Tony's Wife, story summary

Tony’s Wife was written by Alice Ruth Moore Dunbar-Nelson in 1899.

This is a story which studies the discrimination of both gender role and racism. The main characters are Tony and his so-called wife. Tony was a violent, uncaring, irresponsible Italian man. Whereas his wife, who was a German, she was a very patient and responsible wife who does all the housework without any complaint even when she was beaten by Tony. Tony never admitted to anyone that the woman staying with him was his wife. After years of maltreatment in this unlawful marriage, Tony suddenly was infected by disease which could not be cured. Still, his wife took care of him for a few years until his disease was really worse. Before he died, she asked him to admit their relationship in front of a priest so that there would be something left to her. However, he unsympathetically refused her because of his discriminating thinking. Eventually after Tony’s death, his wife had to lead a penniless and sorrowful life.

From my point of view, the author wanted us to abandon and, at the same time, fight against the idea of discrimination of race and domestic violence.