Cloud 9
Study Guide by Course Hero
What's Inside
d In Context
j Book Basics ................................................................................................. 1
British Colonialism in Africa
d In Context ..................................................................................................... 1
The coalescence of several economic, political, and social
a Author Biography ..................................................................................... 3
h Characters .................................................................................................. 3
k Plot Summary ............................................................................................. 6
c Scene Summaries .................................................................................. 12
factors led to the territorial expansion of Great Britain into
Africa between 1870 and 1900.
Economically, the British needed a way to replace income
lost by the end of the slave trade in the early 1800s. They
found it in the raw materials native to Africa that were
necessary for the burgeoning Industrial Revolution
g Quotes ........................................................................................................ 22
l Symbols ..................................................................................................... 24
m Themes ....................................................................................................... 25
(transition to manufacturing between 1760 and 1840),
including palm oil, palm kernel, cotton, and rubber.
Politically, Great Britain tried to expand its empire as a
means of establishing its superiority over France, Germany,
Spain, and the rest of Europe. The country with the most
e Suggested Reading .............................................................................. 27
territory around the world had the upper hand in
international politics and bases for protecting far-flung
trade routes and waterways.
j Book Basics
Socially, Great Britain was ahead of most European nations,
as the Industrial Revolution led to stricter sanitation
standards, boosted employment in some sectors, and
AUTHOR
established a higher standard of living for many. But not
Caryl Churchill
everyone was positively affected by these new capitalist
industries. Poverty and unemployment were still factors,
YEAR PUBLISHED
particularly for those in rural areas who came to the city
1979
looking for work only to find the positions filled. The
GENRE
Comedy, Satire
ABOUT THE TITLE
The phrase cloud nine traditionally describes an emotional
state of absolute happiness and contentment; nearly all the
characters in the play are in search of this elusive state of
perfection.
government looked to Africa as a place to where the
"surplus population" could be exported.
The British arrived in Africa and, along with representatives of
France, Spain, Belgium, and other European countries,
assumed they could simply take over the land inhabited by
native Africans, in part because of the British sense of
superiority over those who weren't as "civilized" as they were.
This wasn't limited to Africans—the British held the French, the
Cloud 9 Study Guide
In Context 2
Spanish, and the Italians in low esteem, too. But the Africans,
only to engage in sexual relations with the express purpose of
unlike many European citizens, weren't Christian and lacked
conceiving a child, and only after the exchange of marital vows.
technology. The British government decided it needed to
Men, on the other hand, had sexual "needs," which they sated
"save" the Africans by forcing a more "civilized" way of life on
with prostitutes or servants.
them.
British women began petitioning for suffrage in the late 18th
The British established individual settlements across "their"
century but were not granted the right to vote until 1928, eight
colonies, which included Egypt in northern Africa, occupied by
years after women in the United States. Following World War II,
Great Britain in 1882; the Cape Colony in what is now South
women around the globe left their positions in the workforce to
Africa; territory in present-day Uganda, Kenya, and part of
make room for the men returning from war only to discover
Somalia; and Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria, and the Gold
they no longer felt content merely to run the household while
Coast (present-day Ghana) on the west coast. In Cloud 9 the
their husbands earned money. The technological
role of the character Clive is to represent the crown in one of
advancements made after the war also influenced women's
these (unspecified in the play) colonies. Tensions rose when
desire to do more than be wives and mothers. Housework was
the British began bypassing the Africans' role as middlemen in
not as much of a burden thanks to advancements in vacuums,
their trade deals. Deceptive treaties brought the situation to a
dishwashers, and washing machines. Life expectancies
head. The British government believed the jointly signed
increased. Most notably, a new service sector emerged,
treaties allowed Great Britain full sovereignty over the territory,
opening thousands of jobs that were not dependent on
while the various African tribes and states viewed the treaties
physical strength. Women entered the workforce in droves, but
as commercial friendship agreements. Realizing Great Britain
they were limited to positions that fit within the limited
intended to enforce political authority in their designated
definition of women's work—mostly clerical, cleaning, and
territories, the natives rebelled. The resulting military
nursing positions. Their incomes were far lower than those of
engagements and acts of guerrilla warfare were fierce, but the
men.
Africans ultimately lost due to their low-tech weaponry of bows
and arrows, spears, and outdated firearms, as well as their
Women began rallying around the idea that they should have
organization of disparate societies whose ideologies and
the same political, social, and economic opportunities as those
allegiances constantly shifted.
afforded to men. The National Women's Liberation Conference
in 1970 is cited by many as the start of the women's movement
in Great Britain. It was one of the first times women could talk
Evolution of Women's Rights in
freely about feelings of inequality and the imbalance of power
Great Britain: Victorian Era to
Equal Pay Act, followed by the Sex Discrimination Act in 1975,
in British society. That same year saw the passage of the
which outlawed discrimination based on sex and marital status.
1970s
Queen Victoria ruled Great Britain from 1837 to 1901, and the
Selection of Actors
years of her tenure are generally referred to as the Victorian
era. Though a woman sat on the throne, Great Britain was still
Cloud 9 was written with a cast of seven characters in mind,
by and large a patriarchy. Men controlled everything, from
with actors switching roles between Act 1 and Act 2. For
politics to business to their wives and children. Men and
example, the actor who plays Clive in Act 1 could play Edward
women lived in separate spheres, which rarely intersected.
in Act 2. Caryl Churchill includes suggestions about pairings in
Women raised children and cared for the household, while men
her introduction to the text, but there is room for a director's
busied themselves outside of the home. This idea of separate
own interpretation.
spheres also extended to sexuality. Scholars of the time
believed sexual pleasure was a natural part of the male
experience but completely unnecessary—and perhaps even
impossible—for women. Upper-class women, therefore, were
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The play explores the roles gender and race play in everyday
life, largely by prescribing the sex (and in one case, the race) of
the actors. Churchill highlights expectations of gender by
having some female roles played by males and vice versa. This
Cloud 9 Study Guide
Author Biography 3
is of particular importance in Act 1, when the role of Betty is
to this day; but it solidified Churchill as a talented writer with a
played by a man and the role of Edward is played by a woman.
distinct voice.
In Act 2 Betty is played by a woman and Edward, a man.
Similarly, the role of Joshua, a black servant who appears only
Churchill is famously reticent about discussing her craft, and
in Act 1, is played by a white man.
she has refused all interviews since the late 1980s.
Collaborators indicate that she prefers for her plays, many of
In Betty's and Joshua's cases, the casting reflects the ways in
which feature women whose desires combat a society
which the characters are trying to please others rather than
structured to champion men, to speak for themselves. Beyond
themselves. Betty's character wants to be a dutiful wife and
her feminist themes, her plays characteristically contain
mother, while Joshua wants to be a loyal servant. Churchill's
succinct, striking dialogue, inventive staging, and gifted
decision to have Edward played by a woman in Act 1 is in part
collaboration efforts. According to one colleague, "Her
homage to the tradition of women playing boys (as is often
reputation may be lower than it should be because she has
done in staging Peter Pan) in the theater, and it is also a way to
chosen to stay in the background."
show how much Edward differs from the masculine stereotype
Clive tries to impose on him.
Despite her disdain of personal promotion, Churchill is the
recipient of numerous theater awards, including three Susan
In Act 2 all the characters except Cathy are played by actors
Smith Blackburn Prizes for women playwrights and four Obies,
of the same gender as their characters. Cathy, a four-year-old
the American Theatre Wing's award for off-Broadway theater.
girl, is played by a man to emphasize the social constructs of
One of her Obies recognizes her full body of work. She was
femininity. Churchill notes a man's size and presence to help
inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2010.
the audience better understand the emotional force simmering
in young children.
h Characters
a Author Biography
Caryl Churchill was born September 3, 1938, in London,
England. Her family immigrated to Montreal, Canada, when she
was 10, but Churchill returned to London in 1957 to study
English at the University of Oxford's Lady Margaret Hall, where
she wrote her first three plays. She continued to write after
graduation, penning plays for BBC radio during the 1960s and
early 1970s while simultaneously raising her family. Next she
wrote stage plays. Churchill spent many years in partnership
with the Royal Court, a theater company focused on
developing the voices of emerging writers.
A collaboration between Churchill and the Royal Court's Joint
Betty
Unlike her own mother, Betty struggles with the role of
traditional Victorian mother and wife. Though she honors
Clive's position as head of the family, she yearns for an
opportunity to experience adventure for herself. Her romantic
interest in Harry Bagley is a function of her desire to be
"dangerous," yet she castigates herself for wanting anything
more than what Clive deems appropriate. Her views change by
Act 2 when she leaves Clive. Independence is not without its
hardships and frights, but Betty slowly learns to accept her
newfound path and, in turn, herself.
Stock Theatre Group, which is well known for actors, writers,
and directors working together to research and share their
experiences about a particular theme or idea, developed Cloud
Edward
9 (1979). The initial group workshop spanned three weeks,
followed by a 12-week writing period for Churchill, then six
Edward doesn't fit the society's mold of what a man should be.
weeks of rehearsal. The process resulted in a gender-bending
As a child in Act 1, he plays with dolls and has a sexual
exploration of sexual politics as viewed through the lens of
relationship with an adult man. In Act 2 he is still trying to
Victorian colonialism and modern-day relationships. The topic
understand who he "is," namely a gay man who thrives in the
and its presentation proved to be divisive among critics and
role of "housewife" and happens to sleep with two women. Yet
audiences, sparking conversation and analysis that continues
Edward doesn't seem troubled by his inability to fit within the
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Characters 4
confines of societal expectations. His greatest battle is getting
natural heterosexuality and traditional Victorian family, both of
those who love him to accept him as he is.
which he doubts he will ever acquire for himself. Though he
professes to "worship" Betty, his interest is more in the
Victoria
appearance of being straight than actually engaging in a
heterosexual relationship—he denies Betty at every turn while
sleeping with both Joshua and Edward. Gay relationships are
In Act 1 Victoria is two years old and played by a dummy, but
fine with him as long as nobody finds out.
she is the center of attention as an adult in Act 2. Now a wife
and mother in 1979 London, Victoria is torn between the
conventionality of marriage and motherhood and her desire for
Martin
professional success. She ultimately finds emotional support
and sexual fulfillment in Lin and her own brother.
