Hobsons Choice - The Theme of Alcohol

Alcoholism is part of Hobsons Downfall- losing the customers at his shop and losing his best boothand, and in losing his daughters, because it is in his drunk-ness that he agrees to Maggies marriage and paying her settlements for her marriage… (Act 3)

The writer, Harold Brighouse, shows the reader/ audience the adverse effects of Alcoholism on Hobsons Family and business life and the impacts he can have.

In the Victorian Times, to drink to excess was unusual Lemonade, root beer, hot tea were all popular drinks of the time.

During the nineteenth century, however, the consumption of alcohol among working-class men began to be viewed as a wasteful and illicit form of entertainment which served no purpose, caused many problems, and was scorned and fought against. Representing the ideals of self-control and self-denial, lots of drinking showed a lack of this.

Harold Brighouse shows the audience that to drink a lot, like Hobson, was a lack of self-control. However he becomes unaware of his problem as Dr MacFarlane says (on p65) that his ‘complaint and his character are the same’

1)Hobsons speaks about being ‘revived’- Page 2

2)He is drunk and allows Maggie to organise his sister weddings- Page 15

3)HobonsBuisness suffers- In Act 2 onwards

4)He has a poor relationship with his family/ Daughters- Towards the end of the play

5)He doesn’t realise his problem, sees Alcohol as his reasonable refreshment- Page 66

6)Doctor MacFarlane is called because Hobsons feels so ill- this is where Dr MacFarlane tells him that he has got ‘Chronic Alcoholism’- Page 65-69