In the Time of the Butterflies/ Julia Alvarez

In the Time of Butterflies is a historical novel, based on the true lives of the Mirabal sisters, four women who fought against an oppressive dictatorship in the 1950’s in the Dominican Republic (homeland of Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, and David Ortiz – none of whom appear in this novel).

The narration of this novel alternates between all four of the sisters, giving us their story from different perspectives. (It can also be a little confusing. I’ve only give this book a quick read through; I’ll be taking notes next time.)

The novel shows us how the sisters, of different ages and temperaments, are gradually radicalized and become involved in a revolutionary movement – and reminds us of the cost that must sometimes be paid for freedom. In a time that tosses around the term hero quite loosely, these women are bona fide heroes.

A Moon for the Misbegotten/ Eugene O'Neill

If you think there was a lot of plotting and scheming going on in Hedda Gabler, it’s nothing compared to this play, written by Connecticut’s own (sort of) Eugene O’Neill. The heroine of this play, set in 1923 on a Connecticut farm, is Josie Hogan, “so oversize for a woman that she’s almost a freak”. Josie is a fierce, independent woman who lives life according to her own rules. The love of her life is Jim Tyrone, a Broadway actor who from time to time visits the family home (the family that owns the land the Hogans rent). Jim claims he loves Josie, but unfortunately, he is a raging, self-loathing alcoholic, who had countless lovers. (Josie, apparently, also has many lovers in her 28 years.)

Is it possible for these two wounded souls to find each other, under the harvest moonlight. Phil Hogan, Josie’s father, would like to see that, but is he concerned about his daughter's happiness, or just trying to get his hands on Tyrone’s money?

(Oh, and when you come where Jim is telling Josie about the “girl on the train” , the scene is a lot like the Lovborg telling Hedda about his “nights on the town”. Josie’s reaction, though, and Hedda’s, though are miles apart.)

Hedda Gabler/ Henrik Ibsen

The year: 1890; the country: Norway. Hedda Gabler returns from her honeymoon to a house and life she despises, with a husband for whom she has no respect. Into this unhappy home bring two men who would become her lover – one an upstanding judge, and the other a brilliant but dissolute man with a scandalous past.

Just a word of warning about Hedda. You probably won’t like her, but she’s a fascinating literary creation. She’s more complicated than you think (if the responses of earlier classes are any indicator). The actress Kate Burton called Hedda “a female Hamlet.” I’m not sure I‘d go that far, but she’s more than just a “mean girl“. There are reasons for everything she does, (although sometimes they are dark even to her). Take the “bonnet incident”. You can take her at face value when she tells Judge Brack that she doesn’t know why she does things like that.

But for a key to understanding Hedda look closely at the nature of her relationship with Lovborg — especially in the past. (Hint: they were never physically intimate.) What Hedda wanted from the relationship and what Lovborg wanted were too vastly different things. Another key is when Hedda talks about people staring at her legs (or ankles, in one translation), so she refuses to get off the train. She seems tough and in control, but in reality she's quite vulnerable.

Oh -- and shouldn't this play be called Hedda Tesman?