“Father Knows Best”

“Father Knows Best”

This is an extract from an American seris from the 50’ entitled Father Knows Best.

There is a family, the father comes from work and intends to read his paper which is a ritual. He is the breadwinner, he brings home the bacon = he provides for his famiy.

The mother stays at home, she is a housewife. She looks neat (élégante, soignée) and smart.

The room seems clean and tidy (rangée) 

She takes his satchel (serviette) and hat.

She’s the perfect wife, submissive. She’s at his beck and call (aux petits soins).

She’s a happy housewife, they’re close.

        women’s status in society, patriarchal society[pic 1]

            gender equality[pic 2]

Who wears the pants ? Do we still live in a man’s land ?

THE IDEA OF PROGRESS / PLACES AND FORMS OF POWER

A Dutiful life

End of the play.

It’s a monolog by Katherina who’s addressing the other wives during the wedding banquet held by her father in honor of his two daughters.

She describes married life, the role/duties of a good husband and a good wife.

A husband has to protect his wife, look after her. He brings home the bacon, by working hard; provides for her as we can see line 1 “by keep her”, l3 “thy maintenance” He’s ready to take risks for the sake of his safety (le bien de sa sécurité).

As a result, a husband is entitled to receive his wife’s gratitude. She is in debt to him, for all of this, her protection and her upkeep. It’s only normal husbands should expect their wives to love them, to obey them, and to be beautiful.

Husbands clearly have the power here:

 - rulers of the house

 - wear the pants

 - call the tune (mener la danse)

A women’s welfare (bien-être matériel) is in the hands of the husband. The balance of power is unequal here.

Husbands and wives are not on an equal footing; the wife owes everything to her husband in so far as (dans la mesure où) she’s totally dependent on her hubby.

From our 21th siècle point of view, marriage is like a golden prison, it follows a traditional backward pattern (schema patriarcal) where women are under pressure.

What’s striking is that Katherina is herself a woman who denigrates, criticizes the other women. It’s clear with the enumeration of negative, disparaging (désobligeant) adjectives she uses line 12 to 15. She blames them for being wayward (rebelled) “froward” (obstinée), grumpy “peevish” (grincheuse), harsh (dure), ill-tempered (mauvais caractère) “sour”(aigre)… She blames them for being schrews (mégères) (to tame = dompter, apprivoiser).

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