“Our constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law.” Intimate Apparel takes place in Lower Manhattan in 1905, and it tells the story of Esther Mills, an African American spinster who sews intimate apparel for the woman of New York. This play focuses on many themes relating to gender and sexuality, but mostly to discrimination and oppression. The setting of this play takes place in 1905 which is a time for America where many things were happening. For example the Plessy v. Ferguson was an 1896 U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine. Following this event are reports of police brutality and riots and president assassinations.
In 1905, the year the play takes place, is the same year that Einstein published his theory of relativity and Freud’s theory of sexuality. America at this time was the turn of the century. The American nation had established itself as a world power, and the American dream is thriving. One of the themes found in this play is immigration and making it in America. Most of the characters in Intimate Apparel have cme from outside of New York City, and they go there looking to find success. Esther Mills, the main character comes to the big city of New York from North Carolina. “I come here from North Carolina at seventeen after my mother died of influenza…I come to this city by myself, worked my way North little by little, picking berries in every state until I get here. An old woman in the rooming house teach me to sew intimate apparel, saying folks will pay you good money for your discretion.” (Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. pp. 37-38.) In this quote, Esther is explaining her gratitude towards Mrs. Dickson, the African American landylady of the rooming house Esther lives in, for teaching her how to sew. Without this skill, Esther would not have been able to move around New York’s distinct social worlds. On top of that, she would not have been able to gather up all the money she had to open up her beauty parlor that caters to black women. This play really focuses on the New York struggle. Mrs. Van Buren has also come from the South looking for social success. She succeeds in doing so by marrying well and having connections as she is considered a respectable woman in society. Mayme, Esther’s friend who lives in the rooming house as well, has come from the south in hopes to pursue her dream of being a famous pianist. “I am a concert pianist playing recitals for audiences in Prague and I have my own means, not bad for a colored girl from Memphis” (Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. pp.23) However, because of gender roles and racial prejudice, those dreams were never fulfilled. “You think I ain’t tried to make a go of it. You think I just laid down and opened my legs ‘cause it was easy. It dont look like nothing, but this saloon is better than a lot of them places—ask anybody.” (Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. Pp. 25)
All the women in this play face some sort of gender inequality. Esther is faced with a difficult decision to make when her husband, George, is forcing gender roles on her. Esther has to accept the fact that George can come home at late hours and she does not have a say in it. When he does not come home for supper, he never needs a reason besides him being a ‘busy man.’ There was one scene in Intimate Apparel that exhibited his behavior and Esther was just home, patiently waiting for him to lay with her. “Crossfade to Mayme’s boudoir. Mayme plays a slow seductive rag. George enters. He watches Mayme gracefully regard the piano. He places money on top of the piano, then straddles the piano bench behind Mayme. He kisses her neck and cups her breasts in his hands. Crossfade to Esther’s bedroom. Esther sits alone, waiting.” (Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. Pp.60) In this play, Esther had been sewing since the age of nine. She had been sewing in the rooming house under Mrs. Dickson for eighteen years and during those years, she had acquired quite a sum of money. Esther’s biggest dream is to eventually open up a beauty parlor for black women to be treated as royally as the white women she sews for. However, Esther is the only person who knows how much money she really has and where it is hidden. Once George had entered her life, he repeatedly asked her for money for him to get a leg up in the city. At first it was money for a hat for his search for jobs, then the money kept piling on. The audience later finds out that he has been using Esther’s money for sex with Mayme. “He come in like all them others. Hands crude and calloused, a week’s wage in his pocket…Comes three times a week on schedule, like the iceman.” (Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. Pp. 61) Esther never confronts George about the affair with Mayme but instead begs him to lay with her and only her. This is where George manipulates Esther with his sweet words and false promises saying, “ ’E will sit with she and nod graciously to the ladies. ’E will come home for supper every evenin’. (Seductively) ’E will lie with she.” (Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. Pp. 65) Esther is so conflicted with his advances and finally succumbs to his words and actions. She hesitates, then tears into the quilt, wrenching it apart with her bare hands. She pulls out all the money she had and gives it all to George’s outstretched hands.
Gender roles definitely plays a part in this because Esther believes that because he is a man, it is easier for him to achieve his goals then if Esther had the money and she had tried to achieve her goals. This obviously does not end well, as George ends up leaving Esther with nothing, forcing her to start from scratch.
