Comparative Essay of Les Belles-Soeurs by Michel Tremblay and the Life of Galileo by Berthold Brecht
- Submitted by: mfrantzke
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- Category: English: Plays
- Date Submitted: 04/17/2016 09:57 PM
- Pages: 9
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The Roman Catholic Church is one of the super powers of the world, with an immense influence and control over the people of the world. It has had a presence in the world throughout history. The Life of Galileo by Berthold Brecht takes place in the 1600s, following the life of Galileo and his conflict with his theory that the earth orbits the sun, and the Catholic Church. Les Belles-Soeurs by Michel Tremblay takes place in Montreal in 1965, and follows the events of a group women and their experiences while under the management of the Catholic Church. Although these plays take place at very different times, the Catholic Church plays a major role in the characters lives in both. This essay will compare the actions of the church in The Life of Galileo and Les Belles-Soeurs, specifically their control over the people. The church controls the public throughout history with tools such as sexism, society, and scientific control.
In both plays the church makes certain topics forbidden to discuss. By preventing people from talking about certain subjects, the church can pretend they don’t exist. This way the church does not have to deal with the issues these subjects may discuss and keep people from knowing about them. Because these topics have been made forbidden to the public, the church can control what the public’s opinion is on the topic. For example, one important topic that is discussed in Les Belles Soeurs is early pregnancy and abortion. In the play, Lise keeps her pregnancy to herself and eventually decides to tell Linda about it, and how she feels about it.
LISE: I can’t hide it much longer. I’m too upset. And Linda you’re my best friend … Linda I’m going to have a baby.
…
LISE: I don’t know. I’m so depressed! I haven’t told my parents yet. My father’ll kill me, I know he will. When the doctor told me, I felt like jumping off the balcony. (Tremblay, Act II).
Lise tries to keep her pregnancy very quiet, only revealing it to her best friend. She only...
In both plays the church makes certain topics forbidden to discuss. By preventing people from talking about certain subjects, the church can pretend they don’t exist. This way the church does not have to deal with the issues these subjects may discuss and keep people from knowing about them. Because these topics have been made forbidden to the public, the church can control what the public’s opinion is on the topic. For example, one important topic that is discussed in Les Belles Soeurs is early pregnancy and abortion. In the play, Lise keeps her pregnancy to herself and eventually decides to tell Linda about it, and how she feels about it.
LISE: I can’t hide it much longer. I’m too upset. And Linda you’re my best friend … Linda I’m going to have a baby.
…
LISE: I don’t know. I’m so depressed! I haven’t told my parents yet. My father’ll kill me, I know he will. When the doctor told me, I felt like jumping off the balcony. (Tremblay, Act II).
Lise tries to keep her pregnancy very quiet, only revealing it to her best friend. She only...