Characters Discussed
Woman One
Woman One,
Woman Two
Woman Two, and
Woman Three
Woman Three, who are on stage as the play begins, clustered together to suggest a plant form while a voiceover tape talks about one-celled creatures floating in the sea. Woman One says she is Margaret Fuller, the noted nineteenth century feminist, and that she accepts the universe. The other two women in unison reply that, as the nineteenth century philosopher Thomas Carlyle said, you had better accept, for life must live while it can. In a later scene, Woman One is angry; she and Woman Two beat Woman Three. They appear again in the final scene, as they singly or in twos or threes repeat the words “bodies,” “bellies,” and “eggs in bellies” as they touch their breasts and sides and stomachs. They end by turning their backs to the audience as they ask if “eggies in our bellies” are enough. Here, as throughout the play, they imply that there is more to women than their sexual or reproductive functions. For most of the play, these three characters assume the roles of other women. Sometimes the roles are specified—in the second scene, for example, Woman One becomes Sophie—but usually the scenes shift abruptly without the directions saying which woman plays which role. This adds to the thematic suggestion that society often sees women as alike or as merely fulfilling roles rather than being individuals.
Sophie
Sophie, an elderly woman behind a counter in a Brooklyn delicatessen with her sister Esther. A young girl comes in to buy beer. The girl is in a hurry, but Sophie keeps looking at her hair and wanting to touch it because it reminds her of her mother’s hair and of her own when she was young. Sophie regrets the loss of her sense of herself as attractive to men the way her mother had been. At first the girl is sympathetic, but when Esther begins a mocking refrain of Sophie’s woes, the girl joins in. Even Sophie joins the lament, and the three women stroke one another’s hair until the grief becomes so strong that the girl feels suffocated and flings the others away.
Nancy
Nancy, a young woman originally from Oklahoma who is visiting her friend Sally in a New York apartment. She is worried about Sally’s relationship with an abusive former lover. Nancy is drinking heavily and thinks her life is falling apart. She has helped her sister through a divorce and was the family member who had to settle her grandfather’s estate. Her father drinks too much and has had a heart attack. Her mother is dying of bone cancer.
Mrs. Tweed
Mrs. Tweed and
Mrs. Watermelon
Mrs. Watermelon, two old ladies in a nursing home. Mrs. Tweed is more conventional and tries to be stoic, thinking that the days go by endlessly, but Mrs. Watermelon is angry and tired of her confined nonlife. A nurse comes in with a tray of food for them, but she has no sympathy for their condition and does not see them as fellow human beings.
Momo
Momo,
Felicia
Felicia, and
Inez
Inez, three call girls who are in their apartment dressing and putting on makeup before they go to work. They continually bicker and complain about one another. Inez claims to have more work experience with men and threatens to tell their pimp, Ricky, that the other two are not giving him enough of the money they make. Momo says she is sick of the other two ganging up on her, but each of them turns her anger and frustration on the other...
(This entire section contains 743 words.)
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two.
Sue
Sue,
Sak
Sak, and
Ma
Ma, two young women and their mother washing dishes at a tenement sink. Sue is angry about a magazine article that opposes birth control. Sak tells her she should not be taking birth control pills and that she will burn in hell for disagreeing with the priests. Ma does not want to hear the discussion. When Sue keeps defending her position that not all eggs and sperm can possibly become babies anyway and that men should not be the ones to decide about birth control, Ma disowns her as her daughter and tells her to pack her things and get out. Sue says she will go but that she does not need to pack anything, because according to the priests all she needs is the eggs inside her anyway.
Characters
Esther
In the bustling aisles of the grocery store, Esther makes her presence known. She is Sophie's sister, a woman who has reached the middle years of her life. Her words often carry a sharp edge, as she tends to critique her sister's fixation on appearance. Together with a young girl, she weaves a sorrowful melody, lamenting the relentless march of time and embracing the unwelcome arrival of aging.
Felicia
Felicia, a fiery prostitute, frequently finds herself entangled in heated disputes with Momo. Her voice rings out, "Calm down, mother," directed at Inez, the older woman in their shared profession. Uncovering Momo's hidden stash of money, Felicia threatens to reveal it to the house madam. Her words are sharp, instructing Inez to discipline Momo for her misbehavior.
