Reflection on "Two Can Play"by Trevor Rhone

“Two can play” by Trevor Rhone takes place in the late 1970’s in Kingston Jamaica during the height of the country’s political upheavals. But what he really writes about is about a couple who struggles with their marriage because they barely understand each other. During the first act of the play Jim is called a paranoid by Gloria when she tells him that Andrew wrote them a letter. He is constantly drinking valiums so he can sleep and he’s constantly closing the windows of the house and staying locked up inside even if he tries to appear to be the brave man of the house. Once, she tells him that for calling himself “The General” he can surely loose his calmness easily in a sarcastic tone towards him. Contrary to Jim, Gloria seems to keep her emotions under control and tells him “Jim, yuh have to fight fear. Open the window.” Gloria plays the role her husband should play in a male dominated household. Throughout the play Jim is always ordering Gloria to cook him, clean the house and do chores but when tough situations appear Gloria takes the lead in the house and keeps everything from falling apart, including Jim’s emotions. During Act II scene I, the audience perceives a clearer view on how Jim tries to assert his dominance over Gloria after she comes back to his house and he notices she stands up to his demands. Gloria tells orders him to serve her some of the Wincarnis he had bought. Trying to re assert himself he orders her once again to wash dishes and fix him something to eat. Having enough of this they have a discussion and he tries to soften her with sexual blackmail and she stops him and warns him she will not go back to him under the same conditions she has been living under  for the past twenty years of her living by his demands. The discussion goes on and Gloria is going to leave Jim and he questions why. In response she restates that he doesn’t treat her like the man she married does, that is all she asks from Jim. At the end Jim realizes how Gloria had been feeling all those years and they both settle their differences after hearing each other out. Jim is determined to be the man Gloria wants her to be and changes his behavior towards her.