia's 1958 novel are mother and daughter—Cesira, a widowed Roman shopkeeper, and Rosetta, a naive teenager of haunting beauty and devout faith. When the German army prepares to occupy Rome, Cesira flees south with Rosetta to her native province of Ciociara, a poor, mountainous region known for providing domestic servants to Rome. The two endure hunger, cold, and filth for nine months while waiting for the Allied forces to arrive. When the Liberation comes, the women begin their journey home. On the way, Rosetta is brutally raped by a group of Allied Moroccan soldiers. This act of violence leads Rosetta to fall into a life of prostitution. Moravia's story portrays the anguish and destruction of war, showing its impact behind the lines as well as on the battlefield.