Martin is the type of man who claims to know more about
women than women themselves. He acknowledges the
Clive
women's movement and appears to sympathize with the plight
of the modern woman who juggles motherhood and career, but
his words of encouragement to his own wife are laden with
Clive holds three things dear in life: family, sex, and Great
accusations and threats. For all his talk, Martin thinks Victoria
Britain. He has strict morals and codes of ethics for everyone
would be nothing without him, and he blames the lackluster
but himself. Betty's flirtation with Harry is viewed as a disgrace;
parts of their relationship—particularly their sex life—squarely
Harry's homosexuality is repulsive; Edward's wan masculinity is
on her. It is only when Victoria leaves him for a woman (and for
ridiculed; and the warring African tribes in his district are
her own brother) that Martin begins to understand what it is
"savages." The only person above reproach is Clive himself,
like to lack power in a relationship.
who doesn't think twice about starting a sexual relationship
with Mrs. Saunders under his own roof. He leads not by
example but rather by lecture and disdain.
Lin
Divorced from her abusive ex-husband, Lin does her best to
raise her daughter, Cathy, in an environment free of gendered
expectations. Though she prides herself on letting Cathy
roughhouse and play war games, Lin acknowledges it would
sometimes just be easier to follow the current standards of
femininity. Fiercely independent, Lin makes it clear she wants
to be with Victoria because she likes her, not because she
needs another person in her life.
Harry
Harry Bagley is a self-proclaimed "black sheep" of the British
Empire, a metaphor that extends to his position in Victorian
society in general. Unlike Edward, Harry is incredibly ashamed
of his homosexuality, and he hides it by leading expeditions
into the farthest reaches of Africa where he can act on his
attraction to men without consequence. He envies Clive for his
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Characters 5
Character Map
Father
Edward
Effeminate young man
Lovers
Lovers
Siblings
Lovers
Harry
Victoria
Closeted British explorer
Bisexual, angry woman
Mother
Father
Admirer
Mother
Friends
Lovers
Betty
Malcontent Victorian
woman; seeks liberation
from society's constructs
Clive
Spouses
Lin
Patriarchal, colonial
ambassador; adulterer
Lesbian divorcée
Mother
Maud
Domineering woman
Main Character
Other Major Character
Minor Character
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Martin
Self-proclaimed
feminist writer
Spouses
Cloud 9 Study Guide
Plot Summary 6
Full Character List
Character
Betty
Edward
Victoria
Joshua is Clive's black servant in
Victorian Africa. He appears only in Act 1
and is played by a white man.
Maud
Maud is Betty's domineering mother. She
is played by a woman in Acts 1 and 2.
Mrs.
Saunders
Mrs. Caroline Saunders is a widow in
Victorian Africa who looks to Clive's
family for help during native unrest. She
appears only in Act 1 and is played by a
woman.
Soldier
The Soldier is the ghost of Lin's brother
who died while serving in the British
Army. He appears only in Act 2 and is
played by a man.
Tommy
Tommy is Victoria and Martin's young
son. The other characters talk about him
and to him, but he is never seen during
the play.
Description
Betty is Clive's wife and Edward and
Victoria's mother; her oppression and
subsequent growth is central to the
play's story. She is played by a man in
Act 1 and a woman in Act 2.
Edward is the effeminate son of Clive
and Betty. He is played by a woman in
Act 1 and a man in Act 2.
Victoria is Clive and Betty's bisexual
daughter. She is played by a dummy in
Act 1 and a woman in Act 2.
Clive
Clive is a colonial administrator
representing the British government in
Africa. As the family patriarch, he is
played by a man in Acts 1 and 2.
Lin
Lin is a divorced mother and lesbian
romantically interested in Victoria in 1979
London. She appears only in Act 2,
where she is played by a woman.
Harry
Clive's friend Harry Bagley is an explorer
trying (and failing) to hide his
homosexuality in Victorian Africa. He is
played by a man in Acts 1 and 2.
Martin
Joshua
Martin is Victoria's husband in Act 2. He
is played by a man.
k Plot Summary
Act 1
In 1879 Clive and his family, wife Betty, children Edward and
Victoria, and mother-in-law Maud, live in an unspecified region
of colonial Africa with the family's governess, Ellen, and their
African servant, Joshua. As a colonial administrator for the
British government, it is Clive's duty to negotiate alliances with
Cathy
Cathy is Lin's four-​year-​old daughter who
likes dresses and guns. She appears only
in Act 2 and is played by a man.
the warring native tribes. Drums sound in the distance as the
play opens; danger is growing closer by the day. Clive glosses
over the threats facing his family when he's with the women
and children; he is more open with his friend Harry, a British
Ellen
Gerry
Ellen is Victoria and Edward's governess
in Victorian Africa. She has a massive
crush on Betty. She is played by a
woman in Acts 1 and 2.
Gerry is Edward's non-​committal lover in
1979 London. He appears only in Act 2
and is played by a man.
explorer who has just returned from an expedition. They are
also joined by Mrs. Saunders, a widowed neighbor looking for a
safe place to weather the native rebellion.
Clive finds Mrs. Saunders's independence to be both unusual
and arousing, and they begin a sexual affair despite Mrs.
Saunders's intense dislike of Clive's personality. Envious of
Mrs. Saunders's appeal and eager to inject a little "danger" in
her own life, Betty finds herself attracted to Harry and his
adventurous lifestyle. Her proposition that they run away
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Plot Summary 7
together is met with resistance. Harry insists it's because he
instead of playing the martyr. Edward and his lover Gerry break
likes to think of her as Clive's wife; but it's really because he is
up because Gerry can't handle commitment or Edward's
gay. His public heterosexual persona disappears in private as
natural inclination to play the role of "wife." Edward, seeking
he engages in sexual relationships with Joshua and nine-year-
out Victoria for comfort, asks to put his hand on her breast.
old Edward. Yet there is someone who truly desires Betty:
She finds it arousing; he thinks he might be a lesbian.
Ellen, the governess.
By the end of summer, Edward, Lin, and Victoria are all living
As relations with the natives worsen, so does the atmosphere
together. Edward has quit his job at the park and takes care of
within the household. Joshua tells Clive about Harry and
the house, and they coordinate with Martin to take care of
Betty's relationship. Clive lays all the blame on Betty and
Cathy, Lin's daughter, and Tommy, Victoria's son. Betty has a
refuses to speak to her, but his friendship with Harry remains
job as a receptionist at a doctor's office. Victoria and Lin
the same as always until Harry mistakenly makes a pass at
consider taking up Betty on her offer to buy a house for all of
Clive. Horrified, Clive insists Harry find a wife to repent for his
them, though Victoria is reluctant to live with her mother again.
sins. Mrs. Saunders, who prefers to be single, isn't interested,
In a touching monologue, Betty reveals how much she has
but Ellen, who knows her time with the family is coming to an
learned about herself since her divorce and brushes aside the
end, accepts. Joshua then tells Clive about Ellen's desire for
admonishments of her own mother and her ex-husband before
Betty. Instead of thanking him, a disgusted Clive tells Joshua to
embracing the actor who played her in Act 1.
get out of his sight.
Mrs. Saunders announces her intentions to depart for England
on the day of the wedding. Clive kisses her goodbye in front of
everyone, which sends Betty into a rage of jealousy. She
tackles Mrs. Saunders to the ground. Clive reprimands his lover
for abusing his wife and welcomes Betty back into his arms.
The modest wedding begins and Clive gives a toast praising
the unhappy couple and promising all dangers are in the past.
In the background Joshua raises a gun and trains it on Clive.
Edward, the only person who notices, covers his ears. The
stage goes black.
Act 2
The setting has changed to winter in 1979 London, but only 25
years have passed for the characters. Victoria, now a married
adult, and her friend Lin watch their children at the park.
Victoria studies while Lin musters up the courage to ask her
out. Edward, who is employed as a gardener in the park, arrives
with Betty, who announces she is leaving Clive. Lin then asks
Victoria to sleep with her. Victoria isn't sure her husband would
approve.
Spring arrives. Betty is having a difficult time on her own,
finding herself frightened by everything and uncertain of how
to spend her time. Victoria's husband, Martin, encourages
Victoria to take a job in Manchester, but his delivery is less
than supportive. Victoria tells Lin, whom she is now dating, that
she wishes Martin could "just be a wife" and go with her
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Plot Summary 8
Plot Diagram
Climax
11
10
9
12
8
Rising Action
Falling Action
13
7
6
14
5
15
4
Resolution
3
2
1
Introduction
9. Clive tells Joshua to get out of his sight.
Introduction
10. Joshua cuts open Victoria's doll.
1. Drums from the warring tribes sound in the distance.
Climax
Rising Action
11. Joshua points a gun at Clive.
2. Betty feels uneasy around Joshua; Clive placates her.
3. Harry and Betty kiss.
Falling Action
4. Clive performs oral sex on Mrs. Saunders.
12. Betty leaves Clive.
5. Edward gives Betty's necklace to Harry.
13. Victoria, Edward, and Lin find comfort together.
6. Ellen confesses her romantic feelings to Betty.
14. Betty acknowledges her children's life choices.
7. Edward says he hates Clive.
8. Edward rejects Betty's praise for "being a man."
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Resolution
15. Betty accepts herself for who she is.
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Plot Summary 9
Cloud 9 Study Guide
Plot Summary 10
Timeline of Events
Early December, 1879
Mrs. Saunders and Harry separately arrive at Clive and
Betty's home in an unnamed part of Africa.
That evening
Betty and Harry kiss on the veranda.
Moments later
Harry and Joshua have sex in the barn.
Days later
Mrs. Saunders and Clive have sex.
Christmas Day, 1879
Everyone plays hide and seek. Edward and Harry's
previous sexual relationship is revealed.
Days later
The stable boys are flogged for plotting against the
British.
The same day
Clive shames Betty for her feelings about Harry, then
refuses to speak to her.
A few days later
British soldiers set fire to a nearby village; Joshua's
parents are killed.
The next day
Clive is disgusted by the news Harry is gay and forces
him to find a woman to marry.
A few days later
Ellen and Harry get married.
