This article discusses themes related to mental health and suicide.
The Interpretative Depth of The Homesman
The film The Homesman, directed by Tommy Lee Jones, is rich in interpretative layers, starting with its title—a nod to the practice of returning immigrants home, traditionally a male role. Although the film isn’t focused on immigration, it clearly illustrates the theme of “homecoming.”Set in the 1850s, the narrative follows George Briggs, a claim jumper, who is charged with transporting four women suffering from a condition of mental distress known as “prairie fever”from Nebraska to Iowa for treatment. Their journey across the perilous prairie is fraught with challenges, highlighting the harsh realities of frontier life.
Boasting an impressive cast, including Academy Award winners like Hilary Swank, John Lithgow, Hailee Steinfeld, and Meryl Streep, the film is a notable entry in a niche sub-genre of Westerns that focus on female protagonists. However, it is the film’s conclusion that deserves particular scrutiny due to its unexpected developments.
Unraveling the Ending of The Homesman
Briggs’ Journey: A Complicated Resolution
After enduring a tumultuous journey across the rugged terrains of the American West, Briggs arrives in Iowa with only three of the four women. He entrusts their care to Altha, the reverend’s wife, before embarking on his own journey westward. However, his sense of accomplishment is overshadowed by the tragedy of Mary’s death on the trail, which occurred after he turned down her marriage proposal. In a somber tribute, he carves Mary’s name into a wooden slab intended as her gravestone.
In a failed attempt to alleviate his guilt, Briggs proposes marriage to a young woman he encounters at a hotel, ironically advising her to remain in town instead of following him west. Her ambiguous response, “Maybe, ”leaves him in a state of disappointment akin to that which Mary experienced, ultimately leading him to board a river ferry heading west as the credits roll.
The Twist Surrounding Mary Cuddy
The Heartbreak of Rejection
Mary Bee Cuddy, portrayed by Hilary Swank, loses touch with the group when she pauses to restore a grave. After a disorienting struggle for survival, she eventually reunites with Briggs and the remaining women. Overwhelmed and desperate for connection, she proposes to Briggs, only to be met with rejection. Briggs dismisses Mary, asserting, “I ain’t no farmer, ”deeply wounding her spirit.
The impact of Briggs’ denial is compounded by an earlier rejection from her neighbor, Bob Giffen, who cruelly insults her appearance and demeanor. At 31, as a single woman without children, Mary’s aspirations of marriage seem shattered, leading her to feel like a failure in a society where women’s roles predominantly revolved around family and motherhood.
Haunted by feelings of isolation exacerbated by her mental struggles with prairie fever, Mary ultimately succumbs to despair and takes her own life. Although Briggs discovers her body, he refuses to accept any responsibility, instead blaming the mental afflictions of the other women.
The Uncertain Futures of Briggs and the Women
A Hope for Healing
The film concludes with an air of uncertainty regarding Briggs’ destiny as he sets out west, with no explicit destination outlined. Furthermore, the promised $300 from Mary for guiding the group becomes moot due to a banking crisis during their journey, leaving him financially unprepared for a new beginning.
Briggs’ future interactions with women remain speculative. Will he attempt to reconcile his rejection of Mary by seeking a wife, or will the haunting memory of her loss deter him from future commitments? The film opens up these questions without providing definitive answers.
Similarly, the fate of the three women remains unclear post-Briggs’ transfer of responsibility to Altha. Their journey to receive treatment for their mental health issues is left hanging, casting doubt on their eventual recovery process.
The Deeper Significance Behind The Homesman‘s Conclusion
Highlighting Women’s Unseen Sacrifices
The Homesman not only portrays the grit and challenges faced by both genders in the 1850s but gives particular attention to the struggles of women. Mary Bee Cuddy exemplifies the neglected sacrifices of women living on the prairie. Ultimately, her isolation and confinement to restrictive gender norms drive her to take her own life, a tragic culmination of her unfathomable struggles.
Following her death, her legacy is poorly honored; Briggs’ act of carving her name into a makeshift gravestone underscores the broader theme of women’s historical erasure. The descent of this wooden monument into the river as Briggs departs symbolizes the fading memory of the hardships and contributions of women in this era.
Mary’s aspirations and efforts to aid the other women suffering from prairie fever go largely unappreciated, not just by men like Briggs, who fail to recognize her worth, but also within the broader narrative of the American West, where women’s sacrifices are often overlooked.
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