Through flashbacks, one is also able to view the changes that have occurred in Shirley since she was a teenager. As a teenager Shirley is humiliated in the school hall, and her self-confidence wounded by her Head Mistress. The Head Mistress asks everyone a Question, “What is man’s most important invention?” No-body knows the answer, not even the cleverest girl in school, Marjorie Majors. Shirley puts her hand up. The Head Mistress ignores her, and asks others; still no one gets it right. Then finally the Head Mistress asks Shirley Valentine, “Miss… it was – the wheel!” She knows she has got it right, when suddenly, “Somebody must have told you!” The Head Mistress is furious and just could not accept the fact that Young Shirley Valentine is the only person in the entire school that has the correct answer. This experience makes Shirley feel the opposite way about her self, and changes her attitude towards school, “I became a rebel.” This quote suggests that Shirley does not care about school anymore and it does not matter to her if she gets into trouble or breaks the school rules, she now has a negative attitude towards school.
Shirley has an envious rival at school, Marjorie Majors, the teacher pet. Shirley hates Marjorie on the outside but is really jealous of her on the inside. You could easily understand all this from this quote, “And all the time, I suppose really wanted to be like her.” It shows that even though Shirley hates Marjorie all she wanted is to be like he, smart, clever, and liked by teachers. “That makes four billion house points she’s got so far.” This quote shows more of her envy. Shirley bullies Marjorie, as another way of being rebellious, breaking the rules, when we all know all she wants it to be like that. She also does other things to get into the teachers’ ‘bad books’ such as smoking, not paying attention in lessons, and wearing a really short skirt. “I used to wear me school skirt so high you would’ve thought it was a serviette.” We also see Russell using two very dramatic quotes, which really convey how Shirley acted at school, “I used to exude boredom out of every pore. An’ I hated everythin’.” and “Well, tickle my tits till Friday.” As an adult she demonstrates merely a small amount of the assertiveness she expressed as a teenager.
Russell uses voiceovers to allow the character to speak over the action and dialogue of other characters, to speak out her true feelings and emotions to the audience. The other characters cannot hear Shirley’s voiceovers. Russell abbreviates the word voiceover, so it looks like VO. Here a good example of voiceover when Shirley is having a conversation with her neighbour Gillian.
This is how it would be written in the book:
Shirley (VO) “I don’t normally have much to do with Gillian.”
Shirley’s close friend Jane, ‘the feminist’, gives Shirley an opportunity to join her on a holiday to a Greek island, Mykonos. At first Shirley is not showing any interest about going, even though deep down inside her she really wants to go and keeps on making up excuses about not being able to go. The quote “You’re the only one I ever talk to. I won’t half miss you.” Suggests that Shirley is isolated and lonely. Shirley is worried about to go to Greece because she knows that Joe will think the obvious, she is going for the sex. Shirley takes the decision to go to Greece because of many key reasons.
The first key reason that makes her change her mind about going to Greece is the reunion with Marjorie Majors. When she found out about Marjorie’s profession she realised that societies expectations of you do not always have to be met. In Marjorie’s case it was the fact that yet she was so talented at school in her work, she grew up to be a prostitute. In Shirley’s case it is the fact that there is a married middle-aged woman going to a Greek island, and the only reason people would come up with for her going is the fact that she is going for sex. Marjorie also reminds Shirley of what she used to be like at school, “I was marvellous”. In the meeting they found out that they both wanted to be like each other.
Another key reason that contributed to Shirley making the decision of her going to Greece was the incident that happened at the dinner table with her husband, Joe. Joe is furious that he has not got egg and chips for supper and not the usual ‘Thursday’ meal of steak, he reacts in a very negative manner, “Well I’m not eatin’ this. I – am – not – eatin’ – shite!” The quote, “When I’m workin’ all the hours that God sends.” shows that Joe gets tired and grumpy in the evenings. But it also shows that he spends all his time at work and not enough time at home with Shirley. When Shirley reacts she speaks with steal in he voice, which shows that she is determined. After this confrontation Shirley gives a clue to Joe that she is going to Greece. But because of their lack of communication he does not understand and thinks that she wants both of them to go to Greece.
