In Death/Family Relationship

In death do we show our true selves? Aunts Safiyya before she slips into her final coma she expresses that she will accept Harbi’s hand in marriage. Does this however mean that she originally want to marry Harbi or if she was really regretting accepting the Bey’s proposal? What is even more interesting is the act of the Father visiting Safiyya in her final throws of life, even though she cut all ties to her adoptive family. If I were the Father character I would have felt a gut wrenching sorrow upon hearing this confession, if that is what Safiyya really meant. The Father’s connection to Harbi is so strong that hearing Safiyya say “If Harbi asks for my hand, tell the bey I agree,” must have produced the thought, what if she had married Harbi? Would Safiyya have remained sane?

Possibly it was truly the Mother’s fault that Safiyya deteriorated, and maybe it was merely her genetic beauty. The Mother treated her daughters more fiercely than she did Safiyya because she knew that Safiyya would easily be married because of her beauty; whereas her children, not blessed with such beauty were treated harshly so that they would become a good house wife. Furthermore, the education that the four daughters received ultimately led to them having an independent mind from their husbands. Safiyya did not finish her education, which led to her being solely dependent on her husband and his well-being. In the event of the bey’s death Safiyya could not survive on her own. Even the life of her son Hassaan meant nothing to her. Now in contrast, the four daughters are educated, marry educated men, move to foreign countries and at least the youngest daughter has a job other than being a housewife. They are independent from their husbands.