Moments later
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Plot Summary 11
Joshua aims a gun at Clive. Edward, the only person who
sees, does nothing.
Winter, 1979
Lin asks Victoria on a date.
The same day
Maud announces she is divorcing Clive.
Spring, 1979
Martin tells Victoria to take a new job in a way that is
both supportive and condescending.
The same day
Gerry and Edward break up because Gerry thinks
Edward is too much like a wife.
Late spring, 1979
Edward and Lin move in together.
Early summer, 1979
Edward, Lin, and Victoria stage an orgy in the park.
Summer, 1979
Victoria moves in with Edward and Lin; they and Martin
all share custody of Cathy and Tommy.
Moments later
Betty from Act 1 hugs Betty from Act 2.
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
c Scene Summaries
Scene Summaries 12
"dangerous," only for Harry to tell her he doesn't like
dangerous women. Betty then begs Harry to like her and want
her. He says he does, then says, "I should have stayed on the
river. The hell with it," and reaches for her. She runs into the
Act 1, Scene 1
house. Harry notices Joshua, who saw the whole thing, and
Summary
Analysis
Act 1 of Cloud 9 takes place in an unspecified African region
Cloud 9 is about the evolution of power between the sexes in
during British colonization near the end of the Victorian era.
personal and political relationships, and Act 1 establishes each
Clive, a colonial ambassador of the British government, his
character's starting point. As the head of the family and the
family, and his staff assemble to sing a song on the veranda as
face of the British crown to the unspecified African colony,
a means of introducing themselves to the audience. After the
Clive represents the white male patriarchy. As such, he
song Betty, Clive's wife, is concerned the sound of drums
determines the role each member of the family should play.
means trouble with the local tribes. Clive dismisses her worries
Churchill underscores the unhappiness of Clive's wife and
as she fawns over his sore foot, then mentions their friend
children with their traditional roles by casting them against
Harry, an English explorer, is coming to visit. Betty is bored and
type:
asks if he wants to have sex in the barn. They leave.
lonely in Africa, but she makes it a point to tell Clive she isn't
excited about Harry's visit. She also tells him she's
Victoria, who is represented by a doll or dummy in Act 1, is
uncomfortable around Joshua, the family's black servant, who
an object to Clive. When she is done bringing him happiness,
was very rude to her that afternoon. Clive reprimands Joshua
he literally tosses her to someone else.
with a wink.
Edward, who is only nine and is played by a woman in Act 1,
is expected to act "manly," explaining why Clive forbids him
Betty's mother, Maud, enters. She and Clive bicker about Betty,
to play with dolls, a traditionally feminine and childish
whom Maud thinks isn't strong enough to live in the African
pastime.
climate. The children, Edward and Victoria, enter with Ellen,
Betty, played by a man in Act 1, is expected to be the
their governess. Edward is holding Victoria's doll, promising he
perfect Victorian wife: feminine, submissive, and attuned to
isn't playing with it, as he has done in the past, but merely
her husband's every need. Clive treats her more like a child
"minding it" for Victoria. Clive and Edward go to find Harry
than his equal, referring to her as his "little dove" and
while the women talk.
describing her as "so delicate and sensitive."
Clive returns with Mrs. Saunders, a widowed neighbor, who
Though Edward's masculinity (and lack thereof) becomes
seems to be in shock. He helps Mrs. Saunders onto the
increasingly important during the play, it is Betty who has the
veranda as Maud insists the sounds of the drums mean war.
hardest time fitting into her place in the family. Bored from
Clive replies the tribes are always at war, "if the term is not too
sitting at home all day with her mother and stifled by Clive's
grand to grace their squabbles." Edward arrives with Harry,
expectations, Betty craves the adventure and freedom enjoyed
and everyone goes inside except Harry and Clive, who warns
by men. Since she can't go into the jungle with Harry, she opts
his guest not to say anything that would "alarm the women."
for the next best thing: an affair with him. She wants Harry to
Clive wonders if they should all sleep with guns and tells
see her as a dangerous and seductive woman, the complete
Joshua, who has just entered, that he needs to arm himself.
opposite of how her husband views and treats her. Her interest
Clive and Joshua leave.
in Harry is also motivated by her competitive feelings toward
Betty returns. She flirts with Harry and asks if he ever thinks of
her, to which he replies she has "been thought of where no
Mrs. Saunders. Clive is clearly attracted to the independent
and self-sufficient widow, and Betty is jealous.
white woman has ever been thought of before." Betty pours
Characters outside of Clive's family must also deal with their
out her feelings to Harry, telling him how she wants to be
prescribed roles. Harry presents himself as heterosexual and
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Scene Summaries 13
seems to share Betty's desire for a relationship, but as soon as
Edward take over. Edward keeps dropping the ball, which he
she goes inside he asks Joshua to have sex with him. This
blames on Clive, who keeps calling him "Butterfingers." Edward
changes the meaning of his resistance to Betty's advances.
throws a fit and hurls the ball away as Clive tells him he'll never
The line "I should have stayed on the river. The hell with it,"
be good at cricket. Betty tells Clive he has hurt Edward's
doesn't mean he is giving in to his attraction to Betty, but rather
feelings, and Clive retorts, "A boy has no business having
that he is going to pretend to be straight. If he stayed at the
feelings."
river, he could continue having sexual relationships with local
men, as the reader learns later in the play. Harry is torn
Harry starts a game of hide and seek. He is "it." The game
between the desire to be what society expects, straight, and
provides a good opportunity for characters to have the
the urge to be himself: gay.
following one-on-one conversations while everyone else hides:
The audience also sees two sides of Joshua—played by a
Instead of counting to 100, Harry thanks Clive for allowing
white man—in Act 1, Scene 1. There is servant Joshua, who
him to spend the holiday with his family and goes on a
professes "what white men want is what I want to be." He is
tangent about the true meaning of the British Empire. Clive
outwardly obedient and loyal to Clive, who appears to like him
ignores all of this and tells Harry it's time to find everyone.
more than he does his own son. In the opening song, Clive
Joshua tells Clive the stable boys are plotting something,
introduces Joshua after Betty but before Edward, and Clive
then mentions Betty thinks Harry is "a fine man."
believes Joshua, not Betty, when Betty complains about how
Betty tries to talk to Harry about their future. She insists she
Joshua treats her. The Joshua Betty sees is the real Joshua:
will kill herself if they can't be together, but he says he
disrespectful and deceitful. Clive doesn't recognize these
prefers her as Clive's wife, which allows him (Harry) to think
aspects of Joshua's personality because Joshua perfectly
about her during his travels.
plays the role of black sycophant to Clive's white master. Clive
Edward gives Harry Betty's beaded necklace, which Harry
expects Joshua to idolize him, so that's all he sees.
says is lovely but should be returned to Betty. Edward
confesses his love for Harry, then asks if they can have a
repeat of a previous sexual encounter. Though Harry
Act 1, Scene 2
protests it's a sin and a crime, he confirms they will
definitely do it again. Edward pressures Harry to show him
his erect penis, but Harry refuses.
Summary
Scene 2 takes place in an open space away from the house.
Mrs. Saunders is running away from Clive, who keeps
Betty tells Ellen she loves Harry and wants to run away with
him. Ellen kisses Betty and tells her how much she loves her.
Betty responds, "Oh Ellen, you are my only friend."
The entire group gathers at the end of the scene.
pestering her for sex. Clive insists he's had an erection for 24
hours a day since Mrs. Saunders's arrival and argues she
already agreed to have sex with him. She points out that was
Analysis
only once—sometimes she wants to say no. She finally gives in
and Clive momentarily disappears under her skirt, then
The aspects of Mrs. Saunders's personality to which Clive is
reemerges to tell her he climaxed. She didn't. She pleads with
attracted starkly contrast with everything a Victorian woman is
him to continue and he refuses, marveling at her
supposed to be. Clive thinks of her as "dark like this continent.
"voraciousness." They go back to the Christmas picnic.
Mysterious. Treacherous," and he suspects she's "the type of
woman who would enjoy whipping somebody." Mrs. Saunders
Betty, Maud, Joshua, Edward, Harry, and Victoria enter,
has not proven herself to be anything except independent,
followed shortly by Clive. He opens a bottle of champagne and
sexual, and unafraid to share her opinion; it is Clive who
purposefully spills it on his pants to mask the semen stains.
assigns her the role of wicked seductress. He believes wives
They toast Queen Victoria, and Ellen arrives. She and Betty
should be virtuous and pure, while mistresses should be lusty
play catch with a ball, but their game is interrupted by Edward,
and dangerous. Mrs. Saunders is neither of those things, but
who insists Betty doesn't know how to catch. Harry, Clive, and
she is very different from the traditional stereotype of the
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Scene Summaries 14
Victorian wife, not only in her self-sufficiency but also in her
between himself and Joshua. In this case Clive, the white man,
interest in sex. She likes it and not because it's a means of
is the savior of Joshua, the black man. Just as in the song,
producing heirs. She likes "the sensation" of intimate physical
Joshua has nothing material to give Clive as a means of
relationships, so much so she's willing to put up with Clive,
gratitude, so Clive expects all of Joshua's love in return.
whom she can't stand.
Joshua's song is also important because it shows how deeply
he has assimilated to the culture of his "benefactors." He
Clive's attitudes about women and sexuality mirror those of
appears to have given up his native religion for Christianity,
many 19th-century men, particularly in his belief that women
which is another signal to Clive's family that he is more white
find no pleasure in the sexual act itself. When Clive reaches his
than black and can therefore, in their racist mindset, be
climax, he expects Mrs. Saunders to be satisfied, too. He pays
trusted.
no attention to her pleas for him to continue, just as he ignores
her initial refusal to have sex with him. He doesn't even seem to
notice she actively dislikes him. Clive's refusal to acknowledge
Mrs. Saunders's wishes symbolizes the patriarchal mindset of
Act 1, Scene 3
the 19th century. Though a woman ruled the British Empire,
men ruled at home without question. Clive is so used to having
all the power in his relationships he can't recognize when
someone tries to take it back.
Summary
Betty, Maud, Mrs. Saunders, and Victoria are in the house
Power dynamics also figure in the relationship between
waiting for the men to return from flogging the stable boys.
