stated by the author, the character’s thought, and mannerism. In this discussion, those way are supporting each other to find out the description of Mrs. Levi and
Cornelius.
1. The Description of Mrs. Levi
Murphy stated that one of the ways so that we can understand the characters in a story is by their personal description 1972: 161. As we can see
from the play, Thornton Wilder describes Mrs. Levi as a woman who is in her uncertain age. She is a widow, an old friend of Mr. Vandergelder’s late wife. As
an old friend, she knows all about the situation in Mr. Vandergelder’s house. She knows Mr. Vandergelder is planning to get married again. She tells the news to
Mr. Kemper, the one who hates Mr. Vandergelder for separates him and someone he loves, who is Mr. Vandergelder’s niece.
MRS. LEVI : Believe me, Mr. Vandergelder wishes to get rid of Ermengarde, and if you follow my suggestions he will even
permit her to marry you. You see, Mr. Vandergelder is planning to get married himself.
AMBROSE : What? That monster MRS. LEVI : Mr. Kemper
AMBROSE : Married To you, Mrs. Levi? MRS. LEVI : [taken aback] Oh, no, no… NO I am merely arranging
it. I am helping him find a suitable bride. Wider, 1964: 197 The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the
persons in a book through what that person says Murphy, 1972: 163. From what Mrs. Levi says above, it is clear that she is an old friend of Mr. Vandergelder’s
family. It is proven when Mr. Vandergelder trusts her to find him a suitable bride. To search for a suitable bride, someone must know the character of the groom. As
Mrs. Levi has been trusted for searching a suitable bride for Mr. Vandergelder, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
she must have known the character of Mr. Vandergelder as the groom. It indicates that both Mrs. Levi and Mr. Vandergeler have known each other for a long time.
Mr. Vandergelder has chosen his own future bride, who is Mrs. Molloy, but Mrs. Levi says that she has found a perfect future bride for Mr.
Vandergelder. But the fact is that Mrs. Levi herself is planning to marry Mr. Vandergelder. This can be seen in the beginning of the play when she is talking to
the audience about the color of the wallpaper in one of the rooms of Mr. Vandergelder’s house. She decides to change the color into blue. The way she
talks seems to indicate that she is the owner of the house, or she will become the owner of the house. It is clear that she has planned to become the next Mrs.
Vandergelder. MRS. LEVI : You know, I think I’m going to have this room with
blue wallpaper – yes in blue Wilder, 1964: 210
By letting the readers learn something about a person’s past life the authors can give us clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character
Murphy, 1972: 166. Mrs. Levi is a poor widow who lives from hand to mouth. Her late husband, Ephraim Levi, leaves her with nothing and she has to work by
herself to support her life. It is seen when Ambrose accidently knows that Mrs. Levi doing several jobs at once. She does that to support her life. Her several jobs
can make enough profit to her rather than she is just doing one job only. And it is clear that she certainly needs money to support her life.
MRS. LEVI : I am taking Ermengarde to New York on the next train. I shall not take her to Miss Van Huysen’s, as it planned; I shall
take her to my house. I wish you to call for her at my house at five-thirty. Here is my card.
AMBROSE : ‘Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi. Varicose veins reduced.’ MRS. LEVI [trying to take back card] : I beg your pardon……
AMBROSE [holding card] : I beg your pardon. ‘Consultation free.’ MRS. LEVI : I meant to give you my other card. Here.
AMBROSE : ‘Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi. Aurora Hosiery. Instruction
in the guitar and mandolin.’ You do all these things, Mrs. Levi?
MRS. LEVI : Two and two make four, Mr. Kemper – always did. …. Wilder, 1964: 198
It is obvious that she is tired living in poverty. She wants to change, to
be as happy as when she still with her late husband, Ephraim Levi. She needs to secure her life, have fun and enjoys her time. Before, her life was full of despair.
She has to do several jobs at once. One way to make her life better is by marrying Mr. Vandergelder, the one who has a lot of money and power in Yonkers.
Although she feels guilty with her late husband, she has decided to marry Mr. Vandergelder, though she knows that her second marriage would never be the
same as her first. When she asks permission from her late husband, she states that she has tired and she wants the change.
