Lover of Poe

            In the play “Machinal” by Sophie Treadwell the young women, Helen, lives a life scripted for her.  She urns for true love but is in constant battle with the need to abide society’s strict gender roles, roles where women are quickly married off and provided for by their husbands.  Treadwell alludes to Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado” in Episode Five, “Man: Poe was a lover of amontillado.  He returns to it continually, you remember – or are you a lover of Poe?  Boy: I’ve read a lot of him.  Man: But are you a lover?” (383).  The use of this allusion depicts the level of entrapment Helen encounters as well as aligns the fate of the two characters as they both die as a result of their entrapment.

Poe’s short story is told from the perspective of Montresor, who has set out to take revenge on his friend Fortunato.  Montresor tricks drunk Fortunato by telling him he has found a large amount of rare amontillado.  Montresor leads Fortunato through the catacombs in search of the amontillado.  Montresor chains Fortunato to a wall deep within the catacombs and leaves him to die.  First off, the allusion draws a connection between entrapment.  Like Fortunato, Helen is also trapped.  She may not be physically chained up, but she is chained by the expectations placed on her by society, “Young Women: And I suppose I got to marry somebody – All girls do.  Mother: Nonsense.  Young Women: But, I can’t go on like this, Ma – I don’t know why – but I can’t” (373).  Before the marriage even takes place, Helen is trapped by the gender role.  She feels the need to marry, no matter whom because she believes all girls do it.  Love takes a back seat to the pressure she feels.  Helen worries she may not find anyone else so she must take the opportunity provided.    The pressure she feels from society is enough convince her to marry a man she does not love. 

The need to provide for her mother is another way the gender roles trap Helen.  Helen knows Mr J. will provide for her mother if they are married, “Mother Vice president! His income must be – Does he know you’ve got a mother to support?  Young Women: Yes. Mother: What does he say? Young Women: Alright.” (372).  It is also stated that if Helen turns down the proposal, she will lose her job, “Telephone Girl: No! Tell him no.  Stenographer: If she does she’ll lose her job.” (370).  If Helen turns down the marriage, she will lose her job and no longer be able to provide for her mother.  On top of that, she will still not be married.  She is left with no choice but to marry Mr J.

All of these pressures are created by the need to fit into the gender role created by society.  The pressures that trap Helen within the gender roles eventually lead to her morbid fate.  She and Fortunado are left trapped, with no escape.  Helen is chained to the gender roles and its pressures just as Fortunato is chained to the walls of the catacombs.