Edward and Harry. In the real world, Harry would be
The blinds are closed and the women sit in semi-darkness as
considered a pedophile for his attraction and sexual
they discuss what's going on outside. Maud wonders how
relationship with a nine-year-old. Even in a play where the boy
they're supposed to make judgments about the situation when
in question is played by an adult woman, the pairing is
the men don't tell them anything. Mrs. Saunders says she
shocking. That's the point. Homosexuality on its own was
knows some of what is going on with the natives, but Maud
shocking—and forbidden—during the Victorian era, just as
tells Betty not to listen: this is an issue for the men, and Clive
pedophilia is now. Edward's status as a minor helps modern
will know what to do.
audiences understand how unacceptable homosexual
relationships were in the 19th century. Yet the characters' ages
are less important in the context of the play. It is far more
significant that Edward, the younger of the pair, does not hide
his attraction to men while Harry, the older man, does. It is
Edward who brings up the idea of resuming their sexual
relationship, and it is Edward who asks Harry to literally expose
himself. The message here is younger generations are more
comfortable with same-sex relationships than older
generations. Throughout the play Edward is the predator and
Harry is the prey.
Joshua sings the song "In the Bleak Midwinter" at the end of
the scene; the text is by Victorian poet Christina Rossetti. The
poem was written in 1872 but wasn't set to music until 1906,
five years after Queen Victoria's death. It is slightly out of time
period for the first act of Cloud 9, but the lyrics are fitting for
Joshua's character and the scene's themes. The song is
written from the point of view of someone who wants to honor
baby Jesus, the savior. The narrator has nothing to give but his
love. This parallels the relationship Clive has constructed
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Edward comes inside as Mrs. Saunders exits. He plays with
Victoria's doll despite Betty's warning that dolls are for girls.
Boys who play with dolls don't grow up to be men like Clive.
Edward says, "I don't want to be like Papa. I hate Papa,"
earning him a fierce reprimand from his mother, who insists he
give the doll back to Victoria. Edward refuses and Betty slaps
him before scolding Ellen, who has just come into the room.
Ellen slaps Edward, and they both burst into tears before going
upstairs.
Joshua enters, followed by Mrs. Saunders. She asks him if his
arm aches after beating his "own people"; Joshua clarifies they
are not "his people"—they are "bad people." Clive enters and
the mood lightens as the shutters are opened. Edward returns
and tattles on himself to Clive for playing with the doll and
being disrespectful. Clive forgives him, saying Edward needs to
spend less time with the women and more time with the men.
Everyone goes outside except Clive and Betty. Clive tells Betty
it was his "duty" to have the stable boys flogged, noting "you
can tame a wild animal only so far." He knows he should feel
Cloud 9 Study Guide
Scene Summaries 15
compassion for the natives but thinks they are "dangerous"
men are polygamous, women are monogamous school of
and "implacable." Clive then turns the conversation to Betty's
thought popular in the 19th century. On the whole a woman's
burgeoning relationship with Harry. Betty puts the blame
extramarital affair was considered less forgivable than a man's,
entirely on herself, and Clive agrees she is "thoughtless." He
as evidenced by the divorce laws of the time period. In general
says treachery and evil are the hallmark of her sex, but he can't
a man whose wife cheated on him could file for a legal divorce
believe she would be unfaithful. If she was, it would be his
and remarry, but a woman trying to divorce a man for cheating
"duty" to leave her. He ultimately tells her she is forgiven, but
on her would have to settle for legal separation, not a divorce.
she shouldn't expect him to feel the same way about her
Neither party could remarry in that situation. Clive's threat to
anymore. They go outside.
leave Betty if she is unfaithful to him thus presents a very real
problem for Betty, particularly if Harry doesn't want to marry
Joshua, who is getting drinks, spots Edward sneaking back
her. As Maud fears, Betty will be all alone and "unprotected."
into the room to get the doll and calls Edward a sissy. Betty
Clive, on the other hand, doesn't worry about his extramarital
enters and asks Joshua to get some thread from her sewing
affair causing problems in his marriage; he knows Betty
box, but Joshua is rude to her. Edward avoids his mother's hug,
wouldn't leave him if she was not allowed to marry someone
and the cast sings "A Boy's Best Friend." Betty prompts
else. This disparity in the treatment of extramarital affairs is
Edward to put Joshua into his place. Edward finally does,
another gender-based double standard of the Victorian era.
ending his command with, "You move when I speak to you,
boy."
Cloud 9 shows how gender roles and power structures are
ingrained in children at a young age. Baby Victoria is always
Analysis
told how pretty she is and how her father will take care of her.
Edward is constantly reminded he must hide his feelings and
his nurturing side because they do not fit within Clive's narrow
Act 1, Scene 3 reveals society's double standards about what
definition of what it means to be a man. Edward is learning to
is appropriate for men versus what is appropriate for women.
hide his more unacceptable instincts, such as playing with
When the scene begins, the men, including Edward, all watch
Victoria's doll. He even apologizes for saying he doesn't want
outside as Joshua whips the stable boys while the women are
to be like his father before anyone asks him to. But just
literally kept in the dark inside. With the exception of Mrs.
because Edward knows what is expected of him doesn't mean
Saunders, the women rely on the men to tell them what is
he accepts it. When Betty pushes him to stand up to Joshua at
happening. According to Maud, that's how things should be.
the end of the scene, he does so in his father's voice, belittling
She, like Clive, takes the Victorian view of marriage wherein
Joshua and establishing himself as the superior in their
spouses' duties are separated into different spheres. The
relationship. Yet when Betty praises him for it, he tells her not
woman's domain is the home, while the man handles everything
to touch him. He does not want his parents to love him for
beyond the front door. The concerns of men shouldn't have
something he is not.
any impact on women because women have their "own part to
play." As Betty's mother, Maud is at the root of Betty's feelings
Edward is undoubtedly echoing Clive's words as he yells at
of inadequacy and unhappiness. She is constantly reminding
Joshua. As a representative of the British crown, Clive doesn't
Betty how to think, act, and speak, and when she praises Betty,
hide his disdain and condescension toward the native Africans,
it is only for Betty's appearance. One can imagine this has
whom he views as wild animals in need of taming. To Clive a
gone on Betty's whole life, as Maud repeatedly tells Victoria
tame African is one who respects and serves white people, just
how pretty she is. Maud believes a woman's external
like Joshua. His views about race aren't very different from his
appearance is more important than intelligence or
views about gender—in all things the white male reigns
independence, both of which fit squarely into the realm of men.
supreme. Though he wants the natives and his family to view
his leadership as firm and absolute, he isn't the person
Extramarital affairs also fall in the realm of men, at least
punishing the stable boys for plotting behind his back. He
according to Clive. Though he sees nothing wrong with lusting
makes Joshua do it, thereby absolving himself of responsibility
after and having sex with Mrs. Saunders, he punishes Betty for
for any repercussions. Clive wants to be in charge, but he
having feelings for Harry. His actions with Mrs. Saunders and
doesn't want to face the consequences.
reactions to Betty's flirtations indicate he subscribes to the
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Act 1, Scene 4
Scene Summaries 16
pronouncing them both "bad women." Clive has had enough
and tells Joshua to get out of his sight.
Summary
Analysis
It is early morning on the veranda. Edward asks Joshua to tell
As far as the audience knows, Joshua has completely bought
him "another bad story" and Joshua complies, telling Edward a
into western culture and Christianity. When Edward asks to
native tale about the creation of the moon and humans. He
hear a "bad" story, Joshua knows he really means a story from
assures Edward the story isn't really true because "God made
Joshua's native culture. Likewise, people from Joshua's tribe,
man white like him and gave him the bad woman" who caused
and even Joshua's parents, are "bad" people. Whether Joshua
"all this trouble." Clive and Harry enter, and Clive tells the
actually believes these things or not is up for debate and
others British soldiers set fire to a village the night before, so
almost entirely dependent on the actor's portrayal of the
everyone will need to stay in the house today.
character. Yet from a strictly textual standpoint, it appears as if
Joshua isn't as docile as he seems. Out of everyone in the
What follows is another revolving door of characters having
family he is outwardly respectful only to Clive. He spies on the
private conversations. They are, in order:
others and runs to Clive with his findings. There is a sense he is
Edward accuses Harry of not paying enough attention to
him and threatens to tell Clive about their relationship. Harry
panics and makes Edward promise never to tell. Edward
wants to run away with Harry.
trying to tear apart the family from the inside, and each of his
reports divides the characters even further. His last dispatch to
Clive, however, results in a rift he wasn't expecting: one
between himself and his master.
Ellen asks Betty if she will have to find a new job once
Clive's knee-jerk reaction to Joshua's insinuation that Ellen and
Edward goes to school. Betty says yes and suggests Ellen
Betty are lovers isn't unusual for the Victorian era.
go back to England so she can get married and have
Homosexuality between men was acknowledged, but not
children. Ellen doesn't want any of that—she just wants
accepted, and became illegal in 1885. Female homosexuality,
Betty.
on the other hand, was considered to be so outrageous and
Betty begs for Clive's forgiveness. He tells her to leave him
repulsive that it wasn't acknowledged at all. Lesbians of course
alone.
existed in the 19th century, as they have throughout history,
Clive alerts Harry that he knows about the budding romance
but their relationships were often hidden behind the intimacy of
between Harry and Betty. Harry swears nothing happened,
female friendships, which have long been a hallmark of
and Clive promises their friendship can't be "spoiled by the
traditional femininity. This is likely how Betty views her
weaker sex," and rattles off a list of what he doesn't like
relationship with Ellen, as she doesn't seem to understand
about women. Harry, misinterpreting Clive's disdain for
Ellen's declarations of love as being romantic in nature. As for
women as a love for men, grabs Clive in a romantic
Clive, he is completely appalled by the mere mention of a
embrace. Clive is disgusted; Harry is ashamed. Clive tells
female-female sexual relationship, which violates the rigid
Harry to repent and get married, which Harry equates with
Victorian principles he holds so dear.
suicide.
