In Dorfman’s “Death and the Maiden”, the audience is apprised of the resonating theme of power in Act 2 of the play. The positions of, and people in power perpetually fluctuates, at one point Paulina is dominant, obstinate and in power, at another Gerardo exerts his full potential to steer the situation in a direction that suits him best and at another point, both succumb to a situation though not one as helpless as Roberto’s. Also, this reversal of roles sheds light on Paulina’s rise to power in her domestic abode and her eventual submission to her husband, Gerardo’s fall in supremacy in his own home and need to regain it, and Roberto’s emasculation due to his inability to regain strength over a woman. Therefore, through this theme of power, Dorfman also sheds light on gender and social stereotypes and the strengths and flaws of these three characters.
“I was wild and fearless”, is a quote that effectively demonstrates Paulina’s strength of character, but the past participle enables the audience to think that perhaps in her domestic life she is no longer wild and fearless but frustrated and terrified. Yet her control of the situation and her masculine prop, the gun, tells the audience that even though she may be fearful, she is still in power. However, she is only in power in this current situation, because otherwise, she has always depended on Gerardo, even after her release she went straight to him. In addition to that, Dorfman sheds light on social stereotypes wherein the woman is submissive to a man and he is in power regarding the domestic front, “Of course I’m going to listen to you, haven’t I always listened to you?”, here we can see through this rhetorical and sarcastic question that she has, indeed, no intentions of listening to her husband, but in the past she was submissive in their personal life, yet finally she is gaining some power over him.
To further demonstrate her rise to power on the domestic and personal front between her and her spouse, there is perpetual use of imperatives. Paulina’s imperative mood, “He wants water, Gerardo”, “tie him up again”, “tighter”, exhibits her neglect for stereotypical societal roles wherein the man has the authority over the woman. “But as usual, you don’t believe me”, is a phrase that indicates to the audience, that Paulina has understood her lack of ability to hold some form of superiority in their relationship and is constantly undermined, yet this one time she will strive to maintain her power of Gerardo, no matter how sturdy his attempts are to dissuade her.
However, at this point, we see the fluctuation of power, as she drops her guard considerably as she slowly loses her position of power to Gerardo’s affection. “Dear, dear Paulie, please don’t be so difficult” is what Gerardo lovingly chides and she submits to him to some extent. Yet another variation in the higher position of power results in Paulina retrieving her status as the influential one back as she begins to treat Gerardo as a child. She uses imperatives and aggressively prompts him as though she is an instructor and he is uncomfortably at her mercy to answer her, “Say it. Say it now. Tell me, tell me. And what else?”
The reason she resorts to willingly being the one who has authority and influence is because she has this innate desire to take the situation in her own hands as no one else will. She states, “Let me have my say” and “So now darling, tell me who do I go to now?” and this indicates that she may not have any power in court, but she does in the privacy and security of her own house and she refuses to be silenced any further, and her determined attitude to receive well-appointed justice enables her to be obstinate and hell-bent. Nothing will dissuade her as long as she is the significant, overriding character in the present moment, this is indicated by her repetition of “what I want”, “you know what I want?” “That’s what I want.” Her needs simply must be met and she shall not take no for an answer.
Not only is Gerardo at the receiving end of her power and potential to steer this situation in any direction she chooses, but Roberto is too, and even more severely helpless. She demonstrates her power on him as she “slowly passes her hands up and down his body”, she may have gone from being repulsed at his touch to teasing him in order to impose herself on him at her own free will. She is in an authoritative mood as she confidently cuts Roberto off and leaves him without any right to speech, and again there is use of imperatives and short sentences to impose her regulations on him, “Threatening, yes you were. Let’s get this clear. Threat time is over. Out there you bastards may still give out the orders, but in here I’m in command, now is that clear?” this aforementioned repetitive and explicit phrase signifies her potential hold over him and, to some extent, sheds light on her sadistic nature as she is in charge and enjoying it.
