This story is set in a cell of an old convict jail.
The cell is bare except for graffiti on the walls and scratch marks on the
door.
A teenage girl has found herself trapped in the cell
that becomes a metaphor for the way she feels trapped in herself. She is
confronted by an apparition that is, in fact, a metaphor for her own
conscience. The struggle between the two characters is therefore the struggle
between the schoolgirl and her conscience.
Tabetha Beasley: is
a strong willed fifteen-year old with a vivid imagination. She is a the age of
maturity where she is neither an adult nor child as is desperately trying to
find her independence and self assurance.
Esther Greenwood: is
a convict girl who was famous for being hanged at the age of fifteen. She is a
strong willed girl who killed a man who was hurting her family. She paid the
ultimate price.
A schoolgirl wanders into a dimly lit cell and
looks about, pondering as she runs her fingers gently over the marks on the
walls. She looks back at the door and notices something of interest. She walks
to the door, pushes it closed and studies scratch marks. She feels their
texture then tries to open the door but can’t. There is no handle on the inside
and nothing to grip onto.
She becomes progressively more
anxious as she tries bit fails to open the door. She becomes desperate,
scratching at the door herself as she
looks for some way to get a grip. She shouts for help but nobody answers.
Tabetha: Let
me out!
She stops suddenly as if possessed by something and
turns to look at the opposite corner of the cell where now stands an
apparition. It is a vile sight. A girl dressed in hessian rages, with dried
yellow skin, stiff, matted hair and teeth as black as her bare, dirty feet. The
apparition stares hatefully at the schoolgirl who lets out a long, gut
wrenching, ear piercing scream. When, from sheer exhaustion, the scream fades
into silent terror the apparition speaks:
Esther: (Coldly) I screamed like that once. It did me no good either.
The apparition moves towards the door and the
schoolgirl moves away, neither girl taking her eyes off the other. The
apparition stops when she gets to the door and runs her hand over the scratch
marks.
Esther: These are mine. (Annoyance) What are you doing here? I don’t
invade your privacy, do I?
Tabetha: (Weakly) No.
The apparition walks around the schoolgirl looking
her up and down.
Esther: Why do you take so much interest in this
place? Why does anybody? Why do so many people come and go?
Tabetha: It’s
– it’s interesting.
Esther: Four bare walls – interesting?
Tabetha: It’s
not just the walls, it’s the history.
The apparition begins to saunter around the cell,
speaking as she does.
Esther: History? Four bare walls are four bare
walls; what’s the history in that?
Tabetha: (Hesitantly) It’s – you.
Esther: (surprised)
Me? Why am I so interesting? You don’t even know me.
Tabetha: You’re
Esther Greenwood.
Esther rushes at the schoolgirl who backs away
until she is up against the wall. Esther pokes her in the chest.
Esther: How
do you know my name?
Tabetha: I
– I read about you.
Esther: What
do you mean you read about me?
Tabetha: In
the history books and in the brochures of the prison.
Esther: What
did they say?
Tabetha: You’re
famous.
Esther: (Amused) Famous?
Tabetha: Yes.
Esther thinks about this and then prances around
the schoolgirl making regal gestures.
Esther: Attention
people of the world, I am the famous Esther Greenwood.
She makes a grandiose curtesy and then confronts
the schoolgirl.
Esther: (Angry) You’re having a lend of me!
Tabetha: What?
Esther: You’re
making fun of me!
Tabetha: No
I’m not.
Esther: Then
why would I be so famous?
Tabetha: Because
of who you are and – what you did. And because you were the only woman in this
prison to be – you know.
Esther: Do
I?
Esther waits for clarification.
Tabetha: You
were – hanged.
Esther: (She sees it all) Oh!
Esther imitates being hanged by lifting her hand
above her head as if holding the rope and then swinging under it with her head
leaning to one side; her tongue hanging limply from her lips and her eyes wide.
As the schoolgirl moves to the side, Esther waltzes around the room, swinging
under the rope, in a mocking defiance of authority. She completes the
performance by moving into the schoolgirl and making a choking sound when they
are face to face. After the initial fear and then revulsion at the performance,
the schoolgirl gives a little giggle as Esther walks away. But as Esther hears
the giggle she turns back to the schoolgirl.
Esther: It
wasn’t funny.
Tabetha: Then
why do you make fun of it?
Esther: That’s
my privilege.
Esther steps away satisfied she has made her point.
Esther: Anyway,
what do you know about me?
Tabetha: I
know you’re fifteen – or you were when they…
Esther raises her hand and chokes on the rope
again.
Tabetha: Don’t
do that!
Esther laughs and the schoolgirl begins to recite
information about Esther as if she were spitting out answers in an oral exam.
Esther listens fascinated.
Tabetha: You
were born on a hulk and transported to
She was a convict.
You had two sisters and a
brother and you were the eldest.
Esther: And
you read that in a book?
Tabetha: Yes.
And that your stepfather was killed by a bullock dray and your mother couldn’t
cope and took to drink…
This is something Esther does not want to relive.
Esther: All
right! Enough! That’s my business. Anyway, who are you?
Tabetha: I’m
Tabetha Beasley.
I’m
fifteen years old
I’m
the eldest of three children…
Esther: (Interrupting) And you hate the world.
Tabetha: I
do not!
Esther: So,
life’s a paradise?
Tabetha: Life
stinks!
Esther: I’m
sure you’ve got it pretty tough.
Tabetha: What
would you know?
Esther: Oh,
I don’t know.
Tabetha: No,
you don’t.
Esther: Then
tell me. (Tabetha doesn’t answer and
Esther prods her with another comment) Can’t you admit life is not so bad?
Tabetha: Can’t
you mind your own business?
Esther: Huh;
excuse me! You’re the one who came in here reciting my life.
Tabetha: I
don’t want to be in here!
Esther: Then
leave.
Tabetha: I’m
locked in. I can’t get out.
Esther: Is
that so?
Tabetha: You
know it is.
Esther studies Tabetha for a moment.
Esther: Can’t
you cope?
Tabetha: Couldn’t
you cope when your mother took to drink?
This comment pricks Esther and she begins to walk
around the cell agitated. Tabetha is alert to this and follows knowing she has
gained the upper hand.
Tabetha: What’s
the matter?
Esther: Nothing’s
the matter.
Tabetha: I know
that when your stepfather died you became the family breadwinner.
Esther: Shut
up.
Tabetha: I know
that you couldn’t cope and your brother died of consumption and the rest of the
family was taken by the authorities.
Esther: (Taking a swing at Tabetha) No more!
Tabetha is now in control and shows it. She is now
calm and intimidating.
Tabetha: Did
you think you were safe locked away in this cell?
Esther: I’m
dead remember!
Tabetha: But
you’re here with me.
Esther: Not
by choice.
Tabetha: You
can go.
Esther: I
wish it were so. I’m a victim of my circumstances, remember.
Esther: (Seizing the moment) The thing is, so
are you.
Tabetha: I
am not.
Esther: There’s
the door.
Tabetha: It
won’t open.
Esther: Then
you too are a victim of circumstance – aren’t you?
Tabetha: I’m
just locked in, that’s all.
Esther: Just
like me.
Tabetha goes to the door and tries again to open
it. Esther folds her arms and watches with some satisfaction as Tabetha gets
frustrated as she tries and fails.