Roles of characters In Men should weep Role

Roles of characters In ‘Men should weep’

Role of Maggie • It is her role to be the homemaker. She cares for all the children, granny, and the day-to-day running of the household. • She represents the frustrated housewife. Her hard working ethic is in stark contrast to the male characters: Alec and John who are bone idle. • She is the complete opposite of her sister Lily. She depends on her family, and needs the support that they provide. • She represents the sacrifice that women have to make for their family; often at their own detriment. • She is a good neighbour, and demonstrates the community spirit we expect from tenement life. • She characterises the ‘old’ view that women need to accept their lot- unlike Isa and Jenny who wish for better. • She reveals the effect of poverty, and the treatment of the poor. She buries her head in the sand about Bertie’s condition, as she is worried that outside agencies will get involved. The unsanitary living conditions, overcrowding, lack of basic necessities for the other children, are all highlighted through Maggie.

Role of John • John conforms to assumptions about the male role within the family • however he often does not fulfil this traditional role and feels frustrated/ despondent as a result • He represents the mass unemployment at the time, and the stigma of signing on, or being on the dole. • John sees his role as father of Jenny is to protect her and be respected shown by his anger when she is out in the close with a man • He represents male pride: he is not willing to accept help from Jenny. • His relationship with Maggie is loving, but he does little to help her, in the household.

Role of Jenny • Jenny is the changing voice of youth. She isn’t prepared to help her family at the beginning, and is embarrassed by them. • She leaves to live unwed, with a man- a major taboo at the time. This would bring shame on her family, and ruin her reputation. John describing the money as ‘whore’s winnings’ also reveals this; however it also highlights in this scene that John and Maggie also had premarital sex, making John a hypocrite. • She is the opposite to her brother Alec. She is hard working, and independent. • She reveals the mental health struggles that people face when they are separated from family as she admits to contemplating suicide. • Her relationship with Isa reveals that women’s views are changing, and they are in contrast with the neighbours, and older women. • She is a character who matures, and shows that people can change. • She represents hope for the family on her return. • She is a role model to her younger siblings, and proof that they can better themselves.

Role of Alec • He is an example of someone who has been broken by poverty and has given in to it- he is slovenly, has lost any moral centre, is on occasion violent. • He provides contrast with Jenny- his weakness vs her strength of character. • He is a reflection of his father- lazy, feeble, easily dominated by women. • His relationship with Isa provides a sub-plot, mirroring in many ways the relationship between Maggie and John • His weakness in the face of both Maggie and Isa strengthens the idea of the empowerment of women. • His infatuation with Isa suggests how easily men are manipulated by women, even ones as odious as Isa. • He exploits his mother’s fondness for him shamelessly, playing up to her one moment then stealing from her- indicative of the goodfor-nothing male. • He is the epitome of selfishness, never shows concern for anyone in the family (e. g Bertie)- a negation of the myth of the tenement/family community.

Role Lily • Lily is a support for her sister. She helps with food, medicine, clothes, presents and advice. The Morrisons would struggle without her help. • She demonstrates female independence. She has a job, and does not have a husband. • She is judgemental of Jenny’s life choices. • She is highly critical of John, and openly criticises him which causes conflict in the play. • She is a voice of reason. She attempts to speak to Maggie about her living conditions, and pleads that she tries to make changes. However, she is blunt in her approach, and does not appear to care about the feelings of others. • She represents the importance of family, and sticking together in times of need.

Role of the neighbours • They represent the close community that we expect to see in tenement living: everyone helping each other out. • Equally they are judgemental of each other: the nits, Alec/Jenny- portraying the views of wider society at the time • They are a support for one another: babysitting, gossip, support through domestic abuse. • Emphasise social control exerted by men- they are homemakers. • They highlight female social experience and interrelationships between generations.

Role of Granny • Highlights the burden of the elderly- they have to be cared for by their families. • The inconvenience of having another mouth to feed. She is treated like another child. • Highlights poverty in the Morrison householdthe overcrowding, her pension is used as a source of income. • Granny is voiceless. She has no say in her circumstances. • The scene with the removal men highlights the intergenerational differences

Role of Lizzie • Lizzie is granny’s daughter- in- law showcasing that families still stick together, and have a sense of duty, even when there is no family connection anymore. • She helps our understanding of how granny is treated, and is closely linked the role of the elderly. • She acts as a contrast to the kind nature of the neighbours. • She helps our understanding of the community spirit, as the neighbours stand up to Lizzie on Maggie’s behalf. • She helps our understanding of the Morrison’s poverty as she has to

Role of Isa • She is there to highlight the effects of poverty: overcrowding, criminality, lack of ambition. • Her relationship with Alec is in stark contrast to Maggie and John’s. However, there are similarities in that both women have to carry the burden, for their lazy men. • She shows the change in women’s voices- she isn’t willing to accept her lot- she leaves Alec. • She exhibits the accepted societal view at the time; women have to be controlled by their husbands, and the male aggression that was accepted.

Role of the other Morrison children: Bertie, Marina, Edie, Ernie, Christopher • They highlight poverty and the effects of it. • They have cast offs, and lack of food • Bertie’s TB demonstrates the unsanitary conditions, and poor housing. • They reveal how children are expected to behave. The abide by gender stereotypes.

Discuss the role Maggie P 44 – 45 “ Here! Whit’s this… John looks up”

What does the character of granny highlight about the treatment of the elderly in the play? P 1 -2 ‘The kitchen…through the curtain’

How are the differing life choices of Maggie and Lily shown in the play? P 8 -10 “Whaur else… Forget it”