The romanticism of Henley’s play Abundance is largely revealed through the image of Bess, one of the main characters. The fate of the girl can be partly called tragic, although in general, as the ending of the story shows, while looking back at her past, Bess does not regret what happened (Henley 62). As a young woman, Bess dreamed of a happy future life and how she could fulfill her dreams (Henley 10). However, as she grows older and has a family life, she is disappointed in her choice. The trials that fall on her lot turn the girl into a submissive and sad one. Along with financial difficulties, her marriage to her husband is on the verge of collapse, and her former best friend turns out to be a traitor (Henley 38). All these problems change the worldview of Bess, who stops dreaming and does not see a bright future for herself.
The dramatic turn in the play, namely the abduction of Bess by the Indians, is a marker that demonstrates how much the woman needed change. After her return five years later, she appears to readers as a completely different person with new interests and attitudes (Henley 43). Although her life has changed drastically, one can notice that her old dreams and romanticism have been given new life, albeit in a different direction. Unable to continue her life as before, Bess can expect her future to be more pleasant than what she would have had if she had stayed with her husband. As a result, a cardinal twist in her fate allows Bess to change her life, and the fact that the woman does not regret the path she has traveled indicates that she is satisfied with the circumstances.
Work Cited
Henley, Beth. Abundance. Dramatists Play Service, 1991.