Jessica

We discover the character of Jessica for the most part from her interaction with the play's other characters; her interaction with her husband, Hugo, and with the other man, Hoederer, thus effectively bridging the gap between the two opposing characters (opposed literally, although Hoederer doesn't know it, and opposed in philosophy; Hoederer is a realist, Hugo a romantic idealist. Hugo reads poetry, and Hoederer has never heard of TS Eliot). Therefore she is a very interesting and extremely important character in the play, and for the reader. Thus the two philosophical points being held in (not quite complete) juxtaposition are strung together by a woman who has more background in Hugo's origin, but is more drawn to Hoederer, a man completely different from herself. For he //is// different from her; he is a serious and kind man, a man who knows how to do business and get things done adequately. She, a woman who has not quite grown out of childhood; hardly even a woman, she jokes and 'plays' around with people, seldom speaking seriously, or meaning what she says.

Jessica embodies the connection that holds Hugo to his origin, to the bourgeoisie, and to that part of his life that he has tried to cast behind him, but can not seem to cut away; just like the photographs that Hugo keeps in his suitcase of his past life in his luxurious childhood, she is the thing that Hugo has carried with him to his new life (Hoederer himself says that every man who makes this change keeps something important to them, thus continuing the attachment to the bourgeois). He can not leave her behind, as she is his wife, and he loves her; is this reminiscent of his origin, that he can never leave it behind even if he wanted to? Can one man cut away his background, his upbringing? Yet Jessica leaves him while he is in prison... Perhaps this details Hugo's full move away from his past? Who knows.

Certainly Jessica emasculates Hugo; *(this is to be expanded)*

The character of Jessica is presented as a kind of paradox; whereas she *(older brother to Hugo so it seems she can protect herself, even more so than Hugoo (because she asks if she should kill H for him at first at least)/ looking for protector and father figure at the same time)*


 * This page is being edited by Eli* - excellent Eli! GCL