The life of women in colonial Australia has been explored in various literary works. This paper is aimed at examining two short stories written by Murray Bail and Henry Lawson. Their short stories have the same title, namely, The Drover’s Wife. These authors look at the experiences of bush-women who have to live in an environment that is new and sometimes hostile to them. Both writers show that it is extremely difficult for these women to get used to the role of drover’s wife or a person who has to struggle against heavy odds in order to support the family. Nevertheless, there is a significant difference that should not be overlooked.
In particular, Henry Lawson offers an idealistic representation of the drover’s wife by focusing on her strength, fortitude, and stoicism. In contrast, Murray Bail pays more attention to the independence of the main character. This distinction can be explained by several reasons. First of all, Murray Bail attempts to show that the role of bush-women was not always appreciated by mean. This is why his narrative is written from the perceptive of a husband.
First of all, both stories suggest that these women struggle to adjust to new conditions. For instance, Henry Lawson notes that in the past the main character held many aspirations and hopes about her marriage and family. Yet, she gradually lost them. Now she can only take pleasure “in the fashion-plates” (Lawson 745). This person understands that she has to dedicate all her efforts only to the needs of her husband and children. Similarly, Murray Bail also shows that the protagonist of his short story has to do the work that she is not quite ready for. For instance, she has to chop wood (Bail, 791). This is one of the similarities that can be identified.
Nevertheless, there are important distinctions that one should consider. In particular, the main character of Henry Lawson’s short story is willing to make sacrifices for the needs of her husband. She can recognize his weaknesses but she does want to criticize him. In contrast, Murray Bail describes a person who understands that she is undervalued by her husband. Moreover, she decides to leave him. In turn, he is profoundly astonished by her decision. Murray Bail refers to the famous painting The Drover’s Wife by Russell Drysdale (Bail 788). Its central figure is a woman who stands in the desert while her husband is only a distant spot. The narrator does not understand why the painter chooses to depict this family in such a way. He only expects his wife to face hardships without any comment.
Overall, Murray Bail wants to demonstrate that the role of women has often been underestimated in Australian culture. He tells the narrative from the perspective of a husband who does not even understand that she makes great sacrifices for him. He believes that it is he who plays the most prominent role in the family. This is one of the main issues that can be identified. This is why he chooses to write this narrative in such a way.
On the whole, the life of bush-women is one of the themes that is examined in Australian literature. The short stories that have been discussed present different narratives about the life of such families. Henry Lawson pays close attention to the stoicism of the main character, who is willing to make sacrifices for the needs of others. In contrast, Murray Bail wants to show that the role was often undervalued.
Works Cited
Bail, Murray. “The Drover’s Wife.” Colonial and Postcolonial Short Fiction. Ed. Dean Baldwin. Melbourne: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007. 788-792. Print.
Lawson, Henry. The Drover’s Wife. Colonial and Postcolonial Short Fiction. Ed. Dean Baldwin. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007. 742-748. Print.