#58 Anna Christie

This is a four act play by Eugene O'Neill about the reformed prostitute Anna Christie.  Reading this play I started to see Anna as a strong female character that would take no crap from any man.  She seemed independent and an able person to make something strong of herself after her life as a sex object.  She was no longer going to be some pleasure object for men, and she wouldn't do what a man wanted unless she too wanted the same for herself.  And I felt that she especially wouldn't let a man control her and change her...that is until the end.  O'Neill had one of those unpredictable endings, and not in a good way.  Here is part of the exchange between Mat Burke, the man Anna loves, and Anna.

Burke: For I've a power of strength in me to lead me the way I want, and women too, maybe,  and I'm thinking I'd change you to a new woman entirely, so I'd never know,  or you either, what kind of woman you'd been in the past at all.

Anna: Yes, you could Mat! I know you could!

Burke: And II'm thinking 'twasn't your fault, maybe, but having that old ape for a father that left you to grow up alone, made you what you was.  And if I could be believing 'tis only me you-

Anna: You got to believe it, Mat!  What can I do?  I'll do anything, anything to want to prove I'm not lying!

Well so much for a strong female, this play was obviously written by a male for males.  And apparently the Pullitzer committee also thought it was a good play.  I felt the little exchange was terrible and ruined the play, but maybe it is just me.  Maybe I found more problems with how she became weak at the end of the play than the troublesome past of hers.

Up next of O'Neill's is The Hairy Ape.