Caryl Churchill’s Cloud 9 is strongly divided between Act 1 and Act 2 with different settings. Act 1 takes place during the Victorian era (1837-1901) in Colonial British Africa. This Act takes place in a very rural setting close to the wilderness and is also relatively comfortable to be outside during the day- and nighttime. This Act contains a very strong patriarchal environment, especially focusing on the father, Clive. The main family of the play is wealthy with a servant during a time where the British empire was thriving. Clive enforces his own belief and ideals on his family and the natives of where they live. The environment is very repressing socially, which was because of Clive and then facilitated by his submissive wife. Both characters
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Caryl Churchill explains that “when the company talked about their childhoods and the attitudes to sex and marriage that they had been given when they were young, everyone felt that they had received very conventional, almost Victorian expectations.” On the other hand, the more progressive state in 1979 rather than the 1870s especially in terms of sexuality mirror the positive changes of the characters. Just like in the dialogue of the characters and context of Act One, society is male-dominated and harshly controlled. Then moving into England in 1979 in Act Two, a structure is more loosely held, and decisions are made through a more open …show more content…
In Act One, Edward is played by a woman and in Act Two he is played by a man. In Act One, Edward is just a child; he watches over his little sister’s doll and occasionally plays with it when he is alone. Edward desires to be understood and accepted by his parents, especially his father. During the first act, he follows his father’s orders but questions why he cannot hold his sister’s dolls or play with any feminine things. He is strictly kept to be around boy’s toys and interests. Harry, the family friend, takes advantage of Edward’s questioned sexuality, but not without Edward’s consent. Edward and Harry’s relationship is the only truly equally loving relationship of Act One. Harry and Edward both desire for each other’s affection and attention. In the second act, Edward fully embraces enjoying femininity in mothering and being a wife. Throughout his life of his interests and opinions being oppressed, it is hard for him to get what he wants. His biggest desire in Act Two is his desire to be a woman, but it cannot be reached, nor is it understood by the other characters. Edward’s actions towards his feminine desires show that his father’s strict ideals and expectations for his son did not stick and fell apart. A person is going to become who he wants on his
Caryl Churchill explains that “when the company talked about their childhoods and the attitudes to sex and marriage that they had been given when they were young, everyone felt that they had received very conventional, almost Victorian expectations.” On the other hand, the more progressive state in 1979 rather than the 1870s especially in terms of sexuality mirror the positive changes of the characters. Just like in the dialogue of the characters and context of Act One, society is male-dominated and harshly controlled. Then moving into England in 1979 in Act Two, a structure is more loosely held, and decisions are made through a more open …show more content…
In Act One, Edward is played by a woman and in Act Two he is played by a man. In Act One, Edward is just a child; he watches over his little sister’s doll and occasionally plays with it when he is alone. Edward desires to be understood and accepted by his parents, especially his father. During the first act, he follows his father’s orders but questions why he cannot hold his sister’s dolls or play with any feminine things. He is strictly kept to be around boy’s toys and interests. Harry, the family friend, takes advantage of Edward’s questioned sexuality, but not without Edward’s consent. Edward and Harry’s relationship is the only truly equally loving relationship of Act One. Harry and Edward both desire for each other’s affection and attention. In the second act, Edward fully embraces enjoying femininity in mothering and being a wife. Throughout his life of his interests and opinions being oppressed, it is hard for him to get what he wants. His biggest desire in Act Two is his desire to be a woman, but it cannot be reached, nor is it understood by the other characters. Edward’s actions towards his feminine desires show that his father’s strict ideals and expectations for his son did not stick and fell apart. A person is going to become who he wants on his