Also, in this act, Dorfman lays bare the contempt for stereotypical societal views that women feel. Paulina is frustrated at the fact that for the past 15 years she has not formed any bright future prospects on the professional front and is financially dependent, and all she is, is the “ideal housewife”. She vents on Roberto, not having much evidence of his guilt; she may have been financial independent were it not for her kidnapping. And while she is resenting and punishing him for it, she uses her powerful position to get away from everyday domesticity. And she also, when in power, mocks the role of women as solely ‘homemakers’, “snap your fingers and I’ll come running.”
Another, second, significant character in this Act who’s position of power perpetually fluctuates is Gerardo. Prior to this incident, we as audience are well-aware of his influential post in the truth commission. On the professional front Gerardo is a man of power, yet his position of power has gone astray in his own abode as Paulina takes matters in her own two hands. In fact, due to her misconduct and disagreement with the well-appointed ways of the court, she will be the reason being he might lose his job in the near future and this leaves him furthermore helpless.
Gerardo does, however, have every intention to forcefully impose his authority on her at every instance he gets. “I want you to…”, “I want you to…”, “Don’t interrupt”, “Shut up”. But he fruitlessly exercises his authority on her as she still persists on exerting her own authority and enforcing orders wherein he is left feeble, unaided and helpless. He succumbs restlessly to her demands.
However, he swiftly regains control and uses his affection as a tool to do so, “(Whispering to her)”, “oh my love, oh my love”.
Soon after, from the position of a feeble, unaided man who is at his wife’s disposal, he takes on the new role of interrogator. He confidently cuts of Roberto at every sentence to question him of things that he may require such as “bread”, and shows disregard for his dire predicament. Perhaps after he draws a link between Roberto quoting Nietzsche to him and Paulina, he starts to believe her and so joins her in her position of power of conveniently inflicting Roberto with misery.
Following that, Gerardo soon loses his power to Roberto; he becomes vulnerable to Roberto’s tactic of engaging his captors with unnecessary thoughts in order to free himself. He criticizes Gerardo’s masculinity and insinuates that he has been emasculated, “cut your balls off”. Gerardo inevitably gets agitated and makes an immediate attempt to regain his power by abusing Roberto and making sure that he is well aware that he has no hope without him. However, Roberto swiftly strips Gerardo of his momentary prime of power by exclaiming “Don’t go, don’t call her”. So once again Gerardo is left to be rendered not that influential, as Roberto is still at the mercy of Paulina, not Gerardo. Gerardo, on the other hand, refuses to acknowledge that and suggests that his wife is still within his control, knowing fully that she isn’t, which is why he “(sadly and bitterly)” states “who gives a fuck what she thinks…” So to further suggest that his wife is within his control, he states that he will venture to call Paulina as Roberto supposedly “needs to piss”, as Paulina previously stated, “if he wants to piss, snap your fingers and I’ll come running.” Hence, Gerardo demonstrates to Roberto that he will regain his control over his wife and yet simultaneously not abuse his control over Roberto.
Regarding Roberto, however, it is clear to the audience that Roberto is helpless through and through, especially since he is emasculated by Paulina, being tied up and subject to a woman’s threats and abuse. There are some instances where he is seemingly more empowered than Gerardo, when Paulina freely vents to Roberto it is clear to the audience that Roberto has the power to let Paulina have her say and speak freely, something she cannot do with Gerardo in their relationship. Roberto may seemingly have some bright glimpses of being set free, but he all-in-all is subject to abuse by his captor, Paulina. He does, for a few instances threaten Paulina and Gerardo to set him free, “I forbid you to…”, “what you must do is untie me immediately.” However, he is clearly in no position to make demands or impose authority.
Therefore, it is significantly demonstrated throughout the entire Act 2 that Dorfman intended to exhibit the theme of power through these three characters and how it is perpetually fluctuating in each individual case. It is through the reversal of roles that we see the characters strengths, weaknesses and get a glimpse of stereotypical societal views.
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