Harry proposes to Mrs. Saunders. She rejects him, saying
Clive exposes himself as a misogynist, or someone who hates
she chooses to be single.
women, in Act 1, Scene 4. This isn't just a case of father knows
Mrs. Saunders tells Clive that Joshua's parents were killed
best—he comes right out and tells Harry women are "irrational,
by the British soldiers in a fire the night before. Clive is
demanding, inconsistent, treacherous, lustful," which he views
horrified.
as threats to manhood. In his mind a woman's worth is limited
Clive offers Joshua the day off to go to his parents' funerals,
to her role in reproduction, the family unit, and pleasure. These
but Joshua declines. He says his parents were bad people.
views make Clive the least sympathetic character in the play,
He considers Clive and Betty to be his real parents.
which is purposeful on Churchill's part. To develop the themes
Harry proposes to Ellen, who says yes.
of power, gender roles, sexual identity, and feminism, there
Joshua tells Clive how Ellen "talks of love" to Betty,
needs to be a constant force the characters rally against. That
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
force is Clive, who represents the white male patriarchy. He
has to stay the same so everyone else can change.
Scene Summaries 17
Analysis
Betty's beaded necklace serves as a symbol throughout Cloud
Act 1, Scene 5
9, and it means different things at different times. In Act 1 it is a
representation of feminine attraction. Edward steals the
necklace so he can give it to Harry as a means of showing his
Summary
love and devotion. Betty wants to wear the necklace so she
can look her "best" at Harry's wedding. She hasn't yet caught
on that Harry is gay, and she wants him to find her attractive
Joshua is setting the table on the veranda for the wedding
even though he's marrying another woman.
when he spots Edward holding Victoria's doll. Joshua takes it
from him, slits the doll's body open with a knife, and throws the
Betty doesn't envy Ellen, but she does envy Mrs. Saunders.
doll under the table. The rest of the cast enters, and Ellen
She finally sees proof of a relationship between Clive and the
takes Betty aside to ask "what happens" with a man. Betty
widow during Act 1, Scene 5 and though Clive has effectively
advises her to "keep still" and to remember "you're not getting
stopped showing her any affection, Betty still feels jealous.
married to enjoy yourself." Ellen exits.
Though Clive is the one who kissed Mrs. Saunders and Betty is
the one who throws the first punch, it is Mrs. Saunders who is
Betty tells Clive her necklace has been stolen. Edward blames
blamed. This satirizes the hierarchy of trust inherent in
Joshua, and Harry steps in to say Edward is lying. Edward runs
Victorian culture: single women were suspect, married women
off and Mrs. Saunders enters. She sold her property and
were trusted with reservations, and men were trusted above all
intends to go to England to buy a farm; she will leave
else. Clive is disgusted with Mrs. Saunders for assaulting Betty
tomorrow. Clive again praises her "amazing spirit" and kisses
(which she didn't do) and pleased by Betty's jealousy. Her
her, prompting Betty to tackle Mrs. Saunders to the ground.
violent act of devotion, coupled with the revelation about
Clive and Harry separate the women, and Clive tells Mrs.
Harry's homosexuality, puts Betty in Clive's favor once more.
Saunders to leave at once for "abusing" his hospitality and
touching his wife. Mrs. Saunders insists she will not leave until
The end of Act 1, Scene 5 raises more questions than it
the next day and exits the stage. Clive, moved by Betty's
answers. Did Joshua have malicious intent throughout his
jealousy, forgives her for kissing Harry.
service to Clive's family, or did that only arise after Clive
reprimanded him at the end of Act 1, Scene 4? Does Clive's
Edward enters, holding the necklace. He says he was "minding"
praise of Edward for "minding" Betty's necklace rankle the
it for Betty "because of the troubles," which earns him praise
already angry Joshua? No matter Joshua's motive, it is clear he
from Clive. Edward puts the necklace on Betty. Ellen enters,
wants to kill Clive. What's not clear is whether or not Clive
and Maud chides her for crying at her own wedding. Harry
dies—but that isn't as important as Joshua's act of rebellion
makes a brief speech about the empire, family, and "domestic
against his white master. He represents minorities rising
bliss" without actually saying anything at all, then steps on the
against the white patriarchy, foreshadowing the African
doll, which is still under the table, as he and Ellen cut the cake.
independence movements of the 20th century, some of which
Edward blames Joshua for the doll's distressed state, and
were militant.
Clive smacks Edward on the side of the head for telling lies.
Clive gives a toast to the bride and groom and assures the
Edward's tacit approval of Joshua's actions is also an act of
group, "Dangers are past. Our enemies killed." As he talks,
rebellion. Though he understands what Joshua intends to do,
Joshua, who has been drinking steadily throughout the scene,
he does nothing to stop Joshua or protect Clive. Like Joshua's
aims a gun at Clive. Edward, the only person who notices, does
motives, Edward's aren't clear, but the desired result—freedom
nothing to warn everyone else. He covers his ears as the stage
from patriarchal rule—is the same.
goes black.
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Act 2, Scene 1
Scene Summaries 18
Victoria doesn't make enough effort with her looks before
casually mentioning she is leaving her husband. Victoria and
Edward try to get Betty to repeat what she just said, but she
Summary
ignores them as she and Cathy bond over her jewelry, including
the necklace young Edward stole in Act 1. Betty confirms she's
leaving Clive and "finding a little flat that will be fun." She exits.
The setting has changed to winter in 1979 London, but only 25
years have elapsed for the characters. The scene begins with
Edward and Victoria are both exasperated by Betty's news.
a monologue from Gerry, Edward's lover, describing an
"They're going to want so much attention," Edward says of
anonymous sexual encounter with a man on the train. Gerry
their parents. Lin hustles Cathy to get ready to leave, and
exits, and the stage lights come up to reveal adult Victoria, a
Edward asks Cathy if he can have her painting for his friend
divorced mother named Lin, and Lin's four-year-old daughter,
Gerry. Once they are alone in the play area, Lin asks Victoria if
Cathy, who is played by a man. They are inside a children's play
she will have sex with her. Victoria is hesitant, and Lin promises
area in the middle of a park. It is winter. Lin and Cathy bicker
she will enjoy it.
while Victoria simultaneously keeps an eye on her unseen son,
Tommy, and tries to read a book. Cathy runs outside the play
area, and Lin gripes about raising a child on her own. Sensing
Analysis
Victoria isn't paying attention, Lin adds, "I really fancy you."
That gets Victoria's attention, and Lin asks her to go to a
Act 2 of Cloud 9 takes place in 1979 London, but only 25 years
movie. Victoria agrees.
have passed since the events of Act 1. That makes Edward 34
and Victoria 27. They are both struggling with their place in the
Lin looks outside and coaches Cathy on how to play with a toy
larger context of society. Edward identifies as gay and is in a
gun, which starts a conversation between Lin and Victoria
relationship with Gerry, but he isn't eager to have his lifestyle
about children, guns, and the army. Lin says her brother, who is
become public knowledge. Though the Sexual Offences Act of
serving in the army, is stationed in Belfast. They talk about their
1967 lifted the ban of homosexual activity between consenting
fathers, then Lin asks how Victoria gets along with her
adults in private places, it didn't remove the stigma that had
husband. Victoria says they get along well because "he helps
followed gay men for more than 100 years. Nor did it assert the
with the washing up and everything." Lin says she's grateful her
equality of gay individuals. Edward's fear he will lose his job for
ex-husband let her keep Cathy and that he didn't hit her (Lin)
being gay was a very real concern for millions of people. Hiding
"harder than he did." Victoria reflects on her own good fortune
his personal life is necessary to maintain his employment.
to be married to Martin just before Lin pronounces she hates
men.
Victoria is also divided between two different roles: mother and
aspiring academic. Though the feminist movement was well
Edward enters the play area and tells Victoria that Betty is
underway by 1979, the primary focus for many women was still
walking around the park. When Victoria goes to find her
on the family. Victoria, who is more interested in reading books
mother, Lin asks Edward if he's gay. She just wants to talk to a
about human psychology than watching her child on the swing
gay person who understands what it's like to be attracted to a
set, is an anomaly. She isn't content to list "motherhood" as her
straight person, but Edward isn't listening—he's too busy
peak achievement. There is a sense, however, that she doesn't
panicking they will be overheard. He fears rumors about his
quite know what she wants. When Lin asks her out on a date,
sexuality will cost him his job as a gardener in the park.
Victoria's first response is she doesn't know how her husband
would react. At this point in the play, she is somewhat like her
Victoria and Betty enter. Betty prattles on about Tommy's
mother in that she takes cues about what is appropriate from
bravery, Victoria's appearance, and Edward's job before
her husband, whom she feels lucky to have because "he helps
Victoria has a chance to introduce her to Lin and Cathy. Betty
with the washing up and everything."
admires Cathy's painting and tells Lin she had help with her
children when the family lived in Africa, where "there wasn't the
Lin and Cathy are new additions to the core cast of characters
servant problem." Then she returns to talking about Edward's
from Act 1. A lesbian divorcée raising her daughter on her own,
work as a gardener, "what a pretty child Cathy is," and how
Lin is the opposite of Betty as far as motherhood is concerned.
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Scene Summaries 19
While young Edward was punished for playing with dolls and
lackluster sex life. It's not his fault he couldn't maintain an
being "unmanly," four-year-old Cathy is encouraged to play
erection last night—she was giving him too many directions
with guns, get messy, and wear jewelry. Cathy's casting as a
and he does not like to feel she can please herself better than
man, the only cross-gender casting choice in Act 2,
he can. Though he's confident Victoria does not reach orgasm
underscores Lin's expectations for her daughter. Not only does
because she feels dominated by him, he wants her to know his
Lin actively try to expose Cathy to experiences outside the
"one aim is to give [her] rolling orgasms like [he does] other
realm of what is considered "normal" and "proper" for little
women." He assures Victoria he isn't putting any pressure on
girls, but she pushes back when Cathy "shows off" how pretty
her, but he doesn't think she's "being a whole person."
she looks in Betty's jewelry. She does not want her daughter to
be defined by her looks or outdated cultural expectations.
