While he manipulates her with promises of fame and fortune, she manipulates him through the power of her sexuality. Individually they represent great assets to one another, and in turn work together to build the Moulin Rouge into a successful theatre. Although Satine looks to Zidler as a father figure, she also learns to resent him for holding her back from the love she felt for Christian. Yet still she respects his wishes and conforms to her life as a courtesan, the life that Zidler confined her to through manipulation.
Zidler's treatment of Satine reflects aspects of the way that many men regard women in today's society. He continually demeans Satine through his use of language and action, calling her, "Pumpkin-, "My Love-, and "Sweetheart- among others. With the Moulin Rouge, Zidler has created a culture that the female spectator is familiar with, " a culture where women are both subjects and objects of commodity exchange- (Stacey, 59). Clearly Satine is portrayed as a sexual object; she is the subject of commodity, determined to become a star, and objectified by men for the fulfillment of their fantasies. Zidler's role as the father figure is also identifiable to the female spectator through the way he attempts to protect her, similar to the way females tend to be protected in society, often labeled as the weaker sex and unfortunately treated that way. As a result women must struggle to work together with men for their own interests, just as Satine tries to work with Zidler. The relationship of Satine and Zidler is comparable to the relationship of men and women in today's society as women still struggle to gain equality among men. With Zidler's exchange of the deed to the Moulin Rouge for the control and essentially ownership of Satine, he diminishes his relationship with her for his own gain, and the Duke becomes Satine's new owner or more appropriately, her puppeteer.
