Emma Goldman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Emma Goldman - Essay Example Howard Zinn’s portrayal of Emma is typical of his style. Zinn has the ability to depict history with a wit that is full of self-mocking humor. Zinn has invested his heroine Emma with all the fiery radicalism of her feminist, anarchist and free thinking ways. But all this militant posturing is toned down by revealing her honesty, nature, selflessness and courage, which make her heroics more believable. This also moves the play from a moralistic plane to one that educates. According to author Tom H. Hastings, the play shows the period of Goldmans "nonviolence and resistance to militarism", rather than her earlier "attachment to violent revolution". The first Act of the play deals with Emma’s youth, when she breaks away from the rigid conventions of her Orthodox Jewish family and enters New York. This is the city teeming with immigrants from scores of country, who colour the city with their unconventional lifestyle. It is in New York, that she meets Alexander Berkman, who was to remain her lover, as well as her comrade throughout her life. Apart from him, the play is peopled by others who helped Emma throughout her turbulent life. Helena, Emma’s sister, Dr. Ben Reitman, who is a physician with unconventional characteristics, Anna Minkin, a member from Emma’s commune, Fedya, another artist and commune member, Liz Beth, the prison muse and Emma’s sympathizer in the jail, who teaches Emma the art of being a muse and a midwife, and Vito, a worker in the sewers, are some of the other important members of the drama. This play is a document against the evil of sex discrimination and the inequality of wealth which Emma Goldman so vehemently protested throughout her life.