From A to Z, Little Women (Greta Gerwig,2019) is a film which is adapted elegantly to this century. What makes the adaptation great is seeing the essence of the characters from the novel portrayed in a playful and yet powerful way on screen. Here is a short introduction to who these powerful women are and what makes them so strong.
Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) dreams of becoming a writer and nothing seems as meaningful as pursuing that dream. This strong character defies the social pressure of marriage with her strong persona and writing skills. She makes it clear through her consistent work that her ambitions come first.
Amy March (Florence Pugh) is a skillful painter and artist but it takes her longer to realize that it is worth pursuing in a society who does not value or think that women can create art. She is a contrasting character to her sister because it takes her longer to realize her true talents and she has to live and see herself the hard way that marriage is never the ultimate goal for her full happiness.
Meg March (Emma Watson) represents a sentimental side of these powerful women. She marries purely for love and does not comply to the societal pressure of “marrying a rich man to save her life”. Although she truly sees the hardships that come with poverty, she is smart enough not to correlate poverty to unhappiness. She chooses the man she loves with her own judgement and is true to herself. Emma Watson beautifully represents the tragic dilemma this character goes through between societal pressure and her love life.
Beth March (Eliza Scanlen) is a loving character who resembles peace and serenity. The final scene she causes brings the sisters together and strengthens their already deep love and support for each other.
BONUS: One cannot go without mentioning the two other women characters who have great influence on the lives of the others as well. Their mother Marmee March (Laura Dern) and Aunt March (Meryl Streep) are both strong in their own way. Marmee has also married purely for love and is there for her daughters no matter what. She is the backbone of the household and shows strong courage to keep the family spirits live when her husband is absent. Aunt March somewhat resembles the societal mentality but has herself defied defining herself through a man. Although she slams the girls for some of their behavior it is clear that she herself does not comply to norms that society has set.
The film is therefore beautiful in all aspects: actresses, imagery and strength when the two are combined. With tribute to women’s day on 8th March, these beautiful March characters are definitely worth meeting on screen. Enjoy.
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