“Men Should Weep”
By Ena Lamont Stewart
PUPIL BOOKLET
Ena Lamont Stewart
Ena Lamont Stewart was the daughter of a Church of Scotland minister whose family was originally from the Highlands, and had lived in Canada but who settled in Glasgow. Her family were middle class but Lamont Stewart was disturbed by the poverty she saw around her in the Gorbals. Later, she became a receptionist at the Sick Children's Hospital in Glasgow, where she saw firsthand the damage done by malnutrition and the many other diseases exacerbated by poverty and poor living conditions. She was married to an actor who was a member of Glasgow Unity Theatre –the company for whom “Men Should Weep” was written.
ELS wrote because she felt the plays she saw on stage were unrealistic. Like many other writers of the time her work focuses on the harshness of the depression on the working class to try and impress on the middle class audience just how the working classes had suffered.
ELS’s work is important because, unlike most work of the time, it presents a female perspective on social issues and their effects on women of the time, their families and gives us a view of how women’s lives have been defined by the success and failure of their men. In this respect ELS was before her time.
Introduction - “Men Should Weep”
Men Should Weep is a classic “slice of life” drama. Through the Morrison family it demonstrates what life was like living in the poverty of an East End Glasgow tenement in the depression of the 1930s. Maggie Morrison is mother to seven children ranging from infancy to adulthood. We see her trying to hold the family together and do the best she can while coping with unemployment, poor living conditions, disease, nosey neighbours, a sister who thinks she knows best and a rapidly changing society. The play is not sentimental nor humorous but it does give a real sense of the humour and sense of community apparent at this time.
Men Should Weep is set in the East End of Glasgow, specifically in the Morrison’s tenement living room. Maggie works extremely hard taking care of her children, husband and elderly mother in law. Maggie’s husband, John, is out of work and struggling to find employment meaning the family survive the best they can on little and the occasional handout from Maggie’s sister, Lily.
The setting of a 1930s Glasgow tenement and the stage directions indicating clutter at the beginning of Act One makes us feel the messy, claustrophobic, tense atmosphere the family live in. Maggie tries to take care of her family amidst such chaos but never finds time to complete any but the most necessary tasks. Neighbours constantly appear to share a cup of tea, catch up on the gossip while families struggle to find food to eat, and the woman upstairs is getting beaten by her husband after he’s had too much drink. This setting gives us a feeling of people struggling through from day to day trying to make ends meet while bringing up their family in a respectable way and also helps us understand the pressures such issues put upon relationships within the drama.
The play exemplifies a number of trends of contemporary Scottish theatre specifically social and political dimensions [social background/conditions: poverty, living conditions, distribution of wealth, relationship between the individual verses the establishment etc]. Issues of gender are also a major focus as we explore traditional gender roles, changing attitudes towards gender and the impact of social, political factors on gender relationships.
The action of the play begins one winter evening in the 1930s and we follow the action through to Christmas Eve of the same year. All the action takes place in the kitchen of the Morrison’s house in the East End of Glasgow.
Brief Character Outlines
Maggie Morrison matriarch of the Morrison family. Maggie loves her family and would do anything for anyone of them. She loves her husband a great deal and defends him to her sister, Lily. Maggie works hard and tries to do the best she can for her family.
John Morrison “head” of the Morrison family. He is a handsome man who is struggling to find his role in life since he has become unemployed and unable to provide for his family. He believes that a woman’s place is in the home and that men should earn the money.
Lily Gibb is Maggie’s spinster sister. She works in a pub, which given she is a woman is somewhat unusual for the time. Lily represents the changing role of women as she provides for herself and also helps out with the family by bringing them food and medicine for Bertie. Maggie talks of a “ yon disappointment” which could account for Lily’s attitude towards men.
Alec Morrison is Maggie and John’s eldest son. He’s married to Isa. He’s a bit of a waster –the only “work” he appears to do is stealing and gambling. He squanders this money on drink or expensive things for his wife whom he is totally besotted with. He’s a complete mummy’s boy and manages to wrap Maggie around his finger. Isa regularly accuses him of being soft, however, we see he has a violent temper.
