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Finding the Dragon Lady


"Deeply intriguing...one hell of a story." - Daily Beast
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How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

Created: 10/07/14

Replies: 10

Posted Oct. 07, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

How does Madame Nhu compare to others such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

Do you see similarities between Madame Nhu and other influential wives of leaders such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?


Posted Oct. 27, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
meredithk

Join Date: 06/10/13

Posts: 27

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

Like the other two powerful women Madame Nhu took total control of her country and made their husbands talking heads. These were selfish people who loved power and thought that their fellow countrymen/women were beneath them.

They were too smart for their own good?


Posted Oct. 27, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Suzanne

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 281

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

A difference between Eva and Imelda: Eva was beloved by the Argentine people while there was much descent from the Filipino citizens due to Imelda's riches and court cases. Power seemed to be the name of the game with both Madame Nhu and Imelda Marcos.


Posted Oct. 28, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
lindah

Join Date: 04/17/14

Posts: 90

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

Eva Person seemed to truly have the love of the Argentine people and their interests at heart. Madame Nhu had her own agenda and interests and was not of the people. Her callous remarks about the Buddhist monks who demonstrated and practiced self-immolation were shocking. Both Imelda and Evita came up from relative poverty whereas Madame Nhu was from an upper-class, politically savvy family of diplomats. She was well educated and driven.


Posted Oct. 29, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
juliaa

Join Date: 12/03/11

Posts: 280

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

If portrayals of Eva are accurate, she was loved by a large segment of the Argentine population; Imelda Marcos, not so much by the Philippines. So Madame Nhu seems more like Imelda Marcos than like Eva Peron. I myself lost the last vestige of sympathy (and I didn't have a whole lot to begin with) for Madame Nhu when I read chapter 12. Not only the "barbecue" remark, but her Catholic fanaticism were real turn-offs for me and seemed indicative that she was basically cruel and intolerant.


Posted Oct. 29, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
alycet

Join Date: 04/23/12

Posts: 182

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

Eva seemed to be loved and Imelda seemed to be hated. I believe that Madame Nhu fell between the two.


Posted Oct. 29, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
deeh

Join Date: 03/03/12

Posts: 251

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

As stated above, Eva Peron was beloved by many of her countrymen. I am ashamed to say that what I remember most about Imelda Marcos was all the talk about her shoes. I must say I thought of Imelda when I looked at the photograph taken with Lady Bird Johnson in Madame Nhu's bedroom, all those tiger skins lined up to show off. I think both Imelda Marcos and Madame Nhu felt disdain for their people and behaved accordingly.


Posted Oct. 30, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
rebeccar

Join Date: 03/13/12

Posts: 564

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

Madame Nhu seems more like Imelda Marcos to me. From everything that I have read about Eva Peron, she actually had loyal followers and seemed to have touched the hearts of some of her countrymen.


Posted Nov. 01, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
pennyp

Join Date: 03/22/12

Posts: 353

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

The need for power was common to all three as was the fact that they controlled the men. Emelda and Madam
Nhu did not have either the love for or support of the people. Eva grew up very poor, I am not sure about Emela but Madam Nhu was from a family with some money. They were all attractive and put energy, effort and money into looking their best.


Posted Nov. 02, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
mariannes

Join Date: 12/17/12

Posts: 206

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

I agree that Madame Nhu was more like Imelda Marcos than Eva Perron.


Posted Nov. 05, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
sweeney

Join Date: 05/24/11

Posts: 207

RE: How does Madame Nhu compare to other powerful wives such as Imelda Marcos and Eva Peron?

I find it interesting that powerful women seem to be regarded with such negative adjectives, while men are less so. All three had to have been very strong and forceful personalities to have attained the levels of power that they did.


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