The Conduct of Life

The Conduct of Life, written by Maria Irene Fornes, is play that takes the reader through an emotional fun house. Between the talk of torture and acts of violence and rape, the reader is constantly hanging on for dear life because no one knows what will happen next. One of the reasons why Fornes is able to keep her readers on their toes, besides all the violence, is do in part to how short some of her scenes are. The shortness of each scene leaves the audience asking for more and wondering how the scene may be resolved. Her scenes are short and simple, but not sweet. Another interesting dramaturgical choice that Fornes choose was deciding to go into great detail in all of her stage directions, including an entire scene dedicated to just a stage direction. In Scene 5 of the play, Fornes writes, “…He looks around the room for Nena. Believing she has escaped, he becomes very still and downcast. He turns to the door…” This example is just one of many details she goes into great detail. Allowing Fornes to go into great detail for just a stage direction does not leave much room for either the actor or director to play with the script. Instead, Fornes has turned this play into one that can only be enjoyed while being read.

            Maria Irene Fornes cleverly named her story The Conduct of Life because the characters in her play conduct themselves in different ways in the presence of people they fear or do not know. An example being when Leticia walks in on Nena and Olimpia talking and allows Nena to stay seated at the table. As soon as Leticia walked into the room Nena began conducting herself in a different manner. Nena did not speak; and constantly looked to Leticia for permission no matter what Olimpia said to Nena that it was okay to do.  What Fornes is trying to say with the title is that people in today’s society act differently in front of those they do not know or fear.