Martin's speech is interrupted every few minutes by the other
characters. During these short conversations, the audience
If Lin represents the new generation of motherhood, Betty
learns Gerry and Edward are lovers but Gerry doesn't want to
represents the old. The more she talks, the clearer it is she has
be tied to one man, Betty is frightened all the time since she
taken on many of her own mother's viewpoints. She chastises
left Clive, Cathy wants Lin to dress in a more feminine way in
Victoria for her appearance, refuses to acknowledge
front of Cathy's friends, and Betty doesn't enjoy the company
gardening as Edward's "real" job, and makes a few racist
of women because they are so much less interesting than men.
remarks about "servants" and children with pierced ears. Like
Maud, she views her children through the lenses of traditional
Martin walks Betty home after he finishes lecturing Victoria. He
masculinity and femininity and dismisses those with different
has work to do on his novel about the lives of women written
values (such as piercing little girls' ears) as "not British." Yet
from the women's points of view. Victoria explodes as soon as
Betty has diverged sharply from her mother's path in one way:
he and her mother leave. "Why the hell can't he just be a wife
she left Clive. Though she acts nonchalant about it in front of
and come with me?" she asks Lin. Lin asks Victoria to live with
her children, separating from her husband is an enormous
her instead, and her feelings are hurt when Victoria tells her
move for Betty. She is going against everything Maud taught
not to be "silly." They squabble until Lin mentions her brother
her about the man's role to protect and the woman's role to
was killed in Belfast and her father doesn't want her to come to
serve. Independence is new territory for Betty and, based on
the funeral. Cathy approaches, and she and Lin get into a fight
Clive's portrayal in Act 1, she will probably have a much better
about bedtime, which results in Lin smacking Cathy and Cathy
life. But her children only see her separation as being
running away. Victoria realizes she does not know where
problematic for them. They do not appreciate the courage it
Tommy is, and Cathy is called back to help them look. Cathy
must have taken for her to not only leave her husband but also
finds him in the bushes. Victoria goes to him, and Cathy and Lin
divorce herself from the role of dutiful wife.
leave the park.
Gerry and Edward return to the stage. Gerry tells Edward he is
Act 2, Scene 2
becoming too much "like a wife," which Edward says he does
not mind at all. He enjoys the "feminine" role in a relationship.
This is too much for Gerry, who says he is moving out. He
Summary
leaves. Victoria joins Edward on a park bench. As they hold
hands he confides he wishes he were a woman, then asks to
touch her breasts. Victoria finds his touch arousing, and
It is spring. The play's characters come in and out of the park
Edward is pretty sure he is a lesbian.
and have brief conversations as Martin delivers a monologue
to Victoria about an out-of-town job offer. Martin says it's
perfectly fine if Victoria takes the job, but it's also fine if she
Analysis
decides to stay in London. Victoria is crying at this point, which
irritates Martin because he's "not the sort of man who makes
At first glance, Martin appears to have a more enlightened
women cry." He questions if Victoria is "well enough" to do this
viewpoint about marital relationships and women's roles in
new job and reminds her "there's no point being so liberated
society than those expressed in Act 1, but the more he talks,
you make yourself cry all the time." Then Martin brings up their
the more it becomes apparent he and Clive are cut from the
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
same cloth. Like Clive, Martin wants the best for his wife but
only on his own terms. It's fine if Victoria moves to Manchester,
Scene Summaries 20
Act 2, Scene 3
but if she does Martin will punish her by moving in with another
woman. He understands women need to take control of their
sexual pleasure, but he becomes indignant when she tells him
Summary
what to do. He sees her inability to "get [herself] together" as a
black mark on his reputation, not hers. Martin makes Victoria's
Victoria, Lin, and Edward are in the park on a summer evening.
successes and failures all about him, insisting he is the one
They are drunk and intent on having an orgy, which begins with
who makes her "stand on [her] own two feet." He, like Clive, is
a ceremony to "call up the goddess." Edward and Lin joke
the type of man who thinks he knows more about the desires
around, but Victoria takes this seriously. As her brother and
of women than women themselves, as evidenced by Churchill's
lover chant, she asks the goddess to "make us the women we
cheeky choice of having Martin write a novel about women
can't be." Victoria has studied up on ancient priestesses and
from the women's point of view. While men like Martin pretend
tries to educate Lin and Edward about the goddess's
to understand the meaning of feminism and the purpose of the
matriarchal society, but they are more interested in having sex
women's liberation movement, they don't actually view women
than listening to a lecture. A stranger approaches, and they
as equals. They are just as much to blame for the oppression
decide to ask him to join them.
of women's rights as misogynistic throwbacks like Clive.
The stranger isn't actually a stranger at all—it's Martin, who has
Clive is on stage only for a few moments in Act 2, but his
been searching the park for them. His frustration dissipates as
outright contempt for women lives on through Betty, who has
he's pulled into their tangle of limbs—he has no problem with
"never been so short of men's company that [she's] had to
"having a lot of sex" and joins in. Another stranger approaches;
bother with women." Her upbringing and marriage were filled
this time it's a soldier. Lin is convinced it's her dead brother,
with lessons about the inferiority of women, which Betty clings
Bill. She asks if he has come back to tell them something, but
to even though she's a woman herself. This proves problematic
he's just there for sex. He tells her the army was boring and
when Betty strikes out on her own. It isn't that she has no one
terrifying and all he wanted to do was have sex, but then he
to rely upon but rather that she has no one to give her
died. Lin collapses and he leaves.
attention. Her role in life has always been to serve everyone
but herself. In Betty's generation the worst thing one could do
is act "selfish" and do things for oneself; for Lin's generation, it
is the most direct route to happiness.
The mood has changed, and Edward decides it's time to go
home. Victoria is going to move in with Lin and Edward, who
are already living together, but Martin doesn't want to talk
about it until they are sober. They all leave and Gerry enters.
Even characters who seem happy with themselves are forced
He talks about coming to the park at night and how much he
to come to grips with how they are viewed by society. Edward
likes living alone. He calls Edward's name, and young Edward
is comfortable as a gay man who takes pleasure in the
from Act 1 enters. Young Edward tells Gerry he loves him and
traditionally feminine roles in a relationship—cooking, cleaning,
asks, "You know what we did? I want to do it again." Gerry
and looking after a partner's well-being—but his lover isn't.
agrees. The cast returns to the stage and sings a song called
Gerry's insistence that he doesn't want a wife is directly
"Cloud Nine."
related to his fear of commitment and loss of independence,
but Edward interprets their breakup a sign that the word gay
isn't an accurate reflection of who he is. When he says he's a
Analysis
lesbian, he's referring to his desire to be treated like a woman
in a relationship as well as his attraction to the female form.
Victoria and Lin are engaged in a sexual relationship that is
Lesbian doesn't encompass his attraction to men, but it's the
incestuous. Like the pedophilia in Act 1, Victoria and Edward's
closest he can get to describing his connection to everything
sexual interest in one another is meant to shock the audience.
feminine.
It is also meant to be a source of comfort between the two
characters. Edward and Victoria are both looking for
relationships in which they are free from the expectations of
their genders and other roles. Victoria wants to pursue her
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Scene Summaries 21
career; Edward wants to be a caregiver. Lin is the conduit that
enters, exhausted from her new job as a receptionist at a
brings them together. She is sexually and emotionally attracted
doctor's office. She praises Martin for being so patient with
to Victoria, and though Edward is a man, his femininity makes
Victoria, whom she thinks is intruding on a relationship
him (in his mind) more female than male. It doesn't matter that
between Edward and Lin. They hear the bells of the ice cream
Lin identifies as a lesbian or Edward identifies as gay, or that
truck, and Betty, Martin, and Cathy exit, leaving Edward alone.
Edward and Victoria are siblings. The important thing is their
As in other scenes of the play, characters have brief
compatibility. Their three-way partnership transcends social
conversations, then exit the stage to be replaced by another
labels and furthers the play's message about accepting one's
pair or group.
entire self, not just the parts deemed "proper" by society.
Gerry looks for Edward in the park and learns Edward is
Edward and Victoria have come to terms with who they are,
now a homemaker and living (and having sex) with Victoria
but Gerry isn't quite there yet. He is initially portrayed as the
and Lin. He also has sex with men still. Gerry asks him out
stereotypical sexually liberated gay man of the late 1970s,
on a date. They agree to meet the next evening. After
promiscuous and wholly uninterested in a long-term, marriage-
Edward leaves the stage, Harry enters. He and Gerry flirt,
like relationship. But his boasts about having sex any time he
then leave together.
wants and his passionate defense of living alone come across
Maud warns Betty about being "unprotected" like Mrs.
as insecurity, not confidence. Though he tries to convince
Saunders. Ellen enters and asks Betty "what happens with a
himself he's living the perfect life, he is continually drawn back
man," then tells Betty not to forget her. She and Maud leave.
to Edward. The conversation he has with young Edward, which
Alone onstage, Betty begins a monologue about how
is almost exactly the same conversation between Harry and
surprised she was to realize she actually likes sex. After
Edward in Act 1, Scene 2, indicates he feels something deeper
leaving Clive, she masturbated for the first time since she
for Edward than he is willing to admit. Like Edward and
was a child. She felt guilty about it, as if she was betraying
Victoria, Gerry is beginning to realize he doesn't fit the role
Clive and disappointing her mother, but she also "felt
assigned to him by society.
triumphant because [she] was a separate person from
them." She no longer feels guilty for pleasuring herself.
The song at the end of the scene, "Cloud Nine," leaves little
Betty offers Lin and Victoria money to buy a bigger house
ambiguity as to what the play is about. Cloud nine is an idiom,
so they can all, including Betty, live together. Victoria is
or figurative expression, used to describe the highest state of
hesitant, and Lin points out Betty already knows they all
happiness. According to the lyrics of the song, which is original
sleep together. Victoria doesn't want to live with her
to the play, this state of bliss can be achieved when one looks
mother—they don't even like each other. "We might begin
beyond the constructs of traditional romantic relationships.
to," Betty replies.
"They were women in love," and "Two the same" point to the
Lin and Martin get in a fight after Cathy shows up with a
acceptance of homosexual relationships, while "The bride was
nosebleed, having had her money and ice cream stolen by a
sixty-five, the groom was seventeen" acknowledges
gang of older boys. Lin accuses Martin of not looking after
unconventional heterosexual romances. The song's—and the
Cathy, and Martin counters he shouldn't have to watch
play's—message is people in every type of relationship have a
Cathy because she's not his child. Victoria says everything
chance at unparalleled happiness.
is going to change when she goes to Manchester and they
will all have to learn how to get along.
