Caryl Churchill’s play, ‘Top Girls’ Essay Example

by contrasting it with the subservient waitress who never speaks in Act One. The play is filled with interactions between the characters. Even when Nijo shares her thoughts on religion, Isabella and Gret can relate to her feelings of hopelessness and come together.

We have all experienced that feeling, as evidenced by Isabella and Gret's responses. It could indicate a lack of understanding between the characters, who are simply sharing their own stories without making an effort to understand others' experiences. Alternatively, it may suggest that despite their differences, the characters recognize similarities and are therefore still able to interact on some level.

Churchill portrays a situation where all the characters in the act affect each other emotionally, resulting in moments of both sadness and humor. This level of interaction could suggest that they have shared similar experiences in battling against a patriarchal society. Evidence of this includes a section where the party ridicules Joan's plight after being discovered as a woman serving as a pope due to her pregnancy. It is possible that they have all gone through similar struggles at similar points in their lives.

Direct comments about Joan's experiences are present, with individuals responding "Oh dear Joan what a thing to do! In the street!" Shared laughter validates and shows appreciation for someone’s unique story. However, some may argue that this validation is self-centered, as all women have experienced similar interactions with men. Marlene poses a question and receives a disturbing reply, unsettling the other character. Nijo also asks questions, indicating interaction, but again, it is self-centered as she relates it to her own experiences.

Despite our interpretation that she is attempting to

understand others from her own perspective, she frequently engages in this behavior. During a conversation, she asks, "And the child died too?" Following a moment of silence, the other characters display melancholy and speak in hushed tones about their personal sorrow. They do not interact directly, apart from Marlene's question to Gret, who responds with a straightforward answer. The remaining characters launch into their own monologues, indicating a shared sadness that has influenced their lives. Julie Thompson Burk asserts that these women are more often depicted as societal contradictions than success stories, walking a fine line between the two.

In the final scenes of Act One, the characters display their individual successes. Nijo, for instance, challenges the status quo by hitting the emperor with a stick together with her female friend. This victorious act, however, does not erase Nijo's sadness and pain as she has lost her children. Churchill highlights this evidence of Nijo's hurt when she declares, "Nobody gave me back my children." Similarly, Griselda defies the conventional thinking of her period by expressing that it would have been better if Walter had not been forced to act. While each woman is successful in her own way, Churchill presents a contrast in their portrayal at the end of Act One.

Churchill may be using the end of this scene as a symbol of how the women, despite their success in overthrowing the men in their lives, are still unhappy. Though they have resolved some issues, their discontent suggests that women cannot have both the benefits of their gender and overcome male dominance. This may be an omen for all the women in the story and for

women in general. As the scene concludes, the characters appear dissatisfied: Nijo is simultaneously laughing and crying, Marlene drinks Isabella's brandy to cope with her unfulfilled feminine side, and Joan becomes sick in the corner.

In summary, I concur that the characters in the play seem to lack the effort to comprehend each other's stories. Churchill's intention was likely to leave the audience to draw parallels and highlight the unchanging nature of time. It is impossible to be a woman and find happiness in both childbirth and relationships while also overthrowing men. The use of interruptions serves multiple purposes, such as displaying confidence in women and creating a realistic atmosphere of conversations between six different people. Ultimately, it may signify that the women were focused primarily on their own monologues and reluctant to grasp each other's diverse stories. I agree with Julie Thompson Burk's observation that the characters are contradictions in their respective eras, as each woman has done something beyond the majority of women during her time. However, they are not entirely successful, as evidenced by the melancholic and perplexing ending of the Act, which Churchill presents expertly.Although there is ambiguity surrounding the character's happiness to relate their own stories rather than interacting with each other, this is for the reasons mentioned before. Throughout the play, there are instances of interaction, particularly from Marlene.This is different for Marlene as she doesn't share much about herself, but rather acts as a link character who asks questions and interacts. It may be that when characters do react, it is in a self-centered manner.