Importance and influence of the Gun and the Cart in Ariel Dorfmans Death and the Maiden and Bertolt Brechts Mother Courage respectively.

Authors Avatar

Topic: - Importance and influence of the Gun and the Cart in Ariel Dorfman’s “Death and the Maiden” and Bertolt Brecht’s “Mother Courage” respectively.

The Gun and the Cart both play key roles in their respective stories. Their importance lies in the fact that the authors are able to use them to convey many ideas to the readers which cannot always be expressed in words. These two objects support both Paulina (Death and the Maiden) and Mother Courage and influence the way both women behave in their respective environments as well.

In “Death and the Maiden” Act 1, Scene 1 and 2, a very submissive Paulina is presented to the reader. A Paulina who is usually unhappy with the decisions made by Gerardo but has no real choice in these matters as her husband chooses for her and only asks for her consent as a formality. A clear example of this is in Scene 1 where Gerardo asks for her approval to accept the post offered to him by the president, Paulina tells Gerardo that she knows he has already made up his mind and has accepted the post (Paulina: “I don’t see what you have to think over. You’ve already made your decision, Gerardo, you know you have”). Eventually she agrees saying that “It’s the only yes I’ve got” while this makes it seem as if her opinion was truly considered the final line of Scene 1 shows the reader that she simply could not refuse Gerardo as the decision was already made for her. (Gerardo: “Yes. I told him I’d do it. Before asking you.”) Another example of this when Gerardo invites Miranda over for dinner without even asking Paulina (Scene 1) , thus, although the country had been freed from the oppressive rule of the dictatorship Paulina was still oppressed within her own house itself. However, the entire atmosphere changes after Scene 3 when Paulina takes possession of the gun.

Join now!

With the gun in Paulina’s hand Dorfman shows a different side of her, the earlier compliant Paulina is gone and in her place is a woman who is in control of the situation. Paulina realizes that it is the gun which allows her to speak her mind and finally make choices, in Act 1 Scene 4 when Gerardo tells her to put the gun down as it is preventing any dialogue from taking place, she counters saying that as soon as she puts the gun down “all dialogue will terminate” since Gerardo would use his “strength to win the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay