All That Chat - re: Loved this show in '75, but... a bit rapey, no??

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re: Loved this show in '75, but... a bit rapey, no??

Posted by:	BruceinIthaca 10:36 pm EDT 10/29/15
In reply to:	re: Loved this show in '75, but... a bit rapey, no?? - Alcindoro 09:46 pm EDT 10/29/15

I had this same discussion with a (male) scholar a summer ago, with regard to the Welty novella. I maintain that the language is metaphoric--"and he robbed her of what he had left the day before." It is a seduction, with Rosamond a willing participant--Welty (and Uhry as adaptor) uses the "rob" verb to maintain the fairy tale role of Jamie Lockhart. I would understand a reading of it as "rape," but it is presented as neither violent nor painful nor traumatic and would appear to be mutually pleasure. And I can be very sensitive to "rapey" and "violence against women" in these classic texts--I still have a hard time with "Carousel" (probably my favorite musical), because it's hard not to see it as having Julie excuse Billy's violence--other than she doesn't "feel pain," because she knows how frustrated and upset he is at his inability to support them and be a good husband. Well, yes, but still... So I have to simply grit my teeth and live with the inconsistency--and that may also be the case "The Robber Bridegroom," which has been one of my favorite small musicals since I saw a production directed by a graduate student when I was at Northwestern decades ago.

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