The Trials and Tribulations of Marriage

Angela Petersen

ENG 125

Dr. Karen McFarland

February 28, 2011

Introduction

Culture and times play a strong role in determining the roles and expectations of men and women in marriage as evidenced by literature during the times. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber, I'm Going! A Comedy in One Act, by Tristan Bernard and The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin all depict marriages in their respective time and perspective. The purpose of this paper is to employ literature themes, elements and techniques that provide us an insight into the role played by men and women in their relationship as husband and wife, their biases and prejudices, their expectations of each other and conflicts that arise out of the difference between them how these conflicts and disputes could possibly lead to a poisoned relationship or a permanent strife, to the extent that couples eventually regret their binding on each other. This paper therefore uses three literary works and attempts to extracts literary insights drawing on trials and tribunals of marriage. The paper will also gauge the relative fiction that arises from the unwelcomed dominance of one spouse over the other.

Thesis

Though unnecessary dominance of a life partner causes friction and strife, the other one could, and would need to be submissive before the trial reaches the dead end.

Discussion and Analysis

James Thurber wrote The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which is a humorous depiction of a harpy wife and daydreaming husband. Walter Mitty constantly finds himself drawn into daydreams and prefers his imaginings to the real world. Mundane details are enough to send his mind off on his own private adventures of heroism. In Walter Mitty's fantasies, he finds himself a hero, a man of action. “The old man'll get us through. The old man ain't afraid of hell.” (Thurber, 1939) Imaginary sailors speak these lines in admiration on the hydroplane commanded by Walter Mitty in his fantasy. Mr. Mitty's daydreams frequently intrude upon real life. While imagining himself piloting the hydroplane he increased his driving speed until his wife yelled at him in fear to slow down. (Thurber, 1939) Mrs. Mitty seems to be unaware of her husband's daydreams, he explains that he is “sometimes thinking” and she subsequently believes that he has a medical condition that explains his lack of attention and flightiness. (Thurber, 1939) In real life, Mr. Mitty is harassed by his wife, yelled at by a police officer and a random women on the street laughed at him for saying “Puppy biscuits.” (Thurber, 1939). His fantasies seem to give Mr. Mitty an outlet for the frustration he feels in his personal life. When on trial in a daydream, Mr. Mitty describes a made up gun of ridiculous proportions, a pistol diameter of more than four feet. (Clugston, 2010). In spite of Mr. Mitty's unhappiness about the circumstances in his life and his reliance on his daydreams for joy and self-respect, he makes no attempt to change his situation or stand ...