Girl
A young woman, identified simply as Girl, steps into the grocery store with the intention of purchasing a six-pack of beer. Her hair sparks a memory in Sophie's mind, reminiscent of her mother's locks. She graciously allows Sophie to touch her hair, offering a theory that perhaps Sophie had an adverse reaction to the anesthetic used by her doctors. Together with Esther, they join in a melancholy hum, until the weight of it becomes too much for Girl, and she pushes Sophie and Esther away.
Inez
Inez stands as the matriarch among the prostitutes, overseeing both Felicia and Momo. Although Felicia calls her "mother," the true nature of their relationship remains shrouded in mystery—blood ties or not.
Ma
In the play's concluding scenes, Ma emerges as the matronly figure and mother to Sue and Sak. Her conservative nature is deeply rooted in her unwavering faith, which strictly forbids the use of contraception. When Sue reveals her use of the pill, Ma staunchly supports Sak and calls for Sue's departure.
Momo
Among the trio of prostitutes, Momo is the most inexperienced. Clashes with Felicia are commonplace, yet she secretly hides away money, claiming a need for a retreat. Ultimately, she joins Felicia in urging Inez to scold her for her supposed misdeeds.
Nancy
Nancy, hailing from the Midwest, arrives at her sister's New York abode to celebrate newfound freedom. She previously aided Sally in escaping a toxic marriage and proudly dubs herself the "old bulwark of the family." Typically the family's rock during crises, Nancy feels the cracks forming within her as she faces her mother's impending death.
Nurse
The Nurse makes her appearance alongside Mrs. Tweed and Mrs. Watermellon, both residents of a nursing home. Her care is methodical but lacks warmth, drawing the ridicule of those she tends to for her seemingly mechanical nature.
Sak
In the final act, Sak steps forward as Sue's sister. She mirrors her mother's conservative values and harbors some innocence regarding matters of intimacy. It is Sak who informs their mother of Sue's activities, ultimately leading to Sue's expulsion from the home.
Sally
Sally has recently embarked on a new chapter, settling into an apartment after leaving an abusive spouse. With Nancy's help, she claims her independence. Nancy describes Sally as soft, someone prone to yielding to men despite the pain they cause. Sally defends her father, even as her sister accuses him of deceitfully feigning a heart attack.
Sophie
Sophie toils in the grocery store, dumbfounded by a customer seeking beer. The young woman's hair stirs memories of Sophie's own mother, and she mourns the loss of her youthful allure. Esther, her sister, often points out Sophie's past vanity regarding her appearance.
Sue
Sue boldly asserts she is a woman born out of her time, contrasting with her mother and Sak, whom she sees as relics of a bygone era. She defies her church's teachings and the advice of male authors, embracing birth control to avoid motherhood. Sue insists that every woman, in some fashion, practices birth control, as no woman bears every egg she possesses.
Mrs. Tweed
A resident of a nursing home, Mrs. Tweed is quick to reprimand Mrs. Watermellon for speaking of her menstrual cycle, threatening to contact her family for institutionalizing. Her disdain extends to mocking the nurse, likening her breakfast cereal to worms.
Mrs. Watermellon
Outspoken and spirited, Mrs. Watermellon resides in a nursing home. She confides in Mrs. Tweed about a secret she harbors in her heart, one that heralds the dawn of each day. When confronted with the threat of commitment, Mrs. Watermellon wryly reminds Mrs. Tweed of her current situation.
Woman One
Woman One seamlessly transitions through various roles, occasionally embodying named characters. She is distinctly identified at the play's outset as Margaret Fuller, a nod to a pioneering feminist. Later, she shares with the audience her desire to strike something, joining intermittently with others in a chorus.
Woman Two
As another versatile performer, Woman Two steps into multiple roles. She channels Carlyle in the opening, advising Woman One to embrace the universe. Her voice reaches out to the audience, expressing her wish to repel negative emotions back onto those who bear them. She often lends her voice to the chorus alongside her counterparts.
In the performance, Woman Three embodies a multitude of personas, her true identity only unveiled when she prompts the audience to meticulously chronicle the events of their lives, yearning for a connection to be forged. Dramatically, she is thrust to the ground, where she lingers until the segment concludes. Rising with resilience, she begins chanting, evoking a childhood painted with vibrant blossoms. Frequently, she harmonizes with the other women, forming a powerful chorus.
