The Roaring Girl

It’s amazing, I read this play my second year in Dr. Brace’s class (Drama in the City), and for some reason it seemed totally brand new. Secondly, I would like to say I did enjoy this play simply for its opposition of characters. First, you have Moll who is rumoured to be an immoral being, yet in the play she acts morally. Then you have everyone else who looks at Moll supposing they are better than her, and yet they are portrayed worse than her. What a weird and smart twist! Moll does nothing but help those who are the innocent in the play, while the others are trying to get what they want out of situations. So the question is… what are the authors trying to do through this play? Are they making a commentary on society? Or are they stating the old cliché “a book can’t be judged by its cover”. Or is this simply an incidental issue in which both authors reach accidentally? (which I highly doubt…but who knows!)

It is also interesting Molls response to when she will marry: “When you shall hear/ gallants void from sergeants’ fear,/Honesty and truth unslandered,/ Women manned but never pandered…[and so on]” Act 5.2 ll. 223-230. What other response could one ask for? It would have been odd if she said that she would marry because it would totally be out of character. It is important that she remains an outsider to the group, because this way she is untainted by their behaviour. If she were to marry then she would run the risk of becoming like those that surround her in the play; simply put immoral.

Sadly I don’t want to say too much because I have a question to ask tomorrow and I don’t want to give it away.

-Matt