ABSTRACT
From the analysis of the short story “Marieta e Ferdinando”, it investigates the composition of male and female stereotypes as products of social conditions that determine certain practices. The short story reflects a prolonged marriage. The couple, especially the Woman, suffers from the wear and transformations of their bodies. The delining relationship provides a fusion between male and female characters’ experiences. The roles played by each one, at the end of story, suffer a mutation affecting even their bodies. Thus, it is verified as the constant fight for the sexuality exercise and for the youth body maintenance are factors that show the artificiality of certain gender patterns.
Keywords:
identities; genders; sexuality; old age; masculinities