An analysis about sexual orientation and gender different perspective in victorian era and modern era as reflected in Caryl Churchill "Cloud 9"

1. SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER
BASED ON VICTORIAN AND MODERN
PERSPECTIVES IN CHARYL CHURCHILL’S
CLOUD 9
ANNISA RAHMI PRATIWI

2. Abstract
In this paper, the writer tries to analyze a drama entitled “Cloud 9” by
Charyl Churchill. The purpose of this writing is to analyze the different
perspective toward sexual orientation and gender on Victorian Age and
Modern Age. Theories that used are textual, contextual, and
hypertextual by using close reading method. From analyzing the play,
the writer find that people in Victorian Era still assumed sexuality as a
taboo topic to talk about and man still dominated the authority while the
Modern Era acted conversly.
Keywords: Sexuality, Sexual Orientation, Gender, Charyl Churchill,
Cloud 9

3. 1. Introduction
Cloud 9 is a play written by Caryl Churchill. The characters in
this play are Clive, Betty, Edward, Victoria, Harry Bagley, Mrs.
Saunders, Lin, Martin, Ellen, Garry, Joshua, Cathy, Maud and Tommy.
This play has two acts and nine scenes. The setting of this play taken in
Victorian Era and Modern Era which have different perspective toward
sexuality and gender issue.
2. Methodology
Analyzing how sexual orientation and gender could have different
perspective in the different era.
3. Research Object
The objects of research are sorted into a material and formal
object. Material object in this study is Cloud 9.

4. 4. Biography and The Story
4.1 Biography
Playwright Caryl Churchill was born on 3 September 1938 in
London and grew up in the Lake District and in Montreal. She was
educated at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, where she read English.
Downstairs, her first play, was written while she was still at university,
was first staged in 1958 and won an award at the Sunday Times
National Union of Students Drama Festival. She wrote a number of
plays for BBC radio including The Ants (1962), Lovesick (1967) and
Abortive (1971). The Judge's Wife was televised by the BBC in 1972
and Owners, her first professional stage production, premiered at the
Royal Court Theatre in London in the same year.

5. 4.2 The Story
The first act is set in British colonial Africa and explores the issues of
racism, sexism, colonial oppression, and marital relationships. Clive, his wife
Betty, son Edward, daughter Victoria, mother-in- law Maud, governess Ellen
and servant Joshua welcome the audience to his African home with a song
paying tribute to England. Clive returns home after spending the day
managing the troubles among local tribes.
When Clive learns that Joshua has been rude to Betty, he scolds
Joshua. After that, the family welcomes Harry Bagley and Mrs. Saunders.
Harry, an explorer, visits the family between expeditions. Mrs. Saunders, a
widow, arrives exhausted, seeking protection from the natives. Betty and
Harry flirt, revealing their attraction for one another. Later, Harry asks Joshua
to have sex with him.
Clive chases Mrs. Saunders away from the house, and, after a brief
argument, performs oral sex on her. To escape suspicion, they quickly return
to the family's Christmas picnic. During play the game which Edward and
Harry reveal that they have a sexual history. Edward hopes to rekindle this
relationship, but Harry is hesitant to approve. Meanwhile, Ellen professes her
love for Betty. Betty, still smitten with Harry, dismisses Ellen's comments as
ridiculous.

6. Later, Clive and the men flog the natives as the women wait inside the
house. Mrs. Saunders, disapproving, leaves to find out what exactly the men
are doing. When Clive returns from the flogging, Clive tells Betty that he
knows about her desire for Harry. He lectures her on the necessity to resist
lust, and then he forgives her.
In order to seek a cure for Harry's perversity, Clive attempts to marry
Harry to Mrs. Saunders. She refuses the offer. As tension grows among the
natives, news that Joshua's parents have been killed by British troops distracts
Clive momentarily, as he offers his condolences to Joshua. When Clive turns
his attention back to Harry, he forces an engagement between Harry and
Ellen. At the wedding party that follows. When Clive goes to toast the newly
engaged couple, Joshua raises a gun to shoot Clive. Edward sees this action,
but does not warn Clive.
Act II explores many of the same issues as Act I. However, Act II is set
one hundred years later in London, England. At first, Victoria appears in a
London park on a winter afternoon with Lin and Lin's daughter Cathy. When
Cathy exits to play elsewhere, Lin informs Victoria that she is a lesbian, and
she asks Victoria to go to a movie with her. Edward, now a gardener, rambles
with Betty. Betty talks to Edward that she is considering leaving Clive. Betty
lets Cathy play with her jewelry.

7. In the spring, Edward's lover Gerry comes to the park, where they
argue about Gerry's lack of commitment. Someday, when Lin and Cathy
get into a fight, they lose track of Victoria's son Tommy. A brief panic
ensues before they find him. Gerry and Edward return, and Gerry breaks
up with Edward.
Later, on a summer night, Lin, Victoria, and Edward come to the
park to hold a ceremony for a sex goddess. Moments later, Lin's dead
brother appears and relates the experience of his service in the army. Lin
collapses when her brother disappears.
By late summer, Lin, Victoria, and Edward have moved in
together. Betty has rediscovered the joy of masturbation. Gerry and
Edward reconcile and make plans to go out some time. On a trip to get
ice cream, the Dead Hand Gang assaults Cathy, bleeding her nose.
Martin and Lin fight over who is supposed to be looking after Cathy. All
but Gerry and Betty leave. In her discussion with Gerry, Betty comes to
terms with the fact that Edward is homosexual. Betty from Africa
returns and embraces the new Betty.

