Machinal (Sophie Treadwell)

This section explores the play Machinal by Sophie Treadwell, focusing on: the structure, setting, staging, characters, themes and the historical and cultural context of the play. Machinal is a powerful critique of the societal constraints placed on women in the early 20th century. Through its expressionistic structure, minimalist staging, and symbolic characters, Sophie Treadwell’s play explores themes of gender oppression, alienation, and the psychological effects of living in a mechanised, patriarchal society. The play's tragic protagonist is a symbol of the struggle for freedom and identity in a world that seeks to define and restrict both.

Structure of the Play

Machinal is a nine-scene play written by Sophie Treadwell in 1928. It is a psychological drama and follows the life of a young woman trapped in a suffocating marriage and society's expectations, ultimately leading to her tragic fate. The structure of the play is highly expressionistic, focusing on the protagonist’s inner turmoil, the oppressive societal forces around her, and her eventual breakdown.

• Act 1 – The Wedding: The play begins with the protagonist, who is unnamed, trapped in a loveless marriage. The scene is characterised by a sense of mechanical repetition, emphasising her lack of agency and emotional isolation. The dialogue is cold, robotic, and repetitive, reflecting the oppressive nature of her situation.
• Act 2 – The Birth of a Child: The second act shows her struggle with motherhood and the suffocating responsibilities of being a wife and mother. This scene reveals her sense of entrapment and the emotional alienation from both her husband and society.
• Act 3 – The Escape: In the following scenes, the protagonist takes drastic measures to escape her stifling marriage. These scenes focus on her psychological breakdown and yearning for freedom, symbolised through her increasingly desperate actions.
• Act 4 – The Killing: The final act is the culmination of her inner conflict, as she murders her husband in an act of liberation. The final scene is tragic, as the protagonist is unable to escape the social and psychological constraints that have defined her life.

The play is a non-linear narrative with each scene portraying a different stage of the protagonist's life, symbolising her progression from entrapment to rebellion. The scenes are structured to emphasise the passage of time and the worsening of her emotional state, leading to her eventual fate.

Setting and Staging

The staging and setting of Machinal are integral to its expressionistic style, which reflects the protagonist's inner psychological world. The set is minimalist and abstract, designed to focus more on the characters' emotions and relationships than on a detailed, realistic environment.

• Expressionistic Design: The set is intentionally sparse, using symbolic, geometric shapes and mechanical elements to reflect the mechanisation of society and the protagonist’s psychological entrapment. For example, large, repetitive objects, like clocks, machinery, or stark lighting, are used to represent the feeling of being trapped in an oppressive world. The lack of naturalistic detail helps the audience to focus on the psychological and emotional states of the characters rather than the external world.
• Stage Directions: Treadwell’s use of strong, precise stage directions further emphasises the mechanical and dehumanising nature of the protagonist’s world. Characters often move in rigid, unfeeling ways, mirroring the lack of freedom in the protagonist’s life. The movement is unnatural and often represents inner turmoil and the oppressive force of societal expectations.
• The Use of Sound and Lighting: The play makes significant use of sound effects and lighting to convey the protagonist’s emotional state. Mechanical noises, like the ticking of clocks or the sound of machinery, often punctuate scenes, reinforcing the idea of the protagonist being trapped in an inescapable routine. The lighting is also sharp and harsh, creating a sense of claustrophobia and discomfort.
• Non-naturalistic Acting: The characters’ performances are often stylised rather than naturalistic, highlighting the play’s focus on emotion and psychology over realistic portrayal. The protagonist’s movements, speech patterns, and facial expressions often convey a sense of being controlled, mechanical, or in a trance, representing her loss of individuality in a society that demands conformity.

