We never discover Mrs. Bentley's full name in the story, and that in itself is significant. Her whole married life has been based on a loss of both her maiden name and her identity as a woman. Even though the story is narrated from her standpoint, and it's her voice that's being expressed, Mrs. Bentley's roles have been heavily circumscribed since she yielded her identity when she got married. Her husband is at various times described as "Philip," "Philip Bentley," and "Reverend Bentley." Despite being as much of a frustrated artist as his wife, he still enjoys greater freedom in society, and his various identities—as man, husband, and clergyman—are a reflection of this. In short, he can be many different things, but Mrs. Bentley can be a married woman and nothing else.
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