Drama as Literature (EL 250)


16 Sep 2005

Treadwell, Machinal (Finish)

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Talk About Depressing
Excerpt: LAWYER FOR DEFENSE. Six years without one quarrel! Six years! Gentlemen of the jury, I ask you to consider this fact! Six years of married life without a quarrel! What a stupid lawyer to try to use this as a...
Weblog: LorinSchumacher
Tracked: September 14, 2005 01:56 PM
"Woman finds husband dead."
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: AmandaNichols
Tracked: September 14, 2005 02:17 PM
Machinal (Finish)
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: KatieAikins
Tracked: September 14, 2005 03:36 PM
Forshadow, Fastforward
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250) Judge: "You confess you killed your husband?.. Why? Young Woman: "To be free." This play is about the importance of right motives. Had Helen not married for status or money, her...
Weblog: DavidDenninger
Tracked: September 14, 2005 04:04 PM
Name Change
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: Shameless Digressions
Tracked: September 14, 2005 09:17 PM
Crazy second half
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: AndrewLoNigro
Tracked: September 14, 2005 09:34 PM
First Reporter vs. Second Reporter
Excerpt: FIRST REPORTER (writing). Under the heavy artillery fire of the State's attorney's brilliant cross-questioning, the accused woman's defense was badly riddled... SECOND REPORTER (writing). Undaunted by the Prosecution's machine-gun attack, the defendant...
Weblog: LorinSchumacher
Tracked: September 15, 2005 01:32 AM
Daughter snubs mother at electrocution chair
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: JoshuaGogolsky
Tracked: September 15, 2005 11:29 AM
Machinal (Finish)
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: Sean Runt
Tracked: September 15, 2005 01:02 PM
Ep. 6 The Moon and the Lover
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: The Shadow Room
Tracked: September 15, 2005 01:18 PM
Same Ending;Different Story
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: GinaBurgese
Tracked: September 15, 2005 02:10 PM
Isn't that a coincidence?!
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: Denamarie Ercolani
Tracked: September 15, 2005 02:34 PM
Free
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: RachelPrichard
Tracked: September 15, 2005 03:44 PM
Ep.8 Ratted Out!
Excerpt: Treadwell, Machinal (Finish) -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
Weblog: The Shadow Room
Tracked: September 15, 2005 05:03 PM
Comments

Finally, one evening she took a lover. The lover, also a rock-filled-bottle-murderer, turned her world upside down for days and made her feel happy. She wanted to go with him, but could not because of the circumstances: marriage, the child, etc.. In the end, the lover gave her a lily and fond memories of times not monotonous, or filled with the fat hands of her husband It was the lover’s testimony in the end that helped seal her fate when she was on trial for the murder of her husband, Mr. Jones. Perhaps it was the guilt she felt at the moment for killing her husband that made her confess, or perhaps it was the longing she felt for the only man that had ever made her feel complete that made her come clean of her crimes. The world will never know. However, all through the work, whenever Helen Jones got what she thought she wanted, she grew angrier and more alone.

It is interesting to note that on pages 9, 26, 80, and 83, Helen Jones is always asking for “someone,” “something,” or “somebody.” It is this constant quest that is weighing her down and ruining her experience as a human. She is never quite fulfilled by what she has, but can not transcend the present realities of life or accept her life as it is. Though, around her, she sees people that are seemingly satisfied. The girl in her office is comfortable living her promiscuous lifestyle, men in the bars are comfortable cheating on their wives, and the gay man in the bar is comfortable seducing a young boy: all these people are looking for a sort of acceptance through their sexual misadventures, perhaps what they are looking for is love.

Parts of the play are reminiscent to the writings of Hemingway: the scene in the bar when the young couple is discussing whether to “have the rather simple procedure” or not, is similar to the conversation the American and Jig have in Hemingway’s work “Hills Like White Elephants.” It is interesting to note, the couple uses almost the exact phraseology to talk about the operation as the American and Jig use in Hemingway’s work. Does anyone know what year Hemingway wrote his short story? I googled it - to no avail.

It is also interesting to note, in the script she reads as Young Woman. Men in the play constantly address her as girl, and associate her with chaste-filled ways. Even when she does have a semi-scandalous affair, the music playing in the background is “Little Heaven,” and her lover calls her, “angel.” She is always surrounded by a sort of positive aura. Why is that?

Posted by: Katie Aikins at August 17, 2005 06:30 PM

Hey guys, i accidentally posted my comment for the finish of the play, in the scenes 1-5 area. So it'll say on my blog "So much to say.. Scenes 1-5" but it's actually the comment for the end! Sorry about that!!

Posted by: Chera Pupi at September 14, 2005 06:41 PM

Anyone else feel like they are talking about Star Wars every time they say "Episode" such and such?

Posted by: Lorin Schumacher at September 15, 2005 01:34 AM

HAHAHA. I thought that was only me!!

Posted by: Amanda at September 15, 2005 09:42 AM
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