I have no problem with Karen being a lesbian, but I'm not sure that's what Hellman wanted to convey. I remember reading this play in college and watching the film for a discussion. The idea that Karen realizes she's a lesbian just seemed too pat. People always point out Audrey's reaction to Martha's revelation as protesting too much, but I see it differently. I see her as being forced to confront the idea that Martha is in love with her. Maybe she has always known it on some level, but because Martha is her best friend and confidant she has chosen to ignore Martha's feelings for selfish reasons. I don't mean that Karen is selfish in general, but that acknowledging Martha's intense love for her could be the end of their friendship if Karen could not reciprocate the same love in return.
As for Joe, he may be a good guy, but Karen might not believe he will completely trust her and could not live that way. Or possibly she just associates him with the whole heinous mess caused by that vicious child and wants to be liberated from the whole thing. This could account for the bittersweet smile and lightened step at the end. After all, this place and these people cost her a best friend, a career, her reputation and her privacy. It may be unfair to connect Joe with this tragedy, but Karen's not perfect and is all too human. Both of them might have too much guilt real or imagined to go forward with a marriage. I like to think that Hellman wanted to explore multiple types of love and trust in her play, God knows she was capable.
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lbewiz
13 years ago
I had the opportunity to study Hellman's archive at UCLA while doing research on her. She was very specific about the sexuality of both of the characters, as her true intent with the play was to focus on the damage a lie can do--even a half lie. This is what Hellman had to say about Martha Dobie: “I think there was an element of lesbianism in Miss Dobie, but she might never had known it if that child hadn’t invented the story that an actual relationship was going on between the women. But for that, Miss Dobie would probably have remained unconscious of that side of her and turned into a nice lady who had respectable headaches.”
BTW, Hellmann hated--HATED--the adaptation of her playas written by John Michael Hayes, who did the screenplay for Rear Window. Her notes on the screenplay are brutal.
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