‘Hobson’s Choice’
A Hobson’s choice is basically to offer the option of taking the thing preferred or nothing. So, it is not really a real choice at all.
The phrase originated from a practice of a seventeenth century Cambridgeshire stable owner called Hobson whose customers had to take the horse nearest to the door, which was actually Hobson’s choice. The phrase was passed on by many generations and is now a phrase used by a large number of people.
In the play ‘Hobson’s Choice’, Harry Hobson who lives in Salford above his boot shop with his three daughters, Alice, twenty-three, Vickey, twenty-one and Maggie, the oldest by seven years of Vickey.
Hobson is a middle-class man who receives his income from the shop he owns. This shop of his is a boot shop. He, however, does not take any part of the operating. His eldest daughter, Maggie is his main source of income. Her talent in persuasion and a boot maker, Willie Mossop, go well as a partnership; his natural craftsmanship provides boots worth buying. Hobson, whilst the shop is in operation would usually his time in the Moonraker’s Inn. He would usually meet with Jim Healer, his companion. Hobson creates an image of himself as a rather domineering character. His hypocrisy is a main ingredient of his bullying behaviour. The attitude and feelings immediately change when Ms. Hepworth, a first-class citizen enters his shop as he pampers her. But, soon after her departure from his shop, we see the second face of Hobson as he talks about Ms. Hepworth in a boastful manor. The worst feeling is when he is told what to do, this aggravates him as he likes to do things according to his plans. Hobson’s ego and self-centredness begins to glow.
