Comparison of Martha and Susan (Comparison of main characters from Fay Weldon's short story The Weekend and Doris Lessing's short story To Room 19)
In my analysis, I will compare Susan and Martha, who are characters from two British short stories. Martha is a main character from Fay Weldon 's short story The Weekend and Susan is a main character from Doris Lessing 's short story To Room 19. These two key female characters try to cope with roles of wife, and mother, but they are different in a way they approach their problems and how they try to handle their lives and families.
Martha works for advertising company, but her main job is to be a housewife. She is not satisfied in the marriage. Everything seem to be her duty - washing up, washing clothes, making beds, cleaning bathroom, vacuuming, sweeping, cleaning windows, cooking, ironing, gardening, dusting, laying the table, preparing vegetables, painting the wall, taking out the rubbish, shopping for food and of course taking care of kids. "Then clear up the supper: set the dough to prove for the bread: Martin already in bed: exhausted by the drive and lighting the fire." (1, pg. 3) Her husband Martin is not helping her at all. He only drives and lights the fire in the cottage. Martin is self-centered, confident, and lazy guy. "Martha, we really ought to get the logs stacked properly. Get the children to do it, will you?" (1, pg. 3) He is also thoughtless, arrogant and very demanding. "Honey, make one of your mushroom omelettes: cook the mushrooms separately, remember, with lemon. Otherwise the water from the mushrooms gets into the egg, and spoils everything." (1, pg. 4) To others he seems to be witty, and friendly. "Martin standing between her and hostility of the world; popular, easy, funny Martin, beckoning the rest of the world into earshot." (1, pg. 2)Martin doesn 't fully approve of Martha going back to work. "Mrs. Hodder came in twice a week to clean. She was over seventy. She charged two pounds an hour. Martha paid her out of her own wages: well, the running of the house was Martha 's concern. If Martha chose to go out to work - as was her perfect
Martha works for advertising company, but her main job is to be a housewife. She is not satisfied in the marriage. Everything seem to be her duty - washing up, washing clothes, making beds, cleaning bathroom, vacuuming, sweeping, cleaning windows, cooking, ironing, gardening, dusting, laying the table, preparing vegetables, painting the wall, taking out the rubbish, shopping for food and of course taking care of kids. "Then clear up the supper: set the dough to prove for the bread: Martin already in bed: exhausted by the drive and lighting the fire." (1, pg. 3) Her husband Martin is not helping her at all. He only drives and lights the fire in the cottage. Martin is self-centered, confident, and lazy guy. "Martha, we really ought to get the logs stacked properly. Get the children to do it, will you?" (1, pg. 3) He is also thoughtless, arrogant and very demanding. "Honey, make one of your mushroom omelettes: cook the mushrooms separately, remember, with lemon. Otherwise the water from the mushrooms gets into the egg, and spoils everything." (1, pg. 4) To others he seems to be witty, and friendly. "Martin standing between her and hostility of the world; popular, easy, funny Martin, beckoning the rest of the world into earshot." (1, pg. 2)Martin doesn 't fully approve of Martha going back to work. "Mrs. Hodder came in twice a week to clean. She was over seventy. She charged two pounds an hour. Martha paid her out of her own wages: well, the running of the house was Martha 's concern. If Martha chose to go out to work - as was her perfect
Bibliography: )http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/download/britlit/weekend/weekend_text.pdf2)Lessing, D.: To Room 19. Handout3)http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/download/britlit/weekend/weekend.shtml. 4)http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/5046.php5)http://www.grin.com/de/preview/30677.html