La Ronde Analysis

965 Words2 Pages

Despite being set in the 1890s, the relationships shown in La Ronde have similarities that can be seen in any time period. It is also adaptable to many different eras. The themes of sexual repression and sexual freedom have always been major focuses in all forms of media. Even set in a time of female oppression, especially when it came to sexual feelings, La Ronde was still able to give an interesting portrayal of relationships. There were two scenes that stuck out to me, and that I thought could be well adapted to modern times. These were the scenes involving the Young Wife and Young Husband, as well as the Poet and Little Miss. When one thinks of typical sitcoms, the familiar trope of a bickering married couple often comes to mind. For some …show more content…

The husband likes to think he is a man’s man, and is superior to his simple-minded wife. Watching the Young Husband and Young Wife interact reminded me of these modern-day portrayals. The way the Husband referred to his wife as a “child” showed that he did not see her as his equal, and thought of her intelligence on the same level as a child. They did not act like they were in love, and I think the actors worked to show this lack of physical attraction. The actions seemed forced, more out of duty than actual love. On the bed, the Husband sat cross-legged facing his wife, which I thought was an odd way to interact. He also has to tell her to put her head on his shoulder, showing that this is not a usual interaction between the two. In these sitcoms, the married couple rarely shows signs of actual attraction to one another, often even taking jabs at physical appearance. The Husband also talked down to his wife, speaking to her in a patronizing way. He …show more content…

I think the 1950s would be an interesting time to place this play, as women had been pressed back into the corner again after the wars, and had to fit the “perfect housewife” mold. It would be refreshing to portray women as sexual beings on their own accord, and not as pin-up dolls in these scenes. As the play progresses, the women seem to gain more autonomy and gain more power over their partners. In these time periods, when women were given little freedom, this is a fun concept. Also, the costumes from the 1950s would be fun to play around with, from the poodle skirts to the evolving women’s undergarments. I was not a fan of the 1850s men’s underwear, even though it is historically accurate, I just found it distracting and not aesthetically appealing. It would also be set in America, to fit with the classic 1950s theme. I feel that placing it in this time period would make it resonate more with audiences. The 1950s theme is familiar to most people, while 1890s Vienna does not really strike a chord with many. People know more about the 1950s, and the sexual repression of women. Most history classes include units on the sexism of the day, from the horrific advertisements, displaying women as objects and the possessions of their husbands, to the highly-sexualized pin-up girls. Women were not allowed to be sexual on their own accord, only as a sexual object for

Open Document