The Homecoming
- Submitted by: panni
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- Category: English: Plays
- Date Submitted: 03/31/2011 06:17 AM
- Pages: 5
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The Homecoming
Q1) Would you agree that ruth is the most important character in the play.
Outline
In the play, the various male characters try to establish their importance and postion in the household through violence and aggression. However, when Ruth, the only woman in the play, enters, she appears to defeat the men's power,not with violence but by her sexuality and apparent intelligence through which she takes control of the house and establishes herself as one of the most important and powerful characters in the play.
Ruth gradually takes power from every man in the house, first she takes control from teddy by constantly ignoring his requests to “go to bed”, thereby breaking the conventional image of a submissive housewife and refusing his will by holding her ground. Ruth's suggested intelligence becomes a vehicle for her sexual power that distracts attention from Teddy. Ruth's actions have defeated her husband as he makes no attempt to stop what she is doing.
Initially Max, who considers himself as “the head of the household” demands that Teddy and Ruth leave his house, yet by the end of the play, he is sobbing and yearning for attention from Ruth. The insults and derogatory terms used within the family are not so much an element of power as a way of life. As there is no real mother figure within the household, the men have lapsed into a way of life in which they can show no affection to each other. Instead they insult each other in ways usually reserved for women: "bitch" and "slag". A show of affection or even respect can result in argument, "Stop calling me Dad", Max complains. The men appear to hold power through unity. Although they fight, they work together to devise plans for establishing Ruth as a prostitute. By clubbing together in this way, the men think that they have found a way to control Ruth how they like. At this point however, they do not expect to be overpowered once again by Ruth. Her sexual dominance and quick wits are the power...
Q1) Would you agree that ruth is the most important character in the play.
Outline
In the play, the various male characters try to establish their importance and postion in the household through violence and aggression. However, when Ruth, the only woman in the play, enters, she appears to defeat the men's power,not with violence but by her sexuality and apparent intelligence through which she takes control of the house and establishes herself as one of the most important and powerful characters in the play.
Ruth gradually takes power from every man in the house, first she takes control from teddy by constantly ignoring his requests to “go to bed”, thereby breaking the conventional image of a submissive housewife and refusing his will by holding her ground. Ruth's suggested intelligence becomes a vehicle for her sexual power that distracts attention from Teddy. Ruth's actions have defeated her husband as he makes no attempt to stop what she is doing.
Initially Max, who considers himself as “the head of the household” demands that Teddy and Ruth leave his house, yet by the end of the play, he is sobbing and yearning for attention from Ruth. The insults and derogatory terms used within the family are not so much an element of power as a way of life. As there is no real mother figure within the household, the men have lapsed into a way of life in which they can show no affection to each other. Instead they insult each other in ways usually reserved for women: "bitch" and "slag". A show of affection or even respect can result in argument, "Stop calling me Dad", Max complains. The men appear to hold power through unity. Although they fight, they work together to devise plans for establishing Ruth as a prostitute. By clubbing together in this way, the men think that they have found a way to control Ruth how they like. At this point however, they do not expect to be overpowered once again by Ruth. Her sexual dominance and quick wits are the power...