The short story, May Day Eve, by Nick Joaquin carefully and brilliantly depicted the status Filipino women had during in the past. In this still seemingly patriarchal world, we are somehow forced to believe that men are superior and that women are just subordinate to men. This ideology was even more highlighted in the past, where women were totally deprived of the necessary rights that men had always enjoyed. In the story, the vital issue of marriage, wherein women are forced to marry men, was particularly portrayed.
             Women had lost the capacity to decide and fulfill their own desires, making their lives almost meaningless. Agueda in the story had died miserably because her life was molded into something she didn't wish. She was forced to marry Don Badoy Montiya because the latter had a tremendous desire for her. Her whole life was spent grieving for the situation she can't escape.
             The story revolved around Agueda and Badoy Montiya. Agueda was a beautiful and brave young girl who despised men like Badoy. "Oh, how I detest you, you pompous young men! You go to Europe and you come back elegant lords and we poor girls are too tame to please you," were the hurtful words she hurled at Badoy. This statement shows Agueda's utmost disgust in the dominance of men over them. This development of Agueda's character further shows the _________ of the status of women as ______. Badoy, on the other hand, was a strong-willed young man, who just came from Europe when he met Agueda. He had fallen deeply in love with her, despite her obvious loathness for him, and had sworn to have her no matter what. Men like Badoy had a seemingly irresistible power over the society especially to women like Agueda, enabling him to have her in the end. In this light, Badoy in the story was depicted as a representative of men abusive of their superior status.
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