Act 2, Scene 4
Gerry and Betty strike up a conversation after he
recognizes her as Edward's mother. They talk about what
it's like to live alone. Betty invites Gerry to a theoretical
dinner party and tells him he's welcome to drop by anytime.
Summary
Gerry insists he and Edward are "very involved," and Betty
realizes that Gerry, like her son, is gay. She is slightly
Martin, Edward, and Cathy are in the park one day in late
embarrassed at trying to pick up a gay man, but Gerry
summer. Edward is updating Martin about Cathy's and
promises he will still come to visit.
Tommy's needs, as it is Martin's night to care for them. Betty
Clive tells Betty she's "not that sort of woman" and his
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Quotes 22
feelings for her have changed. When he leaves, Betty from
husband is frightening at first, because without them Betty
Act 1 enters. She and Act 2 Betty embrace.
doesn't know who she is. The longer she spends time on her
own, however, the more she learns what she likes. Orgasms
Analysis
are no longer shameful, but rather pleasurable acts of rebellion
and independence. So is Betty's conversation with Gerry. She
tries to "pick him up" before she realizes he's gay, something
The final scene of Cloud 9 is all about acceptance and new
she never would have done prior to her self-awakening for fear
beginnings. It includes the last "revolving door" exchange in
she was being too forward or too unladylike. When Clive
which characters enter, hold brief dialogues, then exit in order
appears on stage to tell her she's "not that sort of woman," his
to reveal the characters' true identities and feelings. Victoria
admonishments fall on deaf ears. Betty no longer feels the
has finally moved in with Edward and Lin, and they, with Martin,
need to seek the love and approval of anyone else but herself,
are trying to figure out how this new arrangement will work.
which she literally does when her Act 1 counterpart comes
Though this is fine with the siblings and Lin, Martin is having a
onstage. Their hug represents Betty's acceptance of her past
difficult time accepting his role as an equal. He doesn't want
self as well as who she is in the present.
Edward and Lin to tell him what to do—he's married to Victoria,
not to them. And he doesn't want to watch Cathy even though
Lin is open to caring for both Cathy and Tommy. While
everyone else in his life has found peace with the new
g Quotes
situation, he is still somewhat stunned by the transformation of
his traditional nuclear family into an extended cohort of adults
sharing responsibility for one another's children. For all his talk
about feminism and openness to sexual exploration, Martin
"What men want is what I want to
be."
remains attached to the conventional definition of family as a
husband, wife, and biological child.
— Betty, Act 1, Scene 1
One of the messages of the play is about accepting others for
who they are. This isn't always easy: for years Betty has
Betty's line in the introductory song positions her as having one
purposefully chosen to ignore Edward's sexuality despite him
purpose: being the perfect woman. In the Victorian era that
directly telling her he is gay, and she is hesitant to
meant deferring to her husband in all things, taking care of the
acknowledge the relationship among Edward, Lin, and Victoria.
children and the home, and ignoring all her personal desires.
Though her children's lifestyles don't conform to the gender
Note that Betty says what men want is what she wants to be.
roles she was raised with, they seem "perfectly happy." The
Playing the perfect wife and mother is something she has yet
same can't be said for Ellen and Harry, who were pushed into a
to master.
marriage they didn't want, nor Maud, who taught Betty "young
women are never happy." Unlike her own mother, Betty doesn't
mind her children's break with traditional lifestyles and values;
their happiness is more important than how their lives appear
to others. This is a lesson Victoria is still learning, as she has a
"The men have their duties and we
have ours."
hard time separating Betty the person from Betty the mother.
— Maud, Act 1, Scene 1
This is something Betty struggles with, too. For so many years
she viewed herself solely through the lens of her role as Clive's
wife. Now she is trying to figure out who she is, and it's not
without some trepidation. In her monologue about
masturbation Betty tells the audience she cried during her first
orgasm because she felt she had disappointed Clive and Maud,
both of whom shunned the notion of women enjoying sex. The
realization she is a separate person from her mother and ex-
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Maud tells Betty she can't expect Harry to spend much time
visiting at the house because, as a man, his duties differ from
those of the women. During the Victorian era, men and women
lived in two different spheres: women took care of the
household while men handled everything else. This line of
thinking is also why Maud seems to be the least concerned of
Cloud 9 Study Guide
all the women about the tribal unrest. She trusts the men to
handle it as part of their "duties."
Quotes 23
soldiers have. You must be a
mother if you can."
"Is this the way to treat a
— Betty, Act 1, Scene 4
benefactor?"
This comparison shows exactly how much Betty dislikes the
— Clive, Act 1, Scene 2
bondage of motherhood. She does not tell Ellen having
children is a gift or a joy, but rather that it is like war:
unpleasant and unavoidable. Just like the soldier who doesn't
Clive is upset when Mrs. Saunders refuses to have sex with
want to go to war, the woman who doesn't want to have
him a second time. He thinks she owes it to him for giving her a
children has no say in the matter. Her mind is made up for her
place to stay when her own home was no longer safe. Clive
by the rules of Victorian society.
views himself, not Mrs. Saunders, as the victim. His happiness
always comes before that of others.
"Don't hit him, Cathy, kill him. Point
"A boy has no business having
the gun, kiou, kiou, kiou. That's the
feelings."
way."
— Clive, Act 1, Scene 2
— Lin, Act 2, Scene 1
Clive makes fun of Edward for not being able to catch the ball,
Lin is a very different mother from Maud and Betty, as is
which Betty says will hurt Edward's feelings. Clive's response is
evidenced by her active encouragement of Cathy to engage in
indicative of how he thinks men should be divorced from all
stereotypical male activities, like playing with imaginary guns.
emotion. Feelings are for women, and actions are for men.
Lin doesn't just permit this type of play; she tells her how to do
it better. She wants her daughter to be seen as an equal to the
boys on the playground.
"Let Mrs. Saunders be a warning
to you, Betty."
— Maud, Act 1, Scene 3
"Does it count as adultery with a
woman?"
— Victoria, Act 2, Scene 1
Maud is of the belief women need protection from men. As a
single woman, Mrs. Saunders is forced to fend for herself. That
doesn't seem to bother her, but Maud finds it completely
Despite her progressive ideals and academic perspective on
improper. This warning means to dissuade Betty from pursuing
masculinity and feminism, Victoria is apprehensive about
a relationship with Harry: if Clive finds out, he could easily leave
violating the commonly accepted code of conduct for married
her and arrange it so she can't marry again. She, and possibly
couples. She is torn between doing the right thing and pursuing
her children, would no longer be under the protection of a man.
something she truly desires.
"Women have their duty as
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"There's nothing says you have to
Cloud 9 Study Guide
like yourself."
Symbols 24
Victoria approaches gender and sexuality from an academic
standpoint. Unlike Lin, she thinks everything should be viewed
through the lens of feminine history and gender psychology.
— Betty, Act 2, Scene 2
While Lin strives for equality for herself and her daughter,
Victoria wants to discover and attack the root of gendered
Betty says she doesn't care for women, even as friends, which
oppression.
confuses Lin, who points out Betty is a woman herself. Betty's
response is emblematic of the low public regard for women
prior to the surge of second-wave feminism in the 1960s. Betty
had been trained to think all women, including herself, were of
less value than men. She is a product of her culture, just as
"I thought if Clive wasn't looking at
me there wasn't a person there."
Lin's personal self-esteem is a product of hers.
— Betty, Act 2, Scene 4
"I've changed who I sleep with, I
Of all the play's characters, Betty goes through the greatest
can't change everything."
transformation during the play. Her monologue in Act 2, Scene
4 isn't just about masturbation—it's her realization that she
does not need a man to justify her existence. She is learning to
— Lin, Act 2, Scene 2
accept herself as a person, not just as a conductor of someone
else's happiness.
Victoria nags Lin to be more consistent in her views of gender
roles, but gender isn't simply academic for Lin—it's part of
everyday life. She isn't going to stop mentioning men
completely just because she believes in feminism. She's doing
l Symbols
the best she can to get by and often feels like she can't live up
to Victoria's high standards.
Guns
"I'm not the husband so you can't
be the wife."
Guns represent masculinity and power in both acts of Cloud 9.
In Act 1 Clive, a white patriarch, carries a gun to protect himself
— Gerry, Act 2, Scene 2
and his family from the angry African natives. He makes sure
the other white man, Harry, is armed. Both their sex and their
Gerry breaks up with Edward because he feels Edward is
putting on an act with his feminine-leaning pastimes and
opinions. Edward's behavior reminds him too much of marriage,
which is exactly what he's trying to avoid.
race make them, from a Western point of view, the most
powerful people in the region. Clive extends power to Joshua,
his black servant, by ensuring he is carrying a gun as well. This
is only because Joshua presents himself as devoted to white
men and their culture. Were he to outwardly support his fellow
tribesmen, he would not have been given a gun.
"You can't separate fucking and
Edward, Clive's son, is the only man in Act 1 who doesn't carry
economics."
a firearm. It can be argued this is because he's only nine, but
Edward has adult sensibilities. In the context of this play, giving
a child a gun is not unusual. But Clive and Betty's greatest
— Victoria, Act 2, Scene 3
concern about Edward is he isn't manly enough. He is most
likely not given a gun because he doesn't meet Clive's ideals of
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
masculinity.
Themes 25
emphasis on her appearance shows her desire to please him
even though he is marrying someone else.
Guns still represent masculinity and power in Act 2 but in a less
literal sense. Lin encourages Cathy to roughhouse with the
Betty's necklace reappears in Act 2, Scene 1 as she tells
boys on the playground and pretend she is shooting them.
Edward and Victoria she is leaving Clive. At this point in the
Guns have traditionally been thought to be "boys' toys," and Lin
play, Betty still lives with Clive and therefore plays the role of
purposefully exposes her daughter to this type of play as a
submissive, deferential wife. Cathy admires the necklace, so
means of removing gender barriers. She wants Cathy to know
Betty lets her wear it for a little while before taking it back. In
she is equal to any boy.
this instance Betty's necklace represents the submissive,
feminine role so familiar to her. She takes it off for a little bit
then puts it back on, just like she initially embraces the idea of
Doll
independence before being confronted in Act 2, Scene 2 with
the loneliness and responsibility that come along with
independence. Although she is ready for a change, the thought
of her old life comforts her, like the necklace she sometimes
Dolls have long been associated with girlhood, which is why
wants to put it back on.