Historical and Cultural Context

Machinal was written in the late 1920s, during a period of significant social, political, and cultural change in both America and Europe. The play reflects the modernist trends of the time, which sought to explore the psychological and emotional experiences of individuals rather than adhering to traditional forms of theatre. Key aspects of the historical context include:

• The Role of Women in the 1920s: The 1920s, particularly in the US, saw the rise of the flapper, a symbol of the modern, independent woman who rejected traditional gender roles. However, Machinal presents an opposing view of womanhood, exploring the plight of women who are still oppressed by societal expectations. The protagonist is an embodiment of the conflict between the desire for independence and the societal pressures to conform to the roles of wife and mother.
• The Women's Suffrage Movement: The 1920s also saw the success of the women’s suffrage movement in many countries, with women gaining the right to vote in the US (1920) and the UK (1918). Despite these political victories, Machinal explores the limitations of women's liberation in personal and social life. The protagonist’s struggle is not merely one of legal equality but of emotional and psychological freedom.
• Modernism and Expressionism: The play reflects the influence of Expressionism, a modernist movement that sought to depict subjective experiences and emotions, often through distorted and symbolic means. Treadwell’s play uses expressionistic techniques to depict the protagonist’s inner conflict and to critique the mechanised, dehumanising nature of modern life. The play critiques the alienation of individuals, especially women, in a rapidly industrialising world.
• The Great Depression: Although the play was written before the Great Depression, it foreshadows the economic and social struggles that would shape the 1930s. The protagonist’s lack of agency and her financial dependence on her husband reflect a broader critique of economic systems that limit individual freedom, particularly for women.

Characters

The characters in Machinal are highly symbolic, representing various societal pressures and emotional states. The protagonist, in particular, is a complex character who evolves throughout the play, and much of the plot revolves around her inner conflict and emotional struggles.

• The Young Woman (Protagonist): The central character is often referred to as “The Young Woman” in the script, reflecting her lack of identity outside of societal roles. She is a timid, isolated, and oppressed figure who feels suffocated by the expectations placed on her as a wife, mother, and woman. Her emotional alienation is central to the play, and her ultimate act of violence (killing her husband) represents her desperate attempt to reclaim control over her life and escape the constraints imposed on her.
• The Husband (Mr. Jones): The Young Woman’s husband is a well-meaning but cold and controlling man. He is symbolic of the oppressive expectations of marriage and the patriarchal society of the time. His interactions with his wife are marked by an absence of emotional connection, reinforcing her sense of isolation and alienation. He is a representative of the mechanical, conventional view of marriage, which is devoid of passion or emotional depth.
• The Mother: The Young Woman’s mother is a symbol of traditional values and societal expectations. She pressures her daughter into marriage, seeing it as the natural progression of her life, despite the Young Woman’s emotional resistance. The character represents the forces of conformity that restrict female autonomy and freedom.
• The Man (in the office): In the scenes where the Young Woman works, the man she interacts with represents the dehumanising nature of her office job, where she is treated as a cog in a machine. He is a symbol of the impersonal, mechanised world that she inhabits, contributing to her sense of emotional suffocation.
• The Doctor: The doctor represents the medical establishment and the authority figures that exert control over the protagonist’s life. His interactions with her, particularly in the scenes where she gives birth, are cold and detached, highlighting the dehumanisation of women within society’s expectations.

Themes

• Gender and Oppression: The central theme of Machinal is the oppression of women within a patriarchal society. The protagonist is trapped in a life dictated by societal expectations—first as a daughter, then as a wife, and later as a mother. Her struggle is a response to the limited choices and lack of autonomy given to women, particularly in the context of marriage and family.
• Alienation and Isolation: The protagonist’s emotional alienation from her husband, mother, and society is a key theme. Throughout the play, she is depicted as increasingly isolated, both physically and psychologically. The mechanical, repetitive structure of the play reflects her alienation, showing how her emotional and social entrapment leads to a breakdown of her mental health.
• Freedom and Repression: The protagonist’s desire for freedom is at the heart of the play. Her eventual act of murdering her husband can be seen as an attempt to escape from the repressive societal roles that define her existence. However, her act of rebellion is ultimately futile, as she remains trapped within the larger societal system that defines her fate.
• Mechanisation of Life: The play critiques the dehumanising effects of modern industrial society, where individuals are treated as cogs in a machine. The use of mechanical imagery (clocks, machinery, repetitive dialogue) highlights the protagonist’s emotional suffocation and the way in which modern life has reduced her to a mere functionary in the system.
• Psychological Struggle: Machinal delves deeply into the psychological turmoil of the protagonist. The play portrays her inner conflict, fear, and frustration as she struggles to reconcile her desires with the roles she is expected to play. The play’s expressionistic style allows the audience to experience her mental breakdown in an intense, visceral way.