Sex and gender roles South Pacific (musical)

nellie (martin) praises laundry skills of billis (mccormick) friends on.

the male characters in south pacific intended appear conventionally masculine. in aftermath of world war ii, masculinity of american soldier beyond public question. cable s virility liat made evident audience. although billis operates laundry – nellie particularly praises pleats – , appears in grass skirt in thanksgiving follies , these acts consistent desire money , intended comic. interest in young ladies on bali h ai establishes masculinity. lovensheimer writes billis more defined class sexuality, evidenced seabee s assumption, on learning cable went college in new jersey, rutgers (the state s flagship public university), rather ivy league princeton, , delight on learning rescue operation him had cost $600,000 when uncle had told him never worth dime.

meryle secrest, in biography of rodgers, theorizes south pacific marks transition pair between heroes , heroines more or less evenly matched in age , stories powerful older men , younger women attracted them . lovensheimer, however, points out pattern holds 2 of 5 subsequent musicals, king , , sound of music, , in former, love between anna , king not expressed in words. believes different transition took place: plots, beginning south pacific, involve woman needing enter , accept love interest s world successful , accepted herself. notes both oklahoma! , carousel involve man entering wife s world, curly in oklahoma! become farmer expectations of success, whereas billy bigelow in carousel fails find work after leaving place barker. lovensheimer deems allegro transition, attempts of lead female character alter husband joe s world suit ambition lead breakup of marriage. argues nurse emily, goes joe in return small town happy, forerunner of nellie, uprooting life in chicago joe.

secrest notes overlooked in rush have love conquer in south pacific, questions of long-term survival of marriage between sophisticate read proust @ bedtime , girl liked dinah shore , did not read raised nellie forbush brushed aside. interracial complexities of raising 2 polynesian children, such issues subsumed in general euphoria of true love. lovensheimer wonders how nellie fare second madame de becque, little nellie forbush arkansas ends in tropical paradise, far previous world, husband, servant, , 2 children speak language not understand .