Isa Morrison is married to Alec. She’s not a particularly nice character and believes that Alec should be spending money on her. She uses her looks and sexuality to manipulate Alec by threatening to leave him. Isa is disrespectful to Maggie, the neighbours and the older generation showing the changing attitude of the younger generation towards their parents. She also tries to control John by using her feminine wiles.
Jenny Morrison is the Morrison’s eldest daughter. At the start of the play she lives with the family and is working in a fruit shop. Jenny is fed up living in the poor conditions of the Morrison’s tenement and giving her earnings to the family. Increasingly Jenny becomes more independent and, when socialising with Isa, increasingly disrespectful to her elders. She leaves the family home much to the anger and upset of her family. At the end of the play a more mature and respectful Jenny returns with money for the family to flit to a better house, something the family initially view as unacceptable because they feel Jenny gained it through improper means.
Granny Morrison, John’s mother who lives part of the time with the family and the rest of the time with her daughter-in-law, Lizzie. Granny can’t really fend for herself and spends a lot of the play bemoaning how it’s terrible to be old and a burden. She dislikes staying with Lizzie because Lizzie takes her pension. She comments on political issues when talking about Lloyd George’s introduction of the pension. She also shows society’s attitude towards the elderly.
Lizzie Morrison John and Maggie’s sister-in-law. She’s quite unpleasant and views Granny as a burden. She’s out for what she can get money wise. Given the poverty of the time this may seem logical but Lizzie is viewed by other characters as a selfish miser willing to profit from the misfortune of others.
Mrs Harris one of the neighbours. Mrs Harris’ daughter has nits –highlighting the social issue of hygiene. Good friends with Maggie and although they argue the neighbours are always popping in for a cup of tea and to help each other out.
Mrs Bone the upstairs neighbour. She’s regularly beaten by her husband but doesn’t think this is anything out of the ordinary. As with Mrs Harris and Mrs Whiter she’s always there to help Maggie.
Mrs Wilson another neighbour. The neighbours are described by Maggie as “coorse but kind”.
Edie & Ernie Morrison daughter and son of Maggie and John. Edie is skinny and 11. Ernie is a typical boy, into football and jazz music.
Marina & Christopher Morrison the babies. We don’t see them but hear them behind the curtain.
Bertie Morrison, mentioned but never seen he’s the Morrison’s son who is suffering from TB. He eventually gets taken into hospital and won’t be released home until the family move to better housing.
Plot Overview
Act 1: Scene 1
One winter evening – 1930s– Morrison living room/kitchen– This scene shows the poverty of the family and the social conditions of the time. It also introduces Lily Gibb, Maggie’s spinster sister, who has a dislike for all men and they way they behave. When John, Maggie’s husband who has been out looking for work, comes home he teases Lily and she leaves. We also meet the neighbours, Mrs Harris and Mrs Wilson who have come in excited to tell Maggie the news that her son Alec’s tenement building has collapsed. Maggie begs John to go round and look for Alec. Once John leaves, the conversation between the women introduces the subject of Maggie’s older daughter, Jenny, who works in a fruit shop. Maggie and Mrs Harris have a fall out when Maggie informs her that the teacher at school has said the Mrs Harris’ daughter Mary has beasts in her hair. She suggests that Mrs Harris “get something from the chemists” before she “gets the sanitary” on her. We also find out about young Bertie’s state of health i.e. he’s suffering from a chest complaint, which judging by both the neighbours and Lily’s reaction to the coughing, could be quite serious.