The next character who faces gender inequality is Mrs. Van Buren. She is one of Esther’s clients and friends, as she helped Esther read all the letters from George and even wrote back to him. Mrs. Van Buren is a highly respectable woman in society, however, she lives an empty life and has to endure a loveless marriage because of the gender roles forced onto her by her husband. This time era is not very kind to women as it is a woman’s job to be able to provide a family for her husband. However, Mrs. Van Buren is unable to bear children which makes her husband resent her.
Mayme lives in the same rooming house with Esther, and is considered close friends with her, despite their lifestyles and characters. With Mayme being a wild prostitute who does not go to church, and Esther being an innocent Christian woman. Mayme is another character who faces gender inequality. Mayme grew up playing the piano and has always dreamt of being a concert pianist. However, she knows that being a prostitute is the only line of work for a girl like her. Mayme is found scoffing at the possibility of her being an actual concert pianist saying that her line of work pays the bills. This era really restricts any opportunity for women and that is seen with Mayme’s situation.
Another theme in this play is religion. Religion is seen segregating the characters in this play like Esther and Mr. Marks. Esther is an active Christian woman who goes to church and Mr. Marks is an Orthodox Jew from Romania. Throughout the play, the audience knows of the mutual attraction between Esther and Mr. Marks and so do the characters themselves. These characters would flirt with each other, however, when Esther would reach out to him, he would pull away. The audience sees this happen in act one, scene three. (Esther affectionately gtasps Mr. Mark’s hand; he abruptly pulls it away. Esther is taken aback.) “No, no. I’m sorry. It’s not that. Please. My religious belief doesn’t permit me to touch a woman who isn’t my wife or my relative…It is the rabbinical law, not mine.” ( Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. Pp. 20) Mayme is also found in a predicament when she is invited to the wedding of Esther Mills and George Armstrong, but will not go because she isn’t a practicing Christian like Esther. “No. I ain’t been to church since I was seventeen. It ain’t about you- it’s just a promise I made to myself years ago. I ain’t got nothing to say to God, and it don’t seem right to go up into somebody’s home and you ain’t on speaking terms.” (Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. Pp. 35-36) Mayme’s absence in the wedding ceremony results in her not knowing what George looks like. Because of that, Mayme accidentally seduces George, leading him away from Esther. She is the main reason George wouldn’t come home to supper or to lay with Esther since he was already sleeping with Mayme.
Race is probably the biggest theme in this play as the main characters are mostly African American and we see their struggles in the play. If it wasn’t for Esther’s talent in sewing intimate apparel for the women in New York, she would not have been able to move around the distinct social worlds since she is a black woman. One of the relationships seen in this play is between Mrs. Van Buren and Esther. Mrs. Van Buren, a white, upper class woman has grown fond of Esther because of her unhealthy relationship with her husband. In one scene, we see how Mrs. Van Buren wants to be friends and more with Esther, as she kisses Esther on the lips and explains how she wanted to show Esther what it was like to be treated lovingly. Esther is taken aback by this and does not believe that Mrs. Van Buren loves her. Shortly after, Mrs. Van Buren regrets what she has done and asks if they can return to being friends when Esther says, “Friends? How we friends? When I ain’t ever been through your front door. You love me? What of me do you love?” (Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Dramatists Play Service, New York, NY, 2005. Pp. 59) This goes to show that even if Mrs. Van Buren did love Esther, race kept them apart. Mrs. Van Buren is embarrassed to even have a black friend let alone a black lover.
The last theme I saw in this play is feminism. Every woman in this play has their share of secrets and each is layered and has her flaws. This is what makes the play stand out. Esther started up her own intimate apparel business and works hard for each dollar she owns. Mayme, Esther, Mrs. Van Buren and even Mrs. Dickson are allowed to healthily explore and discuss their sexuality without shame. Women are portrayed realistically as having lives, struggles and goals that do not revolve around men. We also see that every woman in this play has helped the other in their own way. For example, Mrs. Van Buren helps Esther read the letters from George and even writes back to him, however Esther is unable to do so because she is illiterate. The next person that helps Esther is Mrs.Dickson she provided Esther with the gift of sowing and even though she was the land lady of the rooming house, she treated Esther like a daughter. Mrs. Dickson also gave input on George saying he did not seem like the man he was.
In conclusion the themes on this play focused on making it in America, race, religion, class and gender inequality. Despite Esther being a victim of racial prejudice and gender inequality, she was able to overcome all these negative aspect of her life. Esther shows what a strong female character is supposed to do in her situation and that is why she is able to come out strong in the end.