Edward's interest in Victoria's doll is a major topic of
conversation in Act 1. Clive and Betty adhere to the social
construct of different toys being appropriate for boys and girls.
Dolls fit squarely into the territory of girl toys, and they read
m Themes
Edward's interest in them as an indicator he isn't as manly as
they want him to be. They're not wrong. Edward is more
maternal than macho, which contradicts commonly held beliefs
about how boys should act. The doll physically represents his
Self-Acceptance
femininity as well as Victoria's. As a child Edward literally
embraces the doll and wants to care for it, and as an adult he
veers toward the "caretaker role" in his relationships. Victoria,
Cloud 9 touches on a lot of different issues regarding gender,
on the other hand, has no interest in the doll as a child.
race, and sexual orientation, but above all it is a story about
Twenty-five years later, she eschews traditional ideas about
self-acceptance. The three main characters—Betty, Edward,
femininity by focusing more on her career than her family.
and Victoria—learn the importance of stepping beyond the
confines of society's gender roles in order to love themselves.
Betty's Necklace
Betty
Betty goes through the biggest transformation during the play.
She begins Act 1 as the nearly perfect Victorian wife and
Betty's beaded necklace symbolizes femininity in Cloud 9. It
mother who happens to be extremely dissatisfied with her life.
first appears in Act 1, Scene 2 when Edward tries to give it to
She craves danger, adventure, and a husband who adores her
Harry as a gift, then again in Act 1, Scene 5 when Betty wants
for who she is, not who he wants her to be. Leaving Clive at the
to wear it to Harry and Ellen's wedding. In both instances it
beginning of Act 2 isn't a cure-all: Betty is suddenly afraid of
serves as a symbol of female attractiveness and
everything and uncertain how to function without a husband to
submissiveness. Edward gives the necklace to Harry as a
serve. She slowly regains her footing and becomes far more
means of making himself a more attractive sex partner, and the
independent than she ever had been before. She still feels
act of giving a gift shows deference to Harry's status as leader
twinges of self-doubt, but the last few moments of the play
of the relationship. Betty wants to wear the necklace at the
show just how far she has come. Clive reprimands her for
end of the act because she wants "to look [her] best" at
trying to "pick up" Gerry in the park, but Betty just ignores him
Harry's wedding. Betty is still attracted to Harry, and her
as she hugs the actor who played Betty in Act 1. Betty has
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
finally learned to love herself.
Themes 26
gender roles of the time, which only serve to highlight the
rigidity of Betty's and Clive's functions in their marriage.
Edward
In Act 2 gender roles melt and mold themselves to the wants
and needs of the character. Edward, who has never been
As a child in Act 1, Edward seems comfortable with his
overtly masculine, embraces his feminine side and becomes
sexuality. He never questions his attraction to men in either
the homemaker for himself, Victoria, Lin, and their children.
act, but in Act 2 he begins to wonder about his gender identity.
Victoria takes on the traditionally male role of career go-getter.
When he tells Victoria he likes women, he means he actually
Lin plays the roles of both mother and father, working to
wants to be a woman. He's realizing his effeminate mannerisms
support Cathy while providing the emotional support she
and desire to "play the wife" in a relationship are signals of his
needs to thrive. Lin in particular pays special attention to
identity. Edward doesn't end up becoming a woman or
Cathy's perception of gender roles, ensuring she plays with
dressing like a woman; instead, he accepts himself for who he
"boy" toys just as much as she plays with those meant for girls.
is: a man who identifies as gay but is also attracted to women,
Caryl Churchill isn't advocating for the complete dissolution of
and one who happens to like being a homemaker.
gender roles, but instead suggests they are malleable to fit the
needs of each individual.
Victoria
Victoria is just a toddler in Act 1—and she is played by a
Sexual Identity
dummy, symbolizing her lack of autonomy—but she becomes a
major character in Act 2 as she tries to figure out how to
balance her role as wife and mother with her desire to further
her career. At a time when motherhood was still considered
more important than a woman's career Victoria makes a
different choice. Not only does she decide to move away from
London for a job opportunity, but she also separates from her
husband in favor of a more supportive, equal relationship. She
realizes what makes her happy, and she goes after it.
Many of the characters in Cloud 9 struggle with their sexual
identity, particularly those who identify as homosexual. Harry
has the most difficulties reconciling his sexuality with the man
he wants to be. He thinks of his homosexuality as a "disease
more dangerous than diphtheria" and loathes himself so much
that suicide feels like a viable alternative to the shame of being
one of the British Empire's "black sheep." He ends up marrying
a gay woman to further hide the truth. In Act 2 Edward, who
has always been comfortable with his homosexuality, suddenly
Gender Roles
begins questioning his identity when Gerry accuses him of
being too much like a "wife." Victoria also questions her sexual
identity in Act 2 when she entertains the possibility of a
relationship with Lin.
Gender roles have existed since the dawn of humanity, but
they were strictly defined during the Victorian era. Society was
In a play about self-acceptance it is no coincidence the
divided into two separate spheres: the male and the female.
characters who are the happiest are also those who have
The male sphere was everything outside of the home
come to terms with their sexuality. In Act 1 Mrs. Saunders feels
(business, politics, and education), while the female sphere was
no shame about her enjoyment of sex, and she is the only
family and the home itself. These gender roles are firmly
woman to feel as if she's on somewhat equal footing with the
enforced in Betty and Clive's relationship in Act 1. Clive deals
men. Betty finds great pleasure in her newfound sexuality in
with the "troubles" concerning the natives and refuses to tell
Act 2, and Edward makes peace with himself when he decides
Betty anything, while Betty arranges for the care of the
to stop questioning his sexual desires and ignore labels
children. Clive gives himself permission to engage in
altogether. In Cloud 9 accepting one's sexual identity is a major
extramarital affairs, yet Betty is expected not only to remain
step toward accepting oneself.
faithful but also to not care at all about sex. Some of the minor
characters do exhibit characteristics out of line with the
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Cloud 9 Study Guide
Feminism
Suggested Reading 27
blacks shift throughout the course of Cloud 9. In Act 1 white
men have all the power: Clive leads the family and the British
colony, and Harry serves as his second-in-command. The
women are not allowed to question the men's authority, nor are
Cloud 9 loosely follows the rise of feminism and the women's
they encouraged to get involved in the precarious relationship
movement and the waning of patriarchal rule. In the broadest
with the natives. The natives, too, are under Clive's control. He
terms feminism is the political, social, and economic equality of
has the stable boys whipped for plotting something nefarious
men and women. That barely exists in Act 1, when everyone is
and as the representative of the crown, he was most likely
ruled by Clive, the patriarch of the family and the colony. At this
involved with the fire that killed Joshua's parents. The tables
point Betty doesn't believe it's even possible to chase her
turn at the end of Act 1 when Joshua aims his gun at Clive, an
dreams of adventure and danger because women's duties are
act symbolic of the oppressed rising against the oppressor.
strictly relegated to the home. Her mother reinforces this idea,
constantly reminding Betty that Clive is in charge and saying
it's not Betty's place to ask questions. Mrs. Saunders doesn't
follow these social customs, and her behavior is a glimmer of
the social changes on the horizon. She presents herself as an
equal to men by carrying a gun, talking about the political
unrest, and acknowledging her sexual desires. She remains
independent after her father's death and isn't afraid to confront
her closest neighbor, a lecherous old man who makes
unwanted sexual advances. Maud claims Mrs. Saunders is a
warning about what can happen to a woman who steps beyond
patriarchal rule, but she is also an example of the freedom
Betty so desires.
The oppressed rise again in Act 2, but this time the women
take power away from the men. Martin's passive-aggressive
suggestion Victoria isn't "well enough" to achieve her goals on
her own leads Victoria to take control of their relationship and
her career. She moves in with Lin and Edward, and Martin no
longer has the final say on what happens with his child or his
wife; he is forced to work together with everyone else. Betty
begins making decisions for the first time in her life in Act 2,
starting with her decision to leave Clive. At first she feels
terrified of this new world of responsibility, but she soon learns
to enjoy the small delights of independence, like eating bread
with hot lime pickle for dinner. After decades of marriage, Betty
has complete control over her life. When she walks past a
The tables are turned in Act 2. The women's movement has
blustering Clive at the end of Act 2 to hug herself, it is a
come to Great Britain, and women's place in society, while not
representation not only of self-acceptance, but also Clive's
fully equal to that of men, has risen considerably. Victoria
loss of power.
chases her career despite her husband's veiled threats, and
Betty becomes fully independent for the first time in her life.
The gender roles that held women back during the Victorian
era have become less and less restrictive, which in turn let the
e Suggested Reading
female characters in the play call the shots in their own lives.
Even Edward benefits from this rise in gender equality. As an
Aston, Elaine, and Elin Diamond. The Cambridge Companion to
adult in Act 2, he can express his feminine side in a way that
Caryl Churchill. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2009. Print.
was unacceptable in Act 1. Like the women in Act 1, he can also
pursue his desires. In fact the decline of the patriarchy and the
Dickson, Andrew. "Caryl Churchill's Prophetic Drama." The New
rise of feminism in Cloud 9 really endanger only one character:
Yorker. N.p., 18 Nov. 2015. Web.
Clive. No longer revered and feared by his family, he has lost
the power that made him feel so important.
Lawson, Mark. "Caryl Churchill, by the People Who Know Her
Best." The Guardian. N.p., 3 Oct. 2012. Web.
Luckhurst, Mary. Caryl Churchill. London: Routledge, 2015.
Power
Print.
Rich, Frank. "Stage: Sexual Confusion on 'CLOUD 9.'" The New
York Times. N.p., 20 May. 1981. Web.
The power dynamics between men and women and whites and
Copyright © 2018 Course Hero, Inc.
Wyllie, Andrew. "Cloud Nine." The Literary Encyclopedia. N.p.,
Cloud 9 Study Guide
29 Aug. 2005. Web. 7 Nov. 2016.
Copyright © 2018 Course Hero, Inc.
Suggested Reading 28