Machinal By Sophie Treadwell - 1891 Words

Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal is a strangely riveting play so filled with unlikable characters that it makes one want to scream and throttle which ever one is closest to hand without prejudice as to which persona it might be as they are all equally detestable in their own way. Unfortunately, the infuriating characters are exactly what make the play so fascinating. Each of the characters in the play, originally intended to display that life is an inescapable machine, exhibits many disturbing psychological qualities, and the main character suffers a slew of near textbook psychological misfortune. Whether Sophie Treadwell created her play with this facet intentionally or not is unknown, but the examples are so perfect it is difficult to think†¦show more content†¦Helen would have also been more prone to abuse, and other effects of low self-esteem. Some of the narcissistic characteristics Helen’s mother exhibits are her utter disregard for everything Helen says, spe aking over her, her attention only engaged once benefits to her are involved, for instance: â€Å"Vice president! His income must be– does he know you’ve got a mother to support?† (Treadwell 17), and immediate overreaction to any criticism. Many children with narcissistic parents may have grown up in both neglectful and verbally abusive situations, but Helen’s situation would have been compounded beyond that as she seems to have grown up with only her mother as a parental figure. Helen’s father was revealed in the second act as, seemingly, long dead, leaving Helen alone to a single, powerful, influence. The Second character who exhibits the next most pressing issue is Helen’s husband, Mr. J, who proves himself to be a sexual predator. Helen’s physical repulsion such as when the Telephone Girl asks her â€Å"Why’d you flinch, kid?† (Treadwell 10) and her reactions to Mr. J touching her should really have been plenty of no tice for him to stop. In the beginning, Mr. J has both status and rank, as her boss, over Helen, and this puts the relationship on shaky and inappropriate grounds due to Mr. J’s power over her. That he constantly touches her, treats her differently, and makes her feel indebted toShow MoreRelatedMy Research Project Is On Machinal By Sophie Treadwell1575 Words   |  7 PagesMy research project is on Machinal by Sophie Treadwell. I will be focusing on the struggles that the Young Woman faces in the play, and how her behavior relates to mental illnesses. My approach is to create a scenario where half of the play seems like it is not real. I want to make the audience really think about what is real and what is being made up in the Young Woman’s mind. I will bring more awareness to the struggles that people with mental illness have to deal with to the theatre stage.Read MoreEarly 20th Century Dehumanization Through Theatrical Plays And Cinema2031 Words   |  9 Pagesnew, perhaps alien world. Whether it be through Sophie Treadwell’s 1928 play Machinal, Eugene O’Neill’s 1922 play The Hairy Ape, or Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 movie Modern Times, the thoughts of the dehumanization of the time cannot be denied. Through the theatrical plays and cinema of the time, authors of the 20th century believe that as technology has advanced, humanity has devolved into perhaps nonhuman states. Sophie Treadwell’s 1928 play Machinal puts this concept of dehumanization in the earlyRead MoreInto The Mind Of Machinal1800 Words   |  8 PagesInto The Mind of Machinal Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal is a strangely riveting play so filled with unlikable characters that it makes one want to scream and throttle whichever character is closest at hand, without prejudice as to which persona it might be, as they are all equally detestable in their own way. Unfortunately, the infuriating characters are exactly what make the play so fascinating. Each of the characters in the play, originally intended to display that life is an inescapable machineRead MoreSophie Treadwell’S Machinal Is A Strangely Riveting Play1796 Words   |  8 PagesSophie Treadwell’s Machinal is a strangely riveting play so filled with unlikable characters that it makes one want to scream and throttle whichever character is closest at hand, without prejudice as to which persona it might be, as they are all equally detestable in their own way. Unfortunately, the infuriating characters are exactly what make the play so fascinating. Each of the characters in the play, originally intended to display that life is an inescapable machine, exhibit many disturbing