Hobson's Choice by Harold Brighouse

"Hobson's Choice" by Harold Brighouse

Analyse the events of act one and discuss how the playwright, Harold

Brighouse prepares the audience for the transformation of Will

Mossop's character as seen in act four.

Hobson's Choice was set in the Victorian time of 1880. It was written

in 1915 and is a Lancashire comedy that also refers to class. When

Maggie marries Will, it is seen as a disgrace because Maggie is

marrying someone of a lower class.

Hobson's choice shows the rise of Will Mossop (a boothand) who is a

nervous, unconfident man and how he changes when he marries Maggie,

the daughter of Hobson. Maggie is the complete opposite of Will and

she transforms him. It shows Hobson and others around them disagreeing

with the wedding.

In this essay, I am going to analyse the transformation of Will Mossop

from act1 to act4 and say how he has changed.

We first see Will Mossop when Mrs Hepworth, an important customer of

Hobson's enquires about who made the boots that she has.

"Who made these boots?"

Mrs Hepworth seeks the assistance of Maggie to find out who made the

boots, after getting nowhere with Hobson. This puts Hobson out and he

still tries to interfere and show his importance. He assures Mrs

Hepworth that he will make the man that made them suffer if there is

anything wrong with them.

"if there is anything wrong I assure you I'm capable of making the

man suffer"

Will appears from the trap door. He is lanky man who is not stupid,

but has been stunted mentally. His clothes are poor and shabby but he

has qualities and charm in him.

When Mrs Hepworth speaks to him he is nervous and when she goes to

give him her card he ducks expecting a blow of her.

In the film version when we first...

... middle of paper ...

... doesn't take no for an

answer from Hobson.

In Conclusion I feel that Maggie is solely responsible for the change

in Will. Since she dragged him into marrying her he has changed into a

strong, self-confident and self-assured man. At the end of act 1 he

shows that he won't be bossed about by Hobson and becomes determined

to marry Maggie.

He turns into the strongest man in the play from being the weakest. He

now knows what he is doing in life and is not afraid of changes as he

was at the beginning of the play. He is now successful and respectable

but he doesn't gloat or boast over Hobson's misfortunes. At the end of

the play he shows of all his new qualities. Will's change has happened

for the best for him without a doubt but not for Hobson. Hobson used

to be in charge of Will and boss him around but now the tables have

turned as Hobson now needs Will.