Millandra, Shirley’s daughter, comes back to live with her mother because her and her flatmate, Sharon-Louise, have had an argument. She has come back to gain comfort from her mother. Thinking as if Shirley has not got anything to do, Millandra starts to make plans, whist bossing Shirley around. The quote, “Will you go down and get us another spoon?” is a very good example of this. Shirley starts to tell Millandra her situation, but Millandra does not listen to Shirley. Shirley explains to Millandra that she has been very lonely. Shirley tells Millandra that she is going to Greece with Jane but Millandra thinks stereotypically, Shirley is going to Greece for the sex. Millandra’s attitude to Shirley is shown when she says, “I think it’s a disgrace!” Shirley quickly replies with “Sex for breakfast, sex for lunch, sex for dinner and sex for supper!” whilst Millandra is storming out the house. This is another example of Shirley using humour when she is really hurt.
This makes Shirley think again about going to Greece, she feels stupid and thinks that she’s too old to go. When she is about to phone Jane and tell her what has happened, the doorbell rings, it is Gillian. Gillian thinks that Shirley is going to Greece with her lover, so she has brought a present for her. Gillian looks up to Shirley because of this, “I wish I’d had you bravery.” The quote, “I think you’re marvellous.” shows Gillian boosting Shirley’s confidence. Gillian makes Shirley feel like how she used to feel at school, marvellous. Shirley looks into the mirror and says, “I’m no longer Shirley Bradshaw – middle-aged housewife, beginnin’ to sag a bit – I’m Shirley the Brave, Shirley the Marvellous! . . . Shirley Valentine!” This quote shows that Shirley is not anymore that boring old married woman but is back to her usual self, the usual self she used to be at school.
Russell was born in Liverpool and uses the contrast between the two settings, Liverpool and Greece, to emphasise how miserable and boring Liverpool is compared to how bright, sunny, exotic and lively Greece is. Shirley Bradshaw is associated with dull old Liverpool where as Shirley Valentine is associated with exotic Greece. When Shirley first arrives in Mykonos she admires at the scenery and is filled with happiness. The quote, “It was like I’d come to the far side of paradise. An’ I loved it.” Shows how much she liked it in comparison to Liverpool. Even though Shirley is in Greece she is still lonely because Jane ran off with a man she met on the plane. Shirley is shocked at Jane and is surprised that se is acting this way because of her attitude towards men, “Listen, Jane – I think you’ve probably blown the Feminist of The Year Award, so just leave it out, will you.” Shirley does not even like the man Jane has gone off with and call him, “the walking groin.” This shows that Shirley knows that the man as well is just in it for the sex. Shirley is still lonely even though she is sitting on the beach, like in Liverpool where she talks to the wall, in Greece she talks to the Rock, which is in a certain area of the beach, where Shirley likes to relax.
The other English tourists cannot take in Greek culture; they want everything to be like ‘England’, the food and surroundings. They are quite rude toward the Greeks and try to help Shirley because they do not think it is right for someone to be on their own. This is another good example of society’s expectations of a middle-aged woman. Shirley does not want do go with them but they insist she does. In the quote, “It’s a good job we’re not havin’ soup or I’d put me head in it and drown meself!” we see Shirley using humour again. The other English tourists start to insult Greece and Greek culture and say that England is a better place. However to everyone’s amazement Shirley defends the Greeks, “The English? Don’t even talk to me about the English.” We notice the irony when she mentions the wheel.
