The Road to Mecca

by Athol Fugard

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Discussion Topic

Causes of despair in the women in The Road to Mecca

Summary:

The causes of despair in the women in The Road to Mecca include societal oppression and isolation. They struggle with the restrictive cultural expectations placed on them, which limit their freedom and self-expression. This leads to feelings of loneliness and a lack of purpose, as they are unable to pursue their true passions and desires in a male-dominated society.

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What causes Helen's feelings of despair in The Road to Mecca?

Helen's feelings of despair likely originate with her husband's death that happened 15 years prior to events in the play. The play hints that Miss Helen had a falling away from the church after her husband died, and that was 15 years ago. After her husband died, Miss Helen was not able to get the spiritual comfort from church that she was desperately seeking. To her credit, Miss Helen wasn't confrontational about any of it. She simply removed herself from consistent church attendance, and she substituted a new form of worship in her life. Her art and sculptures became her new religion, and they gave her freedom of expression and spiritual wholeness. Unfortunately, her breaking with the church resulted in the community distancing themselves from Helen. That likely also contributed to feelings of loneliness and despair.

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What causes despair in the women in The Road to Mecca?

In addition to still mourning the death of her husband, Helen is despairing over the fact that she may have to move out of the house she's lived in for so many years and move into a church-run facility for the elderly. Helen is one of life's free spirits, and despite her age and growing infirmity, she still retains a fierce streak of independence. The last thing she wants is to sacrifice her independence by moving into a care home, especially one run by a church whose values she doesn't share.

As for Elsa, she's in despair over her recent abortion. She was pregnant with her married lover's child and thought perhaps that they might start a family together. But he chose to go back to his estranged wife instead. This proved to be a deeply traumatic experience for Elsa, who has been dealing with the emotional fallout ever since.

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