Characters Development in 'Hobson's Choice'

Essay on the way Willie changes from his first timid conversation with Maggie in act 1 to his self-confident manner with Mr. Hobson at the end of the play The following is an essay on William Mossop from the play 'Hobson's Choice' written by Harold Brighouse in 1914 and set in Salford during the 19th century. I will study the change in William from first timid conversation with Maggie to his self-confident manner with Henry Hobson at the end of the play. First Harold Brighouse was born in 1992 on the 26th of July he was born in Eccles near Salford; Harold was bought up in a middle class family.

His mother home schooled him so he could imitate his older brother Edwin but his knowledge got him attracted in play writing, many believe that 'Hobson's Choice' was a play based on Harold's own life.

First, Henry Hobson has three daughter's Alice, Maggie and Vicky they are sisters but have very different views on Willie Maggie is perhaps the most important character in the play.

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The play flows and the roles of the other characters revolve around her. This is mainly due to her manipulating skills and bossiness. Maggie is a modern woman, the opposite of Hobson, who is old-fashioned and is not open to modern ideas.

He believes women are substandard; he mocks his daughter's dress code and their preference of husbands. It is she who proposes to Willie for practical and business reasons and perhaps in some way to spite her father.

She is unafraid of marrying somebody 'below' her, the son of "A workhouse brat". She uses her power to marry Willie and to drive away Ada Figgins, once she is married we see her become softened, less dominant and more loving and affectionate. She schools Willie and aids him to ascend to his full potential. She has great pride in him and respects him.

Alice and Vicky are the exact opposites of Maggie. Alice is very snobbish and entirely against Willie entering the family. She is afraid to have Willie as the brother-in-law of her rich husband Albert, because he is of lower class and used to be their shoemaker. Vicky is not as fussy as Alice about Willie entering the family, but she is often found making undignified comments about Willie such as "He hasn't The spirit of a louse". Alice and Vicky are not involved as far as Willie's improvement is concerned and although they are not in favor of it, they cannot do anything to stop him from progressing. Once they see Willie advance they continuously treat him like an inferior person because they are not capable and reluctant to understand the improvement that Willie has undergone.

William Mossop is an ill educated boot maker who works for Hobson at his boot shop. As the play goes on with the help of Maggie (one of Hobson's 3 daughters) his self-confidence accelerates going from a boot maker to owner of a boot shop. William Mossop is first introduced when Mrs. Hepworth asks Hobson "who made these pair of boots?" Willie comes up through a trap door; this shows he has a low rank and not as significant as Hobson and Mrs. Hepworth. on a stage as Willie slowly pops up his head it would be a very humorous way to introduce a new character. From Willie's first word you can tell he is ill educated and I can prove this by the following statements Mrs. Hepworth: "read it" Willie: "I'm trying"

This shows he has difficulty understanding a few words, On stage there would be spot lights on Willie and Mrs. Hepworth the lights would be used to make the two talking character stand out from the ones who are just standing there. later on Maggie has a chat with Willie, and he is unenthusiastic and very shy. As they chat she asks him to marry her and his reply "well by gum" this is showing he is simply bewildered and lost for words. When he explains that he is stuck to Ada Figgins, Maggie is enraged and later when Ada brings Willie his dinner; she makes it perfectly clear that Mossop is hers so step aside. On stage the fact two women are fighting for a man would add humor to the seriousness of the scene

When Maggie and Willie open a new shop Willies self-confidence level sky rockets, The new shop is in a basement were they live work and trade this shows that Maggie is willing to leave luxuries for this she also teaches him in the new shop simple lessons you would associate wit little children are being taught to this man this part is humorous again showing he is ill educated, even with willies new confidence Alice and Vicky's views on him don't see any significant change.

On one mid-day Maggie enters her fathers shop and notifies her sister's of her wedding to Willie they are gob smacked and when Hobson finds out his reaction is even worse. Maggie's father and sister's (Vicky and Alice) feelings towards Willie is that he is not worthy to marry Maggie he is lower in class than them so he cannot marry Maggie quote to show this from Vicky 'your going to marry Willie Mossop, WILLIE MOSSOP!!!!' and one from Alice 'you're mistaken if you think ill own Willie mossop as my brother in law' these two quotes explain both of Maggie's sisters reaction to her wedding and both are completely against it when Maggie is in her previous shop she also buys a brass ring for the wedding her sister are bewildered they cant believe she is going to were a brass ring instead of the norm of the time gold and diamond this again shows that Maggie is not selfish, she is not doing all this for the money but for Willie's confidence.

Shortly after is the wedding day and here is when Maggie offers Willie the chance to back out but with his new confidence he say's the following 'yes Maggie am Resigned. You're growing on me, lass. I'll toe the line with you' this quote shows that Willie is starting to like Maggie and also shows his confidence in speaking. During the wedding Willie gives a speech were he is very confident in what he is saying however he does make one mistake but is corrected by Maggie at the supper after the wedding everyone is present and to everyone's surprise so is Hobson.

During the last few pages of the play Willie and Maggie issue a proposal to Hobson saying he and Willie are to become business partners Willie decides the new shop will be called 'Mossop and Hobson, Willie also says he will alter the shop saying his old shop chair is better than the cane one Hobson has here this shows he must have immense courage to speak like that in front of his former boss Willie also gives her a new ring but Maggie says he will wear his for show but still were the brass one and at this point it is Willie who kisses her showing that he is a perfect person now good confidence

Good vocabulary and a successful trader In conclusion Maggie is the only one who respects Willie but her family believes he is lower class but that changes as the play reaches the end, Willie's confidence also increases, by the end of the play he makes his own decisions and runs his own business. Alice, Vicky and Hobson start to see Willie for the real him, so the play ends with Willie and Hobson becoming business partners.