Orpheus Descending: Val's Relationships

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Val’s Relationships In Orpheus Descending by Tennessee Williams, one of the main characters, Val, has many different relations with the women of the play. He used to have plenty of women, but when he comes to Two River County, Val decides to change his ways. It is hard to make such a big difference in one’s life after acting one way for such a long time. The women think he has changed, and they fall for him easily but Val is still the way he used to be, although it isn’t very apparent. Even though Val has relationships with the major female characters in the play, these connections are meaningless to him. Val is very friendly with Vee. He helps her when she cannot see but then goes a little too far. When Vee first introduces Val to the people at the store, he has full intentions of being good. She says, “Mr. Xavier is a stranger in our midst. His car broke down in that storm last night and I thought I’d introduce him to Lady and Jabe...” (29). Vee and Val are drawn to each other at first because they are both artists; Vee paints and Val plays the guitar, so they have an initial connection that makes them close from the start. He has good intentions in this relationship; he sincerely helps Vee when she loses her sight. “Here, let me help you...”, he says, “There now. Set down right here” (81). Because they are already friends and, based on his past, Val is a ladies’ man, he has no trouble moving physically close to Vee when she needs his help. After they get to know each other a bit more, and Vee likes Val, it becomes intresting. The stage directions show how Val acts with Vee, “He crouches before her and touches her hands in her lap.”, “He lifts her hands slowly from her soft lap”, “Strangely, gently, he lifts her hands to his mouth.” (86). Vee’s husband notices and is very angry with them. Val has obviously returned to his old ways and retreats to past
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