The Silver Cord by Sidney