Women In The Road To Mecca

952 Words4 Pages
In the play ‘The road to Mecca’ by Athol Fugard, the main characters, Miss Helen and Elsa share their opinions about freedom of expression. Throughout the play, we come to learn of four women and their individual lives. Katrina and Patience are not main characters in the play, but they are important because they have an influence on the protagonists. These four women and their experiences show how the right to freedom is not free, but earned. Katrina is a seventeen-year-old girl married to Koos. She is Miss Helen’s part time domestic worker. Her husband abuses and neglects her and their baby. Katrina is young and naïve. She resides in a strict Afrikaner society where women are supposed to stay with their husbands even…show more content…
Helen: She can’t do that, Elsie. They’re married.” (Fugard, 1985) She depends on her husband and does not voice her opinions on matters simply, because she is not aware of how she can use her rights to protect her. This indicates that some women are aware of their rights, but they are too afraid to express themselves. Society has shaped these women into believing that they are inferior and should always obey men. Elsa has spoken to Koos about his behavior and threatened him, which has made an impact, because he stopped abusing his wife. This shows that women can make a difference if they are determined and motivated. Patience is a black woman and just recently became a widow. Her husband worked for a white farmer and she stayed with her husband on the farmer’s land. After her husband’s death, her husband’s Boss told her that she had to leave with her infant baby. She started her long journey to the Cradock district hoping she would find relatives that will allow her to stay with them. The farmer unfairly dismissed Patience. She could have fought back, but racial barriers restricted that. The play is set during the apartheid times. Black women were inferior, because of their race.…show more content…
Elsa helped Miss Helen regain her confidence and stand her ground when asked to move to an old aged home Elsa is very strong minded and when she has made a choice, nothing can influence a change in it. She attempts to influence her students by giving them a topic about racism. Although she knew it was not a good idea, she stood her ground. Elsa fell in love with a married man. She was aware of his marital status, but her love for him made her believe he would choose her. Alas, he did not. Shortly after, Elsa had an abortion and the experience left a deep scar in her heart. When Elsa saw Patience walking on the road barefoot to Cradock district, she felt pity and offered her a lift. When Elsa saw Patience’s baby, it opened up the wound in her heart. Elsa's strong willed character and Miss Helen’s fragile character mesh. Both women challenge each other. Elsa is aware of her individual and gender specific rights and helps Miss Helen and Katrina value it too. The play shows different women that help each other understand how valuable their worth is. Women are naturally more caring than men are, because of their
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