چكيده لاتين :
This article aims to investigate the language of ‘May’ and has presented a
stylistic study of Shepard’s Fool for Love (1983). To do the study, the writers of
this article have benefited from ‘Level of the Word’, ‘Level of the
Phrase/Sentence’ and ‘Level of Discourse’ presented by Sara mills. Using Mills’
ideas, the problem suggested in this article is to show whether ‘May’ is a
powerful character or not. The purpose of this article is to compare and contrast
the character of ‘May’ with the male characters of the play, and answer the
following: Is she always obeying male characters of the play? and according to
critics, has Shepard presented a weak female character in the play? The findings
of the study show that ‘May’ has a submissive character and cannot affect others
around her. She is also weaker than the male characters of the play.
Methodology
Mills (1995) identifies three levels of analysis, the first of which is
analysis at the level of the word (p. 62); at this level she identifies various
methods that sexism is found in language, and they are as follows:
Linguistic Determinism Generic Pronouns Generic Nouns Women as the Marked Form (pp. 62-70)
Mills (1995) then goes on to discuss “Sexism and Meaning”, raising
questions about the way in which meanings may be sex-specific; she
discusses some problematic areas, namely:
Naming and Androcentrism
The Semantic Derogation of Women
Endearments and Diminutives
Female Experience: Euphemism and Taboo
Lexical Gaps: Male Point of View
Dictionaries and Gatekeepers
(pp. 77-94)
The second level of analysis which Mills (1995) proposes is analysis at
the level of the phrase/sentence; she expands by suggesting areas that require
particular attention in an analysis, said areas being:
Ready-made Phrases
Presupposition and Inference
Metaphor
Jokes and Humour
Transitivity Choices
(pp. 98-110)
Regarding transitivity, Mills (1995) states that it has to do with the
“representation of who acts (who is an agent) and who is acted upon (who is
affected by the actions of others)”; she goes on to explain that there are three
types of choices: “material, mental and relational” (p. 110). Mills (1995)
elaborates further:
In this system, processes can be categorized into those elements which
are actions which can be observed in the real world and which have
consequences (material), for example, ‘She swam across the river’; those
which take place largely in the mind (mental), for example, ‘She thought
about the situation’; and those which simply relate two elements together
(relational), for example, ‘It is rather cold’. Within material action processes,
there are two further choices, between ‘material action intention’ and
‘material action supervention’: with material action intention, there is a clear
will to do something, for example, ‘I broke the window, in order to get into
the house’; but with supervention, there is an attempt to capture for analysis
those verbal processes where things are not done intentionally, for example,
‘I broke my favourite glasses’. (pp. 110-111)
As has become clear, transitivity allows for investigation into whether a
character is active or passive, and also whether a character manages to have
an effect on her surroundings and other characters.
The final level of analysis Mills (1995) observes is the level of discourse;
she indicates a few areas for analysis at this level which consist of:
Characters/Roles
Fragmentation
Focalization
Schemata
(pp. 123-148).
Conclusion
From the very beginning of the play, Eddie is shown as the active
character while May remains the passive one. Also, inferences were made
that May cannot provide for herself, coupled with the fact that May is the
goal of Eddie’s material-action-intention act, shows that May is the
powerless passive goal whereas Eddie is the powerful active agent. Even
when May makes Eddie the goal of her act, Eddie is simultaneously doing
the same, and the difference is that May is physically subordinated as well.
In excerpt 2, Eddie’s belief that May needs someone to check up on her,
suggests that May cannot take care of herself, and as such she is viewed as
powerless and inferior. The aforementioned presupposition is indicative of
an anti-feminist viewpoint in the play. Eddie proceeds by using a materialaction-
intention act whereas May uses an internal mental process, and said
processes point to Eddie being powerful and active while May is powerless
and passive.
Excerpt 3 begins with Eddie using a “ready-made phrase” to indicate that
because May has aged, she should not be dating, and this is a negative view
designed to damage May’s perception of herself to make her believe she is
not attractive. Eddie goes on to threaten May with material-action-intention
acts, which show May’s subordination and powerlessness. Therefore, the
exchanges between Eddie and May are dominated by the former, and this
suggests the subordination of femininity. In the fourth excerpt, May uses a
relational process which suggests that she is a passive character; the fact that
said relational process is used to hide her date from Eddie, further supports
her passivity and powerlessness. May’s identity is also brought into question
because she does not influence Eddie, and simply reacts to his words and
action not being able to instigate anything.