Shirley goes to a tavern and meets a meets a man called Costas who make her dream, sipping wine in a country where it is grown by the sea, come true by move her table to the sea. But she does not feel satisfied because she is lonely. In this seen Russell uses very important stage direction. While sitting by the sea, Shirley reflects on her life and talks about life’s expectations not being what we expect them to be. She also blames herself for wasting her potential. Costas shows kindness to Shirley, so she decides to go. We see Shirley being very rebellious, like how she used to in her school years, when she agrees to go on a boat with Costas. Costas seems to be a very charming man. He knows how to speak to women and makes them feel comfortable. Costas can be sensitive and sympathetic. The next day Jane comes back from her man, “the walking groin”, and acts as if nothing has happened, towards Shirley. She starts to make plans on what to do. When Costas comes in Jane mistakes him for ‘room-service’ and he mistakes her for ‘room-service’. Hypocritically Jane accuses Shirley of doing the wrong thing by going off with Costas, when she was the one who spent a few days with “the walking groin”. Shirley has a new experience whilst being with Costas, she steers his boat along the coast. Shirley realises that Costas has a way with women, “You really know how to talk with women don’t you?” This is a contrast to Joe; Joe is the total opposite he does not listen at all of Shirley. The quote, “Shirley Valentine is the bloody loop!” reminds us of the early days when her and Joe had fun. Shirley tells Jane that she has not fallen in love with Costas she’s fallen in love with her new life.
Ironically Joe starts talking to the wall, because he is worrying about his wife in Greece. This shows that Joe is also lonely and stuck in the same dull routine as Shirley. Shirley goes to a Greek wedding with Costas, which is a very positive experience for her. Shirley really likes the wedding but has other things on her mind that are distracting her. She is upset because she knows that she has to go back to Liverpool soon. Shirley has an idea of staying in Greece forever, when a couple of tourists mistake her for a waitress, in Costas’s tavern. This gives her even more confidence to stay in Greece and work for Costas. In the quote, “Because we don’t do what we want to do – do we? We do what we have to do an’ pretend that’s what we want to do.” Shirley explains the fait of most people and how we continue in unhappy situations. We see that Shirley is assertive about change.
When they are about to get on the plane Shirley decides that she is going to stay in Greece forever. Jeanette and Dougie have a stereotypical reaction towards her and judge her. When Shirley gets back to Costas tavern she sees him using the same charms that he used on her. The quote, “I haven’t come back for you. I’ve come back for a job” show that she does not really want to be with Costas she only wants a job, to Costas’s amazement On the phone Joe Says, “You’re a disgrace.” This is the same thing that Millandra said and show his attitude towards her. He blames her although the conversation. Shirley is adjusting well to the lifestyle and the job. We see her going through more new experiences, such as riding a scooter. She looks very healthy and happy. Meanwhile Joe is still trying to persuade Shirley to come back to Liverpool, but it’s not working. One day Brian, his son, convinces Joe to go to Greece himself, in doing so he insults his father. Joe goes to Greece, when he arrives he sees a woman sitting by the sea sipping wine and offers obvious male approval, not knowing it’s Shirley. When he walks down the road towards her he looks tired, and he walks right past her. Shirley calls him, “Joe” Joe looking surprised turns around, “I didn’t recognise you.” This shows that Shirley is healthier. “Oh I hope he stays for a while. He needs a holiday. He needs to feel the sun on his skin and to be in water that’s as deep as forever.” This quote shows Shirley explaining to Joe why she likes it in Greece. She also explains what good it would do for Joe if he stayed with her in Mykonos. The film ends with the two talking together like a proper married couple.
“It’s a change of life.” This is a good quote to sum up what Shirley has done with her life. At the end of the play, Shirley and Joe are talking happily. Russell use of stage direction right at the end of the play is an effective dramatic device because it helps us to see Joe’s reaction and attitude to the weather and surrounding, he cannot handle. “I used to be the mother. I used to be the wife. But now I’m Shirley Valentine again”. This quote shows that Shirley feels more like a human being instead a sad old woman being bossed around at home, she is happier, and she feels like a better person. She has transformed both physically, emotionally and mentally.