HOBSON'S CHOICE WAS WRITTEN TO REFLECT THE SOCIAL ROLES AND VALUES OF THE TIME. WITH REFRENCE TO THE PLAY, DISCUSS WHETHER YOU THINK THE STATEMENT IS JUSTIFIED?

Hobson's Choice reflects the social roles and values of the time through the characters reference to Status and gender. Maggie, Willie and Hobson are the three main characters the audience are focused on; these characters are presented in different ways and indifferent circumstances.

Status is one of the most important aspects of the play 'Hobson's choice' because the play was written in the Victorian Era and status was regarded to bring either honour or dishonour to a person. The audience of the play are clearly informed about the status of each character before they go on stage. Harold Brighouse did this because the status of a person in that time determines almost every aspect of their character including jobs, dressing, language, and perspective to life, attitudes and behaviours to other characters.

The audience are introduced to Hobson's shop with "exhibits of boots and slippers, filled with rack containing boot boxes" "chairs in the shop, which is dingy but business like". This presents the character of Hobson as a self-employed, middle-classed man with authority and power. However, as the scene opens, the audience realise that Hobson had been to the "Moonrakers" - local pub and has returned home late and drunk therefore not ready for the next business day. Also a 'Moon' could signify an outstanding property like a person's wealth, destiny or life and while a 'rake' is something or someone who collect important valuables and therefore, 'Moonrakers' could signify a place that is dedicated to the collect or take over a person's dignity, wealth, intellect and pride as it did from Hobson when he lost his self-image and pride to alcohol.

Maggie takes advantage of a higher-class customer by challenging his dignity and authority by saying "its time you had a new pair" of shoes "...these uppers are disgraceful for a professional man to wear". At first Albert is reluctant to give in because he was in the shop for different reason - to admire his secret fiancée. However he reconsiders the thought of someone of his calibre and class wearing a worn out shoe and so he gives in. This depicts that the Victorians were very conscious about their way of life and they always made sure that their living reflected their status.

The audience are also revealed to Hobson's undisturbed attitude to life in general when he finished his breakfast when he says, "Maggie, I'm just going out for a quarter of an hour" and Maggie replies "if you stay more than an hour in the Moonrakers inn-", Hobson instantaneously replies "Moonrakers"? Who said-?" This shows that both his daughters and other characters in the play know Hobson's Values and they can predict Hobson's actions. "If you ruin your dinner, it'll be your own fault" - Vickey indirectly tells hers father that if he destroys or abuses his reputation "dinner" he should be blamed as they know that their father never accepts his faults but instead he blames it on other characters. This attitude is reflected when he fell on a neighbours cellar in act three and lamely blamed it on Maggie by saying "I say it solemnly, it is all your fault... I stayed too long at the Moonrakers. And why did I stay too long? To try to forget that I'd a thankless child, to erase from the tablets of memory the recollection of your conduct. That was the cause of it. And the result, I fell into that cellar". Hobson replies Vickey by swearing and Alice commands her father with an imperative sentence "Don't swear father". This is an example of an imperative statement, which sets Hobson 'on fire', and he decides to discipline his daughters. He "puts his hat on the counter". The noun "hat" symbolises the dignity and pride of Hobson, as it was a tradition that men never went around without their hats on. Also "counter" could symbolise a majestic and decorous pulpit where people with honour and pride go to when they want to say something important. In Act one, the audience never see Willie standing next to the counter. Hobson continues by telling his daughters that they are "rebellious females of my house" and he wants them to be obedient " what I say will be listened to and heeded". The audience notice that Hobson has self-pride and he wants respect he has not earned which is not possible not even in the modern society. This upsets the audience as Hobson's daughters are trying to help him by preventing his dignity and pride depreciating but he takes them for granted by ignoring them and saying menial statements. The audience would discover that Hobson's tone at this moment is quite dominant and assertive until Ms heptworth steps into the shop and his tone suddenly changes to a subservient man. At first he sees her and doesn't want her to come in but because of her wealth he had no choice than to let her in. The audience sense a change in status when Hobson greets her respectfully "Good Morning Mrs Heptworth, what a lovely day" and he "places a chair for her". The audience also observe that other characters call Hobson by his first name unlike Mrs Heptworth who is regarded as "Mrs" which gives a hint that she is very influential. Hobson degrades himself by "kneeling and fondling her foot". It was a principle that lower class always respected and appreciated the higher class. However, the audience would find this hilarious because men regardless of their status would consider themselves more dignified than women as they were entitled to voting and education while women were not. The change in heights also shows a change in Status because slaves were meant to kneel, go lower or bow down to their kings. At this point, the respect and honour the audience have for Hobson is lost due to his irregular character - one moment he's asserting and establishing his authority and the next he is diminishing the authority that's not even been recognised.