When Wilder’s “The Skin of our Teeth” first came to the stage in 1942, the audience
had difficulty understanding the play. Many of them left the theatre before the 3rd Act
had started. The audience hadn’t shared the same background as Wilder and one could
say that they weren’t ready for his play yet. However, most of the critics favoured the
new play and Wilder received his third Pulitzer Prize for it.
“The Skin of our Teeth” is strongly influenced by Wilder’s experience of two World
Wars and his visit of English cities, which had been destroyed by German bombs, in
1941, where he was astonished by the “almost amused bewilderment”1 the British
showed whilst facing the disasters of war.2
During the late 1930s Wilder studied the works of James Joyce and admits that “The
Skin of our Teeth” is “deeply indebted to James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake”3, whilst
critics called it “an American re-creation, thinly disguised”4 with reference to the
Joycean novel. He borrowed ideas from many other authors like André Obey.
A second source of inspiration, every bit as important to “The Skin of our Teeth” as
the highbrow “Finnegan’s Wake”, was the lowbrow, popular entertainment of the day:
the burlesque. Especially the work of the American comedians Olsen and Johnson
shows a certain affinity to Wilder’s play.
Wilder did not see himself as an innovator, but a man who tried to keep the craft of
writing alive.
“I am not an innovator, but a rediscoverer of forgotten goods and I hope a remover
of obtrusive bric á brac”5
1 Erwin Häberle, Das szenische Werk Thornton Wilders (Heidelberg 1967) pp. 91
2 ibid. pp. 91-107
3 Thornton Wilder, Our Town and Other Plays (1962) p.14
4 Rex Burbank, Thornton Wilder (Boston 1961), p.101
5 Thorton Wilder, Our Town and Other Plays (1962), p.14
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Play
2.1 Sabina
2.2 Mrs Antrobus
2.3 Gladys Antrobus
2.4 Fortune Teller
3. Conclusion
4. Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the female characters in Thornton Wilder’s play "The Skin of our Teeth," exploring their individual traits, symbolic roles, and relationships within the narrative. It aims to analyze how these women represent specific archetypes—ranging from domesticity to moral corruption—and how their presence contributes to the play’s broader allegory of human survival against catastrophic forces.
- Analysis of the maid character Sabina as a symbol of vanity and survival.
- Examination of Mrs. Antrobus as the archetype of the selfless, maternal homemaker.
- Evaluation of Gladys Antrobus’s transition from childhood to the future of mankind.
- Discussion of the Fortune Teller’s prophetic role in the face of cyclical destruction.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 Mrs Antrobus
Mrs Maggie Antrobus, Eve, the “charming and gracious president of the Excelsior’s Mothers’ Club” and the inventor of the apron, is the perfect American mother and the “eternal home-maker”. She is the embodiment of selfless motherly love.
“If you want to know more about Mrs. Antrobus, just go and look at a tigress, and look hard”
She is more interested in the health of her children, even her wicked son Henry, than culture, she would “burn ten Shakespeares to prevent one child [of hers] from having a cold in the head”. She is practical and behaves instinctually.
Although she is humiliated by her husband and the “eternal wicked woman” Sabina more than once, she stubbornly tries to hold her family together. When Mr Antrobus in Act II announces the catchphrase for the future “Enjoy Yourselves”, she fears this could lead to misunderstanding and changes it to: “Save the Family”.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the play's reception in 1942 and highlights the primary influences on Wilder, including the World Wars and literary sources like James Joyce.
2. The Play: This chapter provides an overview of the Antrobus family as an allegory for humanity and introduces the focus on the four key female characters.
2.1 Sabina: This section explores Sabina's role as a feisty, witty, and materialistic character who brings comic relief while serving as an antithesis to Mrs. Antrobus.
2.2 Mrs Antrobus: This section details Mrs. Antrobus’s identity as the embodiment of selfless maternal love and her instinctual drive to protect her family.
2.3 Gladys Antrobus: This section discusses Gladys as a representation of human growth and sexuality, reflecting both the promise and the imperfections of the future generation.
2.4 Fortune Teller: This section analyzes the role of the Fortune Teller as a prophetic figure who warns humanity of impending catastrophes.
3. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the play's enduring relevance regarding the human struggle against constant threats and reassesses Wilder’s portrayal of women.
4. Bibliography: This chapter lists the academic sources and texts utilized for the analysis of Thornton Wilder’s work.
Keywords
Thornton Wilder, The Skin of our Teeth, female characters, Sabina, Mrs. Antrobus, Gladys Antrobus, Fortune Teller, archetype, allegory, survival, domesticity, humanity, theater, literary analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the female characters in Thornton Wilder’s play "The Skin of our Teeth," analyzing their personalities, symbolic meanings, and influence on the plot.
Which characters are analyzed in detail?
The author analyzes Sabina, Mrs. Antrobus, Gladys Antrobus, and the Fortune Teller.
What is the main goal of the research?
The goal is to understand how these female archetypes interact with the play’s central theme of humanity’s survival through various historical catastrophes.
What methodology does the author use?
The author uses literary analysis, examining character motivations, textual symbolism, and the historical context of the play's creation.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the introduction of the characters in their order of appearance, contrasting their traits and their relationships within the Antrobus family.
What are the characterizing keywords of the work?
Key terms include archetypes, humanity, survival, domesticity, allegory, and the specific names of the female characters discussed.
How does the author interpret Sabina’s function?
Sabina is seen as a complex character who, despite her faults and moral ambiguity, provides essential comic elements and helps the audience engage with the play.
What does the Fortune Teller represent in the second act?
The Fortune Teller functions as a Cassandra-like figure, representing the burden of foresight and the necessity of acknowledging the threats that mankind faces.
- Quote paper
- Isabel Zosig (Author), 2003, Thornton Wilder - "The Skin of our Teeth". The female characters of the play, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/21344
