Transcript Men Should Weep

Men Should Weep
by Ena Lamont Stewart
Contemporary
Scottish Theatre
HOMEWORK for Oct 21st
 Read through this powerpoint
 Find quotations from the play
Exam questions
Men Should Weep should be used to
answer questions on:
Social, political and religious dimensions
Or
Use of History and Nostalgia
Or
Issues of Gender
Scottish History
 Glasgow took the brunt of the depression in the 1930s and acquired many
negative stereotypes.
 Unemployment, sub-standard housing and poor levels of health had a
dramatic effect on the national character of Scotland.
 Men returning from the war found that woman had taken on jobs due to
the shortage of men and these therefore became labelled as female jobs.
 After the war ended there wasn’t the need for weapons, which resulted in a
significant loss of jobs, and unemployment for those who had fought in
the war.
Religious sectarianism was rife in Glasgow. Although
the country had been predominantly Protestant since
the Reformation, an influx of Irish immigrants, drawn
to the industry on Clydeside throughout the 19th and
early 20th century, had established a large Catholic
community.
Unemployed, skilled labourers from the Protestant
community complained bitterly about Irish immigrants
taking 'their jobs' and this brought ruthless
discrimination in the labour market.
Historical Timeline
 David Lloyd George, a Liberal became Prime Minister in 1916. Lloyd
George was acclaimed as the man who had won the war. He also set
up a ‘welfare state.’
 11 November 1918: The First World War comes to an end. During
the war 140,000 Scots are killed.
 22 January 1924: Ramsay MacDonald becomes Britain's first Labour
Prime Minister, the first Prime Minister from a working-class
background, and one of very few without a university education.
 1928: The National Party for Scotland is founded.
 1928: All women over 21 are given the vote: married women over 30
got it in 1918.
 1929 : the Wall Street Crash heralded the global Great Depression and
Britain was particularly badly hit.
 5 June 1929: Ramsay MacDonald becomes Prime Minister for the
second time.
 1930: Unemployment in Scotland reaches 25% during the depression
years.
 1931: Labour lost support so Ramsay led a coalition of two governments
 April 1934: The Scottish National Party is founded.
 9 November 1937: The death of Ramsay MacDonald, Prime Minister of
Great Britain.
 3 September 1939: The Second World War is declared.
Issues
Poverty / Unemployment
Gender Roles
Stereotypes
Scottish History
Poverty
 Social conditions
 Setting / living environment
 Urban Scotland
 Deprivation
 Social divisions
 Impact on characters / relationships
 Economic decline / post war Depression
 Characterisation / portrayal.
Find quotes for the following:
 Poor quality housing
 Unsanitary conditions
 Lack of food and malnutrition
 Lack of income
 Extreme poverty
 Granny’s living situation
Gender
 Setting / Period
 Community Identity
 Inequality
 The Work Place
 Role of women / men
 Domestic violence
 Character background
 Morals/values/ beliefs
Find quotes for the following:
 Maggie’s role in the household
 Jenny’s behaviour
 Lily’s job
 Isa’s attitude towards Alec
 John’s lack of employment
 Alec’s dishonesty
Stereotypes
 Life in Scotland present and past
 Religion
 Power relations
 The disintegration of family
 Dysfunctional families
 Cultural environment
Find quotes for the following
Expected role of children
Women’s jobs
Men’s jobs
The neighbours attitude
to the Morrison family
Past Questions
Social, political and religious dimensions
 Explain how any Scottish play you have studied has
helped you to understand the social conditions of
the time in which it was written. (1994)
 Explain how Scottish playwrights use characters to
convey social issues in their plays. You must refer
to at least three characters. (2005)
Past Questions
Issues of Gender
 Discuss the extent to which Scottish playwrights
explore inequality between men and women.
(2005)
 Contemporary Scottish plays are full of sexual
stereotypes. Discuss this statement. (2007)