PRESENTATION OUTLINE
CALL THE MIDWIFE ANALYSIS
by Beccah Wagner for CFS 399U
INTRODUCTION
My name is Beccah Wagner and I am a Child & Family Studies major at PSU.
I was born a long time ago in a land not so far away known as Tacoma, Washington.
CALL THE MIDWIFE
Call the Midwife is a historical fiction television show. It is set in London during the 1950's. This memoir style program chronicles the life of Jenny Lee, a young nurse/midwife who joins the nuns of Nonnatus House in tending to the obstetric needs of women living in the East End slums.
EPISODES
In preparation for this television analysis I viewed the following episodes of Call the Midwife:
Series 1 Episode 4
Series 2 Episode 7
Series 3 Episode 1
ANALYSIS - FAMILY
Although none of the characters in Call the Midwife are related, they typically interact like family members. The nuns of Nonnatus House take on a motherly role - offering wisdom, guidance, and comfort to the young midwives. Meanwhile, Fred the handyman takes on a fatherly role - showing his affection by fixing things around the house, perpetually scheming, and joking with the girls. The message here is that family is not always biological.
FAMILY
The midwives themselves interact like sisters - granting each other advice, support, and a sense of belonging. Nurse Lee states that it often felt like they were "all each others' children". Chummy claims that the grand opening of the new community center will be incomplete without the whole of Nonnatus House present. In sharing their home and daily experiences, the nuns, handyman, and midwives form their own unique family unit.
ANALYSIS - FEMALE GENDER ROLES
Women in Call the Midwife are portrayed as strong and capable. The nuns are devout and competent. The midwives are efficient, professional, and calm in a crisis. Yet, women are also portrayed as vulnerable - they are moved to tears by the hardships of their work and the losses they encounter. The impoverished women whom they care for are passionate, loyal, and willing to hurl insults or pick a fight. Viewers of this show would be quick to see that there is no one-size-fits-all definition of femininity.
FEMALE GENDER ROLES
East End women, in particular, are defined by their role as mother. Nora, mom of 8, sees motherhood as an endless life sentence and seeks an illegal termination of her pregnancy. Merle states that her child's illness confirms that she is a lousy mother. Meanwhile, Mary sees her life purpose as being a good mother and steals a baby from a pram to fulfill this end. Regardless of their differing perspectives on motherhood, all of these women see pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting as a natural extension of their gender.
ANALYSIS - SEXUALITY
The midwives coach each other about upcoming dates and remind themselves that women must think strategically about their interactions with men. Some of the midwives are more comfortable with their sexuality than others. Nurse Franklin uses her beauty to lure a local celebrity into hosting a charity baby show, Jenny interacts casually with Jimmy, and Chummy reluctantly dances with Constable Noakes. The message here is that no two women are alike in their dating relationships.
SEXUALITY
Sister Bernadette is the only nun who expresses any awareness of her sexuality. She is ashamed of her attraction to Dr. Turner and confesses this to God, praying for forgiveness. In contrast, the women of the East End openly show affection to their boyfriends, paying customers, and spouses. Nora asks to have her tubes tied because refraining from intercourse would negatively effect her marriage. The extreme differences in sexual expression between the nuns and East End women suggest a wide range of 'normal' sexuality to viewers of this show.
CONCLUSION
Call the Midwife is a show about nuns and midwives working together to support women in duress. Despite the differences in lifestyle between these cultured nurses and the indigent populations they serve, both share a common humanity. The highs and lows of their lives are not defined by class, race, nor creed but, instead, by gender. The joys and sorrows of these women are far from unique.
CONCLUSION
The overarching message that Call the Midwife gives about families is that people who work and live together under challenging circumstances can form lasting, almost familial, bonds. These bonds have the potential to sustain women and men - young and old - rich and poor - throughout a lifetime of ups and downs.
