The Relatability of Julie Jordan in the Carousel

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Recommended: Women's role in society over the centuries

Julie Jordan is the main women focused on in the musical Carousel. With that said she is the only character in the show that is not unlike her real world counterpart. Julie fits a stereotypical mold of women of the time but not character women of the time. Her character is intrinsically an antithesis to all other characters surrounding her. Small choices and actions set her unlike those of made by women in the world of the play allow her to become instantly relatable to the women of 1945.
In Carousel one follows the journey of Julie Jordan and she discovers men, family, and her place in the world. Around Julie one is introduced to characters such as Carrie Pipperidge, Billy Bigelow, Enoch Snow and many more. Each other these characters follow a theatrical stereotype accepted by the public. Carrie is a naive, direct and normal young woman of the period. Her goal is life is no further than domestic bliss with a man. Enoch Lastly, Billy is an anti-hero that is perceived as a typical ladies' man that also rely more on his status as a man then actually talent, very similar to those men of the time period. He is a deeply troubled character ultimately redeemed by the love he could not communicate to his wife and unborn child. In contrast to these theatrical characters one see Julie as a stand out in the show because she so closely resembles the women of the time period. She needs to be able to flirt with Billy without seeming like a vamp, she needs to be able to portray a vast reserve of strength and calm, but also be able to be genuinely afraid and destitute. Julie has depth to her that real women in the 1940s would also have and be able to relate too. With the other characters we see people who have been created in shows prior to this...

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...lie does not give off the idea that she is also suppressed by the man and relationships in her life but allows for women to see that she is subtly disagreeing with the movements towards feminism but also those that keep her in a powerless position in a relationship. These smalls choices set Julies character up to be successful in the world of the play while also obtaining a new sense of independence and self not before seen in theatre.
Overall Julie Jordan’s character is the only character in the show that reflects the ideals of women of the time period and not outdated stereotypes of women of the time. She fights against the new ways of feminism pushing for women to be independent but also fights for power of women in a relationship. Small choices and actions set her apart from characters in the show allowing her to become instantly relatable to the women of 1945.

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