MRS. LEVI : Ephraim Levi, I’m going to get married again. Ephraim, I’m marrying Horace Vandergelder for his money. I’m going
to send his money out doing all the things you thought me. Oh, it won’t be marriage in the sense that we had one – but I
shall certainly make him happy, and Ephraim – I’m tired. I’m tired of living from hand to mouth, and I’m asking your
permission, Ephraim – will you give me away? Wilder, 1964: 277
According to Murphy in Understanding Unseen’s, we can know the
characters deeper through nine methods; two of them is through their speech and PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
mannerism. The author can also describe a person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character Murphy,
1972: 173. As we can see from Mrs. Levi’s speech, we can make a conclusion that she is a coquettish person. She praises someone often, and with her speech
ability people seems to believe her. It is stated when she meets Mr. Vandergelder at his house. She makes Mr. Vandergelder up to the moon with her sentence. She
is doing that in order to make Mr. Vandergelder makes a good judgment toward her and of course to make Mr. Vandergelder likes her.
MRS. LEVI : Oh, Mr. Vandergelder, how handsome you look You take my breath away.
Oh, Mr. Vandergelder, I wish Irene Molloy could see you now. But then I don’t know what come over you lately. You seem to be
younger everyday. VANDERGELDER : Allowing for exaggeration, Mrs. Levi. If man
eats careful there is no reason why he should look old. Wilder, 1964: 200
Her coquettish manner is also seen when she leaves Mrs. Molloy’s hat shop. She raps the cupboard and the table as if her rap is meaning something
Wilder, 1955: 232. Her coquettish manner is seems become the powerful charm of Mrs. Levi to make other people believe her, trust her, and also put themselves
in control of her hand. Only with her manner and her words, she can make people surround her believe her because she has a lot of charm in saying the word and
without doubtful. Although the word she says is unfaithful words, she can convince them with the help of her coquettish manner. It is proved when she can
easily make Ambrose Kemper and Mr. Vandergelder believe to what she had said. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Her statements are also supported with the situation that happens around her. She is a type of person that knows how to use situation to support her
self interest. As her nature that she does not want to lose from anyone and keeps competing, she keeps struggling to achieve what she wants. Even when she is in
the middle of displeasing situation, she can turn it to become profitable to her. It can be seen when she is at Mrs. Molloy’s hat shop. They were having
conversation about Cornelius Hackl, Mr. Vandergelder’s head clerk. MRS. LEVI [having found her idea, with decision] : Well, the truth
might as well come out now as later. Mr. Vandergelder, Irene is quite right. Your head clerk is often in New York. Goes
everywhere; has an army of friends. Everybody knows Cornelius Hackl.
VANDERGELDER [laughing blandly and sitting in chair at left of table
] : he never comes to New York. He works all day in my store and at nine o’clock at night he goes to sleep in the brand
room. MRS. LEVI : so you think so, but it’s not true.
VANDERGELDER : Dolly Gallagher, you’re crazy. Wilder, 1964: 228
Or when even she is dinning at Harmonia Garden Restaurant on the Battery, New York, a place where she should bring Ernestina Simple, her fiction
person that should be introduced to Mr. Vandergelder. She knows that she cannot bring Miss Simple with her because Miss Simple does not exist. For that she tells
lies to Mr. Vandergelder, and of course she adds something for her profit. MRS. LEVI : Good morning, Mr. Vandergelder.
VANDERGELDER : where – where’s Miss Simple? MRS. LEVI : Mr. Vandergelder, I’ll never trust a woman again as
long as I live. VANDERGELDER : well? What is it?
MRS. LEVI : she ran away this afternoon and gets married VANDERGELDER : she did?
MRS. LEVI : Married, Mr. Vandergelder, to a young boy of fifty. VANDERGELDER : she did? Wilder, 1964: 255
The basic thing that makes Mrs. Levi becomes someone who always
takes benefits from everything is because she has a nature to be glamour. Her will to get out from poverty has made her become materialistic. She judges that
happiness can only be achieved with money, and without money, the happiness cannot be achieve. That is why she becomes money oriented. She mentions that
when she asks permission to Ephraim Levi to let her married with Mr. Vandergelder Wilder, 1964: 277.
Her point of view about money, that it should be spread over the places, indicates her as a glamour woman. It is shown when she told Ambrose
about how money should be used. She says that money should be circulated like rain water, not just lying over in the bank.
MRS. LEVI : …….. I don’t like the thought of it lying in great piles, useless, motionless, in the bank, Mr. Kemper. Money should
circulate like rain water. It should be flowing down among the people, through dressmaker and restaurant and cabmen,
setting up a little business here, and furnishing a good time there. Do you see what I mean? Wilder, 1964: 199
She has an opinion about future that future without money in it would
be disaster. When Ambrose tries to challenge Mr. Vandergelder’s niece, Ermengarde, to elope, Mrs. Levi tries to prohibit him by saying that future needs
more consideration. Because she thought that happiness can only be achieved with money, she feels afraid that they cannot achieve happiness when they elope
without any secure and without any money. She thinks that only love cannot be enough to make brighter future.
