Marmee March is the beloved mother of the four major characters in the 2019 film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s book, Little Women, which outlines the lives of the four girls in the past and present and follows their journey from childhood to adulthood and the obstacles all girls must face during this era. The film is set in Concord, Massachusetts in the mid-nineteenth century during the Civil War. Marmee is the head of the household in the film, since her husband is away at war, and does her duties of being the wife, mother, and caretaker of the household. In this film, Marmee is the glue that essentially keeps the family together and keeps the peace among the girls when there may be tension or a rift between them. She is also the one all the girls turn to in times of hardship, lending them a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, and wise words to help them through their troubles. Since Marmee’s character is the matriarch of the family, she plays an important role in each of the girls’ lives as the mother figure, she essentially molds the girls into kind and caring individuals and emits her own selfless ways onto them, demonstrating the importance of being selfless. Marmee character helps whoever and wherever she can. During the scene in which Marmee is volunteering, she helps a man who is on his way to see his son who was wounded in the war. She takes the scarf off around her neck and wraps it in the blankets the association is giving out in order to help him a little extra and keep him warm during his journey. This act of selflessness and helping the less fortunate demonstrates what Christian Keathley identifies in “Small Parts, Small Players” dossier of Screen in which he defines, “business employs objects for dramatic and expressive purposes.” (105). Her deed of giving the man something extra because of her compassionate way of thinking that he needs it more than her demonstrates more of her character. Although Marmee may not have much she gives as much as she can to the people that truly need it and asks for nothing in return. In each scene she is in within the film, she is caring and nurturing, and thinks of others before herself. Marmee’s character is an integral part of the film as she does anything to protect and help her children and anyone else who may need help. She makes sacrifices for the sake of others over herself and constantly portrays a strong front even though she may be going through a tough time such as her husband being away at war and losing one of her daughters. Although Marmee may not be a major character, she plays an integral role in the lives of the four major characters and aids in the development of their characters and plays an important part of the character system.
Works Cited
Gerwig, Greta, director. Little Women. Columbia Pictures, 2019.
Keathley, Christian. “Pass the salt … and other bits of business.” Screen, Volume 52, Issue 1. 2011. 105. https://doi.org/10.1093/screen/hjq065
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