Hobson's Choice: Movie Review

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Henry Hobson runs a successful boot makers shop in nineteenth-century Salford. A widower with a weakness for the Moonraker’s club, he tries forcefully to run the lives of his three unruly daughters. When he decrees “no marriages” to avoid the expensive matter of settlements, eldest daughter Maggie rebels and sets her sights on Will Mossop, Hobson's star, but lower class boot maker. Maggie and Will leave to start up in competition, and she then turns her mind to helping her sisters marry their chosen partners. I personally feel that the title is base on the traditional saying, “Hobson’s choice” which means a person has no real choice at all; their only options being to either accept or refuse the offer that is given to you.
In the play Hobson's choice, there is no doubt that the character of Maggie represents a woman who is born before her time. She has a modern way of thinking and spends the entire play braking away from convention, this modern sprit reveals its self in a way that shows that she knows her own mind and takes charge of any situations. In addition to running the house she is responsible for running the business whilst she farther avoids the hard work of either by spending his time at The Moonraker’s club. Her sisters depend on her for providing a stable domestic atmosphere and her father is happy for her to assume the role of mother. During that period the role of women was significantly reduced when compared to the expectations of men. Whilst Maggie's role in running the home was not unusual at the time her role in running the shop would be seen as a seriously emancipating. Her practical presence and her proud independent nature make her a formidable figure. The Hobson family are oblivious to the hold that she has o...

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...an be seen throughout, however I think we are also supposed to feel sympathy for Maggie because she has such a modern mindset, but trapped in a world unaccustomed to her views and admire her as she manages to overcome her flaws to become the perfect wife with the perfect life. I feel that we are also supposed to also condemn the archaic views and stereotypes expressed throughout this amusing play.
I personally enjoyed the text as it challenged to outdated thinking of the period with revolutionary views and positions. I do feel that the play was let down however by Maggie reverting to the stereotypical house wife in the end. This gave the impression that all women want is to be a house wife, and this is simply not true. Other than this however I feel that the play was very informative of the roles of class at the time and how reputation and status meant everything.

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