The film “La Ciociara” is a wartime portrayal of citizens in Italy. “La Ciociara” begins with the two women, Rosetta and her mother, Cerisa, who are in the city of Rome when a bomb goes off. The historical context of the bomb is the Allied bombing of Rome during World War II. During World War II, Italy joins Germany as part of the Axis powers to fight against the Allies. In the reading by Merriman on WWII, we learn that, “Benito Mussolini had already signed a pact with Hitler on October 1936 forming what the Italian dictator called an ‘Axis’” (Merriman, 1050). This pact would soon serve importance between the two sides that formed during the global war that spread on an “unprecedented scale” (Merriman, 1065). The film takes place while Europe…show more content… Meanwhile, they are hiding in the bushes to avoid being taken away. The men are very rude and uptight with Rosetta and Cerisa, as they ask her why they doesn't stay in Fondi, while one of the men is trying to touch Rosetta on the face. This scene can be a foreshadow of the violence between men and the two women that is to come later in the film. Rosetta is extremely uncomfortable, but the man puts his hands on her again. This moment represents how men showed superiority over women and how this will happen again, especially because the two women are beautiful. The beauty of these two women is especially appealing to the men at war, many of whom have not seen their spouses in months because they have been away. Cerisa is worried that the men will come back and wants to protect her daughter, so they decide to continue their trip. As the two women are walking away from the old woman’s house, a plane flies over their head, which shows that the war is still in full swing and they must still seek refuge. Rosetta and Cerisa get scared, but keep walking after they see the old man that they asked for help dead on the side of the road. At this moment the two women realize that they must save themselves before they worry about