Act 1:2
The scene starts with the arrival of Alec, Maggie’s eldest son, and his wife, Isa. The couple are having to move in with the family until their house is repaired. It is clear that Alec adores Isa while she despises him for being a weak individual and for, it seems, being so besotted with her. Maggie, however, clearly worships her boy and feels he can do no wrong, despite the fact that he has apparently had too much to drink. John further highlights the over-crowding problem, “Is he gonnae lie aside Bertie stinkin’ o stale beer?”. John and Maggie then settle down and John asks about Jenny. He presumes that she’s already in bed given the late hour and we can clearly see how much he adores his daughter. Maggie is afraid to tell John that, his “pet” has not yet returned home from a night out. John is starving so cooks the beans Lily brought for the family as a treat. This is interrupted by Bertie’s coughing. This reminds us of his poor state of health and this is further highlighted by John suggesting Maggie takes Bertie up to the hospital. John now realises Jenny is still out –this angers him as he doesn’t believe this is behaviour befitting a young girl. We also learn that Jenny wishes to leave home, this further angers John. Jenny makes her entrance coming down the close talking and laughing with a young man. John is furious. He goes down to the close and brings Jenny home. They have a heated exchange where Jenny makes her feelings about living in the house clear:
“ I dinnae ask tae be born, no intae this midden. The kitchen aye like a pig sty –there’s never ony decent food, and if there wis, ye’d hae nae appetite for it…an’ sleepin’ in a bed –closet in aside a snorin’ auld wife. Naw, I’ve had enough. I’m gonna live ma ain life”.
John hits her, she marches off. The scene ends with Maggie going to bed as John lights a cigarette and stares out of the window.
Act 2: Scene 1
Granny is waiting, cases packed, bed-ends and mattress propped up against the wall, to be taken to Lizzie’s house as there is no longer any room for her in the already over-crowded Morrison house. Mrs Bone and Mrs Harris are keeping her company as Maggie is at the hospital with Bertie. Lizzie is forced to take her turn looking after Granny and uses the opportunity to use what little money Granny has in the form of her pension by insisting that Granny hands over her pension book. When Lizzie appears she discovers that Granny has already drawn her pension this week to help Maggie buy things for Bertie going to his appointment at the hospital. Lizzie decides to “take what Maggie has bought” to replace the missing pension money however the neighbours refuse to let her take a thing. Lily enters and we see the hostility between the two characters. The scene continues with Jenny, Isa and Alec coming in arm-in-arm. The girls are sharing a joke in which Alec is not included, something he’s clearly unhappy about. Isa asks “Whaurs ma dear mither-in-law –oot at the jiggin’?” This shows the hostility she has towards Maggie and also the lack of respect she has for her elders. Jenny is shown to be just as rude and Mrs Bone and Mrs Harris decide to leave stating “You’re a right cheeky wee bizzim Jenny Morrison. Serve ye right if the next time your Mammy’s needin’ me or Mrs Bone, we’ll no come and you’ll need tae bide in. Jenny replies “Oh, but I’ll no be here! I’ve seen the last o you auld tea-sookin tabbies. This little birdies flyin awa fae the nest…Pit that in yer pipe and puff it oot tae the neighbours”. The removal men arrive to take Granny’s belongings to Lizzie’s then Maggie returns home with the news that Bertie’s been kept in with TB. Maggie is devastated at the thought of Bertie being away from her and she regrets her reluctance of “getting up tae him in the night”. She pleads with Jenny not to leave home but Jenny is still determined to go and make a better life for herself. John comes home to hear the news about Bertie just as Jenny is leaving. Once she’s gone he states, “she’s deid tae me. If I could jist…jist done better by ye a’”.
Act 2: 2
Morrison house, one month later. Alec and Isa are quarrelling in the bedroom. Isa appears with Alec behind her. She complains to him about their poor quality of life. It also emerges that Alec has robbed someone. When Isa threatens to leave him for Peter Robb Alec grabs her by the throat showing his temper and violent side. He lets go after nearly strangling her. She exits. Maggie enters –tired and shabbily dressed. The house is a mess waiting for her to come home to tidy it. Alec is in a state and wants Maggie to buy some cigarettes when it becomes apparent that she doesn’t think this a necessity Alec plays on Maggie’s concern for him persuading her to send Isa out for cigarettes and whisky. Isa and Maggie quarrel over the way Isa treats Alec, threatening to leave him.