Introduction
The story “The Drover’s Wife” written by Murray Bail and Henry Lawson has several similarities and differences in the way the “wife” is presented. Both stories have some elements of bush life and define the hardship that families go through.
Similarities
In both cases, the “wives” seem to be bush people. This is proven by their characteristics, decisions, and actions. The Drover’s wife as presented by Henry Lawson is an accomplished bush woman. She is accustomed to bush life such that she understands how to deal with the dangers that occur in the bush. She has skills of killing snakes, mounting her defense and that of her children as in the case when a mad bullock held her hostage in her hut, and withstanding hardship as she is left alone to fend for the family as her Drover husband stays away from home for a long period. According to Lawson, the drover’s wife is comfortable with bush life and does not harbor any ambitions of leaving that life for the exotic life of urban areas (Lawson 742). In Murray Bail’s “The Drover’s Wife”, the “wife” displays several bushes woman’s characteristics that result in incessant conflicts with her husband. In an urban setting, she displays the rural bush life characteristics such as chopping wood, she has great courage and unlike other women in urban areas, and to her husband’s dismay she kills a snake at the beach shack and feels comfortable with the bush campsite although her husband was uncomfortable with the heat and the environment (Bail 791).
The representation of the “wives” in the two stories is symbolic of the inferior position of women in terms of making independent decisions and gender roles. In Henry Lawson’s “The Drover’s Wife”, the wife has an obligation of undertaking her traditional gender role of staying at home and taking care of the children even though her husband takes long before returning home. She does not have the freedom of moving from the bush and seeking alternative residence in an urban area or living with her husband. It is her husband who makes the final decision on whether to take her for holidays to an urban area or other magnificent places (Lawson 747). The “wife” in Murray Bail’s story is in constant conflict with her husband because he does not give her the freedom to do what impresses her. She is happy with splitting wood but her husband is not amused with the action and expects to change her behavior according to his wishes (Bail 792). This shows that women do not have a chance of making an independent decision and their actions are governed by men’s desires and interests.
Differences
The “wife” in Henry Lawson’s story values her family and is interested in realizing the wellbeing of her family. She guards her sleeping children against snakes. She ensures that her children are disciplined by teaching them good values. For instance, she warns her 11-year-old boy against swearing. She is a good and responsible wife who remains faithful despite her husband staying long without coming home. For example, her responsibility is proven when she declines an illicit advance from a man who insists on spending the night in her home (Lawson 746). On the other hand, the “wife” who is presented by Murray Bail is uncaring and does not have family values. She abandons her family including her two children to get married to a Drover, which indicates that she values her interests and happiness more than the wellbeing of her family (Bail 791).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the two stories generally highlight gender roles and how men place restrictions on women’s freedom. The stories show that women are expected to be submissive and are obliged to adhere to the rules set by the male-dominated society. The bush life is used symbolically to show that women are still undervalued and are not expected to make independent decisions that would enhance their social, political, and economic lives.
Works Cited
Bail, Murray. The Drover’s Wife and Other Stories. London: Faber and Faber, 1986. Print.
Lawson, Henry. Henry Lawson: Selected Stories. Sydney, NSW: A & R Classics, 2001. Print.