The Role of Women in Piano Lesson - Essay Example

? The role of women in “The Piano Lesson” Introduction According to the scriptures, when Adam felt loneliness in heaven God bestowed him with a companion who as wife had to live with Adam. Eve’s companionship brought about a healthy influence on Adam’s life and he became happier than before. Though the story of original sin and Adam and Eve’s consequent expulsion from heaven have been taken by some biased people as an instance for declaring the companion ship of woman harmful for man, yet the story throws light on the inevitable relationship of man and woman in this world. Both need the company of each other to satisfy their desires. This connection further generates many relationships between man and woman which show the interdependence of each gender on the other. This man-woman relationship has become a part of the thematic content of the play “The Piano Lesson” where women of the family have been shown as strong combining force which has brought the family together. Apart from that the play has tried to dispel traditional notions that women cannot live without men as the protagonist of the play, Berniece has proves that she can live alone in this world and has the capacity of run her family without the aid of any male member. The play shows Berniece a woman without a man. Her husband Crawley is dead long ago and now she is living a lonely life. The play depicts the plight of lonely woman in the world. Male dominated thinking scorns at the idea of seeing woman living on their own. This traditional thought believes that women are weaker sex and they cannot live on their own. They need the company of a strong man who is always there to protect them and take their side. The idea of world where women are strong and independent is not entertained in a male dominated society. The world of Berniece seems to be a male dominated world. In this world woman is taken as a toy whose only job is to please its male companion. Woman is considered inferior to man. It was though that serious decisions of life cannot be taken by women as they were looked upon as emotional and frail beings. This thought makes Boy Willie take the decision of selling the Piano in place of a piece of land. He in order to fulfill his masculine dreams of becoming a land owner is willing to sacrifice all that is so dear to his family. He does not care about the opinion of his sister. Biased views of men about women Men have a biased view of women and they think that women are meant for men’s pleasure. The following remarks of Boy Willie show what men think of women. Boy Willie: "All [Lymon] want to talk about is women. […] Talking about all the women he gonna get when he get up here." (1.1.94). The remarks summarize the philandering nature of Lymon who is always in search of nightstands. His affair with grace has been depicted during the course of the play. Winning boy sells his suit to Lymon by telling him that the suit has magical powers and can attract women. The men of the story think that the women of the story like typical women are in search of male companions with huge sum of money with them. The financial security ensured by male members of the society is a common notion held by patriarchal ideology. They think that men are the breadwinners and women are their pleasure toys. Doaker, a mature person , also thinks that women remain in search of a man with a stuffed purse. They show love and affection for rich men and are delighted in their company. He remarks. "I ain't thinking about them women. […] All them women want is somebody with a steady payday" (1.1.179). Woman as a cohesive force in family Home is the domain of woman where she tries to act as a cohesive force to combine her family. She does this through her sacrificial behavior and is willing to shed her bled for her family. In a fond memory of her woman ancestor, Berniece recalls how the women of the family took care of piano ( a symbol of family cohesion) through their tears and blood. Berniece says, "Mama Ola polished this piano with her tears for seventeen years. For seventeen years she rubbed on it till her hands bled. Then she rubbed the blood in…mixed it with the rest of the blood on it." (1.2.164). Berniece as a strong woman Bernieceis strong willed woman who knows how to survive in a world dominated by man. When Avery, the preacher, proposes her, she rejects his proposal on the ground that she can survive without the support and patronage of men and she is annoyed that why people always tell her that she cannot be a woman unless she has a man. She resists her brother when she comes to know that he is bent upon selling the piano. She thinks that piano is the symbol of family legacy as the pictures of their ancestors are carved on it. When Boy Willie tries to take the piano by force she shows courage and strength by resisting this attempt of his brother. Berniece brings her dead husband’s gun to stop the men from taking away of the family property from the house. BERNIECE: I ain’t playing with Boy Willie. I got Crawley’s gun upstairs. He don’t know but I’m through with it. [. . .] I ain’t studying Boy Willie or Lymon—or the rope. Boy Willie ain’t taking that piano out this house. That’s all there is to it(2.5.13). In the same scene, she takes charge and plays the piano. She calls of the help of her ancestors at this critical juncture. Relationship between man and woman ( e.g. husband-wife, brother-sister, father-daughter,lover-beloved) Another aspect of man-woman relationship that has been highlighted in play is courtship. In the play it has been shown that instinctive desires bring man and woman together to seek pleasure from each other’s bodies. But Wilson seems to have abhorred the idea of having casual sexual relationships. That’s why when Boy Willie brings a local girl to the house for one night stand, Bernieceshows her disapproval of this by asking them to get out. In the same scene, Lymon also shows his disgust over casual sexual relationships and shows his desire to find a right woman for himself. The writer seems to suggest that bodily desires will best be served under some serious relationships. Bernieceis not totally a celibate woman . Rather she is woman of flesh and blood who knows the hidden desires of her body and soul. She is engaged in dating relationship with Avery, the preacher and she also kisses Lymon when he gives her a bottle of perfume. Here in these situations we find her a typical woman who is in search of a right man for her and wants somebody to share her body with. Bernice’s relationship is somewhat different. It is a love-hate kind of relationship. Berniece does not welcome her brother as she thinks that Willie is responsible for the death of her husband but the sisterly affection makes her let him stay at her home. This sisterly love also makes her pray for the safety of her brother when he is attacked by ghosts in the ending part of the play. She plays piano to save her brother. The Piano lesson depicts the story of a family who has to make choices about the legacy of its ancestor. The male members of the family are in favor of selling piano in place of piece of land. On the other hand, woman of the house opposes them and is adamant on keeping the piano at her house. The play shows woman as the custodians of family traditions and the cohesive forces in bringing the family closer. Women in the story have been presented in a positive color. Berneice becomes a symbol strong womanhood who can live alone in this world and is not dependent on male members for protection and security. Works Cited Wilson, August. The Piano Lesson. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Plume, 1990. Print. Read More