Hobson's Choice Essay

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Hobson’s choice.

The play, “Hobson’s choice,” written by Harold Brighouse, was set during the time period when women’s rights were prohibited, not being allowed to vote, for example, during the early 20th century. In doing so, Harold Brighouse combines both comedy and confliction, between all of the characters.

When the curtain comes up, you see Hobson’s daughters on the stage in the shop. Stereotyping comes into action here as you see the daughters, Alice and Vicky, reading and knitting. Maggie, who is diligent that she will succeed by perusing her wishes rather than her fathers, then enters the stage and busies herself with the account books. The audience would perhaps find this situation peculiar as women during the 19th century were not thought of as business women. As a result of this, tension arises as Maggie is defying the stereotype regarding women. She defies the fact that most women don’t make something of themselves. By looking at the account books, it portrays her personality as forceful, forthright and a business type woman. As Maggie examines the account book, it displays that she is intellectual as she understand maths and she straight seems to be more prominent from her other sisters as soon as she enters the scene. She automatically seems to look superior to them.

During the Victorian era, women had to abide by specific regulations. One of these regulations being that you had to obey your father as he was generally the master.  There is an immense amount of controversy in the play, “Hobson’s choice,” due to this certain rule. An example of differences developing due to that rule is when they are discussing what time to have dinner.  

Dinner will be when I come in for it. I’m master here.” By Hobson actually announcing that he is master, he in my opinion is not only reminding his daughters that he is superior and his daughters are inferior, but I feel that he is also reminding himself. This could be as he may be losing control over his daughters.

In a sense, a debate occurs when Hobson and his 3 daughters are discussing marriage proposals as well. “You thought me past the marrying age. I‘m not that‘s all.” Here, Maggie is refusing to be put into the so called, “Shelved,” cluster that her father has positioned her in. This displays that she is trying to abolish her fathers patriarchal ways of thinking about women. Maggie feels that it is a woman’s prerogative to chose who they will and will not marry as they will have to spend the rest of their lives with that particular man. “Didn’t you hear me say, I‘d do the choosing when it came to a question on husbands.” Hobson here illustrates that he is basically shovanistic. People through the Victorian phase would not have thought of him as his this arrogant person, although people nowadays would. It becomes apparent that Hobson is anxious that he might fail. Fail in both the aspects of his business and his family. He has to fortify the fact that he overpowers his family and his employees. Maggie is an asset to both the family and the business and if Maggie gets married, he will no longer have a business and therefore, he will fail. Here, Maggie challenges Hobson’s and the audiences analysis. She goes out to prove her father wrong. That she will be independent, get a good life, get a husband and succeed.

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Willie Mossop is a fundamental character in the play, “Hobson‘s choice,” as he, similarly to another character, conveys the negative points about society in the Victorian era such as the working conditions that employees had to tolerate, and how being at a lower social status effects the way your treated. In relation to Willie Mossop, Mrs Hepworth is also another vital character within the play due to the fact that she displays disparity and imbalance. Inequality is also shown  as a result of Mrs Hepworth. Although she is a minor character, she plays a very major and significant role. ...

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