Literature Unit By Zac Southwood
Hobson’s Choice
‘Hobson’s Choice’ by Harold Brighouse struck me initially as a well constructed play with a plot that was skilfully unravelled for us by the characters that Brighouse introduced. Each character had a role to play in bringing the plot of the play to a conclusion. The pace of the comedy was maintained throughout and was therefore easy to follow and enjoyable. On closer inspection it is possible to identify the subtlety and craftsmanship of the playwright. In order to fully appreciate Brighouse’s work it is necessary to understand the social and historical setting of the play and the audience for whom it was written at the time. In the introduction of the edition we used by Charles Wood we are given an insight to Brighouse. We learn that Brighouse was a literary leader and artistic writer who was very aware of the tradition he was working in. The play is set in the late Victorian era where opportunities for self-advancement due to the industrial revolution had altered societies perception of class and a substantial middle class had evolved. Within this brave new world society was changing and people were unsure of their place in it. Furthermore when the play was first produced in 1916 the suffragette movement was very much a topic of the day and a strong character like Maggie would still be seen as challenging the values of the day. Her behaviour would have been as shocking to some of the audience as it was to Hobson. These factors alone would have further heightened the dramatic tension of the comedy. It is also important to note that Brighouse in common with the playwrights of his time was acutely aware of the traditions of playwriting and ‘Hobsons Choice’ is a classical comedy, which has its roots in the classical comedies of Aristophanes and Aristotle. The classical theory of comedically exploiting the battle between the generations and siding with lovers against elders is used in Aristotle’s ‘Poetics’, Aristophanes ‘Clouds’ and later in Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’, ‘Maggie, I’ve none kissed you yet. I shirked before. But, by gum. I’ll kiss you now.’ It is also a comedy of character, Hobsons character has many echoes of Falstaff in ‘Henry 1V(they are both fat invariably drunk and boastful). ‘Hobsons Choice’ is also a comedy of action with parallels to the fairytale ‘Cinderella’, only in this case Will plays Cinderella and Maggie plays Prince Charming with Mrs Hepworth filling the role of Fairy Godmother. Thus Brighouse by drawing on various traditional dramatic techniques weaves his story in what he feels is a contemporary way. Hereby he prepares us for the final confrontation where Willie overcomes the whole Hobson family to make his fairytale ending come true.