AMBROSE : but I’m not interested in Mr. Vandergelder’s money. I have enough to support my wife and family.
MRS. LEVI : Enough? How much is enough when someone is thinking about children and the future? The future is the most
expensive luxury in the world, Mr. Kemper. Wilder, 1964: 197
Her money oriented is stated when she has a monologue that indicates
her point of view about money. She feels that money is the only things that can bring pleasure to life. She mentions that the difference between a little money and
no money is enormous, means that with a little money someone still can achieve happiness while with no money at all they cannot achieve any happiness. She also
mentions that the difference between a little money and a lot amount of money is very slight, means that it both can make someone happy but the difference just on
how much happiness they can achieve. MRS. LEVI : ……
Money Money – it’s like the sun we walk under; it can kill or cure – Mr. Vandergelder’s money.
……… Yes, we’re all fools and we’re in danger of destroying the
world with our fooly. But the surest way to keep us out of harm is to give us the four or five human pleasures that are our
right in the world – and that takes a little money
The difference between a little money and no money at all is enormous – and can shatter the world. And the difference
between a little money and an enormous amount of money is very slight – and that, also, can shatter the world.
Money, I’ve always felt, money – pardon my expression – is like manure; it’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread about
encouraging young things to grow. Wilder, 1964: 277-278 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Behind her personality, her spirit for never give up for anything
becomes her strength to face all the obstacles that she had in her past life. When she wants something, she stiffs with what she wants and chase it until she gets it.
It can be seen when she knows that Mr. Vandergelder has planned to marry Mrs. Molloy. She pretends that she feels happy with him but also feel pity that her plan
would mess up. So she tells lies that she finds more suitable bride for Mr. Vandergelder, her fiction character, Miss Ernestina Simple.
MRS. LEVI : oh, you have Well, I guess that’s just about the best news I ever heard. So there’s nothing more for me to do but
wish you every happiness under the sun and say good-bye. [crosses as if to leave]
VANDERGELDER [stopping her] : well – Mrs. Levi – surely I thought –
MRS. LEVI : well, I did have a little suggestion to make – but I won’t. You’re going to marry Irene Molloy, and that closes
the matter. VANDERGELDER : what suggestion was that, Mrs. Levi?
MRS. LEVI : well – I had found another girl for you. VANDERGELDER : another?
MRS. LEVI : the most wonderful girl, the ideal wife. VANDERGELDER : another, eh? What’s her name?
MRS. LEVI : her name? VANDERGELDER : yes
MRS. LEVI [groping for it] : Err… er… her name? – Ernestina – Simple. Miss Ernestina Simple. But now of course all that’s
too late. After all, you’re engaged – you’re practically engaged to marry Irene Molloy.
VANDERGELDER : oh, I ain’t engaged to Mrs. Molloy Wilder, 1964: 201
Murphy 1972: 163 stated that instead of describing a character
directly the author can describe him through the eyes and opinion of another. One PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
thing that what is good about Mrs. Levi is that she has a lot of friend. Mrs. Molloy, Miss Van Huysen, Ermengarde, and Mr. Vandergelder are people who
have close relationship with her. It seems that everybody surround her are attracted by her charm. The reason why she becomes friendly is because she often
helps people. It is stated when she tries to help Ermengarde and Mr. Kemper to get married, by helping them achieve the permission from Ermengarde’s uncle,
Mr. Vandergelder page 197, or when she helps Cornelius Hackl for not to tell Mr. Vandergelder that he is hiding in the cupboard in Mrs. Molloy’s hat shop.
MRS. LEVI : well, I think she must notice that you’re alive in that cupboard, Mr. Hackl. Well, if I were you, I’d get back into it
right away. Somebody could be coming in any minute. Wilder, 1964: 226
From the explanation above, it is obvious that Mrs. Levi is one of the
plays central characters and the one after whom it is named. She is a manipulator and schemer who does not mind making up stories to get the results she wants.
Her business cards claims skills in reducing varicose veins and in giving instruction on guitar and mandolin, but she states her principal occupation as a
woman who arranges things. Although she plans to marry Vandergelder for his money, her intentions are good; as she says to the audience in the last act, she
plans to spread his money around to make the world a better place. She is also a good liar and a good story maker. She has a lot of charm and with her charm she
makes everyone believe her.
2. The Description of Cornelius