8. 5. Discussion
The element’s discussion is focused on how sexuality and gender have different perspective in Victorian Era and Modern Era.
This play has two acts. Act one takes setting in Victorian era and act two setting’s is in Modern Era. As we know, this play
raised the issue of sexuality and gender as reflected from the characters act. Edward, Harry, and Gerry are the reflection of
homosexual issue while Betty, Ellen, Victoria, and Lin are the reflection of lesbian issue.
Edward. Harry, I love you.
Harry. Yes, I know. I love you too.
Edward. You know what we did when you were here before. I want to do it again. I think about it all the time. I try to do it
to myself but it’s not as good. Don’t you want to try anymore?
Harry. I do, but it’s a sin and crime and it’s also wrong. (Act 1, scene 2)
Betty. Yes, oh I want him to kiss me again.
Ellen. Like this Betty?
Ellen kisses Betty.
Betty. Ellen, whatever are you doing? It’s not a joke.
Ellen. I’m sorry, Betty. You’re so pretty. Harry bagley doesn’t deserve you. You wouldn’t really go away with him? (Act 1,
scene 2)

9. The quotations above are from Act one which takes setting in Victorian Era. We can see that the both couple
have the tendency of same sex love. But in Victorian Era, it is forbidde. As Harry said, it is as same as sin and it
was a crime. Victorian age culture and literature rarely contained homosexual content. It was seen as a taboo,
something that should not be discussed because it was regarded a sin and a crime. Through most of the
nineteenth century, homosexuality was illegal and punished by death. 80 men were hung in Great Britain in
between 1800 to 1834, when this punishment was replaced with life imprisonment. During this century, other
repressive reforms against minorities, such as slavery, were abolished, but homosexuality remained despised and
punishable.
Lin. And your husband? How do you get on with him?
Victoria. Oh, fine. Up and down. You know. Very well. He helps me with the washing up and everything.
Lin. I left mine two years ago. He let me keep Cathy and I’m grateful for that.
Victoria. You shouldn’t be grateful.
Lin. I’m a lesbian. (Act 2, scene 1)
Edward. Gerry, I love you.
Gerry. Yes, I know. I love you too. (Act 2, scene 3)
The conversation above takes place in modern era. We can see that here they can express their same-sex love
freely. In this era, people already can accept the same-sex love. Maybe not all people, but it is better that in
Victorian era which still assume this issue as crime. People in this era already know about human rights and they
don’t really care about other people’s sexual preference.

10. Clive. .....My wife is all I dreamt a wife should be, and everything she is she owes to me.
Betty. I live for Clive. The whole aim of my life is to be what he looks for in a wife. I am a man’s creation as you see, and
what men want is what I want to be. (Act 1, scene 1)
In Victorian era, women and men have their own role. As the conversation above, we can see that Clive has a wife he dreamt
and Betty said that she aim her life to be a wife Clive wanted. To be a person Clive wants, Betty allowed herself to be created
by Clive. She couldn’t express herself freely. Betty is the representation of women in Victorian era who devoted their life to be
a trophy wife for their husband. A woman’s career in the nineteenth century was marriage. In the Victorian Era, women were
considered delicate and fragile humans who were incapable of making their own decisions. They were only useful for bearing
and raising their children with moral, and maintaining the household. Men commuted to their jobs everyday, not having to
worry about any domestic duties that were handled by the women. Their roles in society were very different, and made it
clear what their positions in rank were. Victorian men also expected women to possess feminine qualities as well as
innocence; otherwise, they would not be of marriage potential. The patriarchic system was the norm and women usually led a
more secluded, private life. Men, on the other hand possessed all kinds of freedom. Man was naturally the head of the family
and the guardian of family members. He was the protector and the lord. He was strong, brave and hard-working.

11. Lin. And your husband? How do you get on with him?
Victoria. Oh, fine. Up and down. You know. Very well. He helps me with the washing up and everything.
Lin. I left mine two years ago. He let me keep Cathy and I’m grateful for that. (Act 2, scene 1)
Victoria. You’re leaving him? Really?
Betty. Yes your hear aright, Vicky, yes. I’m finding a little flat. That would be fun.... (Act 2, scene 1)
From the conversation above, we can see that the era was changed. Women can freely left their husband. Men
also help women in their house work. The word ‘fun’ Betty used shows us that she want to enjoy her life. She
wants to free from her husband. And Lin already free from her husband. In the modern era, social rules are not
as strict as in Victorian era. The women can freely express themselves without pressure from the men. Men also
don’t expected more as in Victorian era eventhough patriachal system still valid as in Victorian era. They can
help their wife in houseworking and keeping chidren. Gender tolerance has already applied in this era so that
women can live without a lot of pretension.

12. 6. Conclusion
It can be concluded that there are different perspectives toward sexual
orientation and gender in Victorian era and Modern era. It is influenced
by social rule and morality. Strict rule and moral issue in Victorian era
prevented people to express themselves freely. Meanwhile, the tolerance
that applied in modern era act conversly.

13. 7. References
https://isabel000.edublogs.org/2016/01/03/gender-roles-in-the-victorian-
era/
https://literature.britishcouncil.org/writer/caryl-churchill
http://www.eng.fju.edu.tw/iacd_2003S/c_20th_lit/cloud9.htm
http://www.victorian-era.org/gender-roles-of-victorian-era.html