The Drover’s Wife is a dramatic short story by the Australian writer Henry Lawson. It recounts the story of an outback woman left alone with her four children in an isolated hut. The story can be read in full here: The Drovers Wife
In The Drover’s Wife by Henry Lawson, we have the theme of struggle, hardship, identity, resilience, isolation, vulnerability, responsibility, aspirations and unity. Taken from his ‘While the Billy Boils’ collection, the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator, and after reading the story, the reader realises that Lawson may be exploring the theme of struggle and hardship.
The Drover’s wife struggles to keep things going. There is one calamity after another, and she has no one to help her. In many ways, the Drover’s wife is taking on her husband’s role. Which may be important as the Drover’s wife has very little opportunity to express herself in a feminine way. All the tasks she performs would usually be associated with males. This may be important as Lawson may be highlighting just how difficult and cruel life can be in the bush for a woman. It is as though the Drover’s wife’s identity has been taken by the bush. It is also noticeable that the Drover’s wife lives in isolation from others. This may be important as isolation would often be connected with struggle. There is nobody apart from the Drover’s wife’s brother-in-law to help her when it comes to getting provisions. In fact, so isolated is the Drover’s wife that she is almost vulnerable. Something that becomes clear to the reader when the man, the Drover’s wife feeds, attempts to invite himself into the Drover’s wife’s home so that he can stay for the night.
The Drovers’ Wife by Russell Drysdale
However, with vulnerability comes toughness, and there is no doubting that the Drover’s wife is tough. Though she may not wish to be, she knows that she has to be because of the environment she finds herself in. The bush is unforgiving to those who do not fight back, and the Drover’s wife spends a lot of her time fighting back against not only strangers who arrive at her cabin but fighting against the elements. If anything, the Drover’s wife is a courageous woman. Though she has no option but to be courageous if she wishes for her and her family to survive. There is also a sense of loss through struggle and hardship in the Drover’s wife’s life. She has lost a child since she is living so distant from others. This loss may be important as, rather than being defeated, the Drover’s wife has had no option but to carry on, which suggests a resilience within the Drover’s wife. Not only is she tough, but she knows that she must keep moving forward no matter how difficult things may be.
Lawson also appears to be exploring the theme of aspirations. Through his use of the ‘Young Ladies Journal’, the reader suspects that the Drover’s wife aspires to be dressed like some of the women in the journal. She has hopes and dreams, which is interesting as it suggests that no matter what the bush might do to her the Drover’s wife again will not be defeated. She knows that due to her environment, she can’t be the feminine woman she might like to be. However, she still has aspirations and dreams that will not go away.
Though the Drover’s wife is doing a man’s job, or at least what would be perceived to be a man’s job, she still can aspire to be more womanly. To connect with herself as a woman. The Drover’s wife is also practical. Something noticeable by the fact that, should her husband forget that he is married, the most important thing is that he brings home his salary. It is also interesting that though she may not have the opportunity to express herself as a mother might, the Drover’s wife doesn’t forget that she is a mother. She is fully aware that she has four children who need to be looked after. If anything, the Drover’s wife is not shying away from responsibility, no matter how difficult life may be.
Evening – by Russell Drysdale
Tommy’s character is also interesting, as in many ways he appears to be attempting to take on the role of the adult male that one would expect to see in a family. In reality, he is attempting to be the father figure in his father’s absence. Though only eleven years old, Tommy wants to fill the gap that his father has left. Which in many ways is admirable though not exactly practical when it comes to the needs the family have in the bush. It might also be important that Tommy tells his mother that he will never become a drover. It is as though he is aware of just how difficult things are for his mother. She may not be the typical mother or show the affection one would expect a mother to show, but Tommy still appreciates her. He knows just how difficult life is for her in the bush. The fact that the entire family (Drover’s wife and four children) are all in the kitchen for the majority of the story may also have some symbolic significance as it suggests that there is a unity between them. Just as Tommy won’t become a drover (and as a result stay by his mother’s side). The entire family, except for the Drovers’ wife’s husband, are in unison. No matter how difficult life in the bush may be the family is together.
Moya Sharp
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