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How might the play be cathartic?

Seeing what the women of 1913 experienced as well as following the personal lives of the women is hard to watch but the ending is ultimately cathartic. For example, the bigger picture demonstrates the the suffragettes being beaten, force fed and dominated by the wider world. This contrasts to how the world works today, it seems impossible for such a horrid array of happenings to not only take place in front of the audience's eyes, but to my disgust in real life. The visual images of these moments creates a moment of catharsis at the end of the play because there is the relief of Celia and Eve moving on with their lives. Also the play coming to an end means the audience is relieved to be taken away from the awful world of the play and back to this age where women do indeed have the vote.

What are the issues presented in the play?

Sexism - Women not having the vote and male domination

Class system - Eve being deprived from a lot because of her status and the way different women of different class' were treated in prison

Isolation - Celia not loving William and being isolated as an upper class woman, Eve being a lonely character -isolated from her family and later Celia. All the women in a way. Willam.

William is seen as being supportive of the suffragette movement. Why?

I believe this is mainly because the character is so inlove with Celia that he ultimately supports the movement for her benefit. I don't believe he's the type of husband to purposely be sexist and abusive but I don't think he'd ba adverse to it. If Celia was a housewife he'd roll with that. Celia has shaped his ideologies into what they are. She also dominates their relationship and wouldn't allow Will to think/do otherwise.

Differences between Celia and Eve?

Class and hierarchy separates the two hugely. Attitudes, Eve is innocent and hard working, one wrong choice could cost her everything. Whereas Celia is relaxed and chilled out, she is very much nit innocent but instead sneaky and manipulative. She is upper class and gets away with everything both in and outside of prison. She is treated like a queen.

Age, Eve being young (33) and Celis in her 40's

Why are they unable to maintain a relationship?

Because they ultimately want different things. Eve wants companionship, she doesn't want to be lonely. She wants to be a part of something and Celia comes in the form of that something. She makes Eve feel loved and wanted. However, Celia wants a person she truly loves but also doesn't like settling. Because of this, any affair is simply a fling to her which meant that nothing was ever going to intentionally be permanent. The two were unable  to maintain a relationship because they both wanted different outcomes.

Aout people mentioned in play. Why are they mentioned?

Queen Elizabeth - Being the virgin queen was a great role model for the suffragettes. Queen Elizabeth was an early feminist, being able to make male decisions on her own. She is very similar to the character of Florence in many ways -even refusing to marry in order to keep her appeal as the Virgin Queen. This makes a far better leader than Queen Victoria of the time because she was very against the suffragette movement despite her daughters being in favour of it.

Captain Scott - Leader of a British expeditionary Group that were trying to reach the South Pole but this group failed. This would've been headline news during the time of the play.

Igor Stravinsky - Would've risen to fame during the youth of the characters in the play. He was famous for ballet