Tremblay's penetrating analysis of a Quebec family unit. Cast of 3 women and 1 man.

Tremblay's penetrating analysis of a Quebec family unit. Cast of 3 women and 1 man."

New translation of Tremblay's seminal 1970 play, where one family battles its awful past while facing a haunted present.

This thesis, entitled The Women in "Forever Yours. Marie-Lou", deals with the development of the women in Michel Tremblay's play of the same name. The background of Forever Yours. Marie-Lou and Tremblay's other plays, East-End Montreal, is discussed in terms of political, religious, social and economic circumstances. Tremblay's own roots in East-End Montreal are also mentioned in order to explain his ties to this area as a setting for his plays. The three major types of women that Tremblay draws upon in his plays are discussed with references to characters in Forever Yours. Marie-Lou and other pertinent plays. The three major designations are the Martyr, exemplified best by Marie-Louise in Forever Yours. Marie- Lou; the Near-Rebel, such as Linda Lauzon in Les belles soeurs and the Rebel, Carmen of Forever Yours. Marie-Lou and Saints Carmen de la Main . The goals of these characters, primarily love and acceptance as individuals, are studied along with their methods of escape from the forces holding them back from achieving these desires. The influence of such forces as tradition, the Church and family pressures are discussed. The structure of the traditional Québecois family of pre-industrial Québec is used to place the women in Forever Yours. Marie-Lou into an historical perspective. The three women are discussed in terms of how they relate to the society around them in the light of their background and heritage as well as their present economic and Social status. The escape routes of the women are examined: Marie-Louise's religious fervour, Manon's choice to avoid reality through a life of pious seclusion and Carmen's initial evasion of reality through joining the muscial world of illusion and theatricality. The lives of Carmen and Manon after the death of their parents are explored, showing their reactions to their new lives and the choices they make regarding the directions that these lives will take. The technique of echoing phrases and themes is brought up in relation to the comparison between Manon and her mother versus Carmen and her father. The analogy of a musical score is used to further elaborate upon his theory. The concept of "inner cores" is explained as a combination of conscious end subconscious urgings that combine with environment to dictate a character's choices as to which course of action he or she will follow. As a postscript, the current situation in Québec is discussed in relation to the way it affects Tremblay and his writing. The political changes of the last year are noted as significant in that they have brought the separatist Parti Québecois to power, allowing for a relaxation of Tremblay's bans on such things as English language productions of his plays within Québec. Finally, the universality of Tremblay's plays is pointed out as stemming from his ability to pinpoint problems experienced by people all over the world and characterize them as readily identifiable types, common to countries wherever social turmoil has occurred.