The Hours is a 2002 drama film directed by Stephen Daldry. It based
on the 1998 novel of the same title by Michael Cunningham. The novel
uses the device in Woolf's 'Mrs. Dalloway' of placing the action of the novel
within the space of one day. Novel also mirrors 'Mrs. Dalloway's'
stream-of-consciousness narrative style. 'Mrs. Dalloway ‘also is a novel which
written by Virginia Woolf and published on 1925. It is one of Woolf's
best-known novels. It Details a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway in
post-World War I England. Its themes include Mental illness, Existential
issues, feminism and Homosexuality. One of the foremost modernist literary and
feminist figures in the twentieth century. Virginia Woolf was one of the foremost
modernist literary and feminist figures in the twentieth century. Therefore,
from this background information we can know that the film “The Hour” has the
element of feminism.
The content of “The Hours” is about the lives of three women within a
single day which in different generations, backgrounds and stories. The three
women make an important decision which affects their lives. Characters and
events alternate and intersect with many similarities. Feminism was
carried out by these three women. The first story is about Virginia Woolf.
Story happened
in 1923. Virginia Woolf is a famous novelist in London. Her important decision
began writing the book Mrs. Dalloway but she was suffered from mental illness. She
constantly monitored by her husband Leonard and result in a bad relationship
with her husband. The second
story is about Laura Brown and was happened in 1950s. She is a troubled Los
Angeles housewife who spends her days with her young son Richie. She also has
an unhappy marriage with her husband Dan. She made an important decision which prepared
a birthday cake for Dan’s birthday with Richie, yet resulted in a disaster. She
tried to escape from her dreary existence by reading Mrs. Dalloway. The third
story is about Clarissa Vaughan and happened in 2001. She works in a New York’s
publishing company. Her important decision is prepared a party in honor of her
ex-boyfriend Richard. She and Richard were romantic before but both had their
own same-sex lover later. Richard committed suicide before the prize ceremony.
The Hours uses symbolization to show Feminism. There are many symbolic
elements that shown the differences between these three women. The role as
women is changing by time. One of the symbol
that used by film is “buying flowers”. Who buy the flowers for these three women?
Virginia Woolf (Year 1923) only writes in her book “Mrs. Dalloway” said, “She
will buy the flower herself.” By herself but not others is an independent
action of woman, however, Virginia doesn’t
complete this action in her live. Her servants buy the flowers. For Laura Brown
(Year 1951), her husband buy the flowers. Her husband plans everything for her.
Lastly, Clarissa Vaughan (Year 2001) said “I think I buy the flowers myself.” This speech shows that the wish of planning
for these women is realized finally and has a deeper meaning which the Feminism
is becoming mature during this century. Another symbol is “children”. The new life
that pregnant in women’s body represents an independent idea in female
cerebration. Virginia does not pregnant meaning feminism at that time was stay
in a begging stage. Laura pregnant for 6
months meaning of feminism is nearly mature. Clarissa is having an adolescence
daughter meaning that feminism has a good result.
(578 words)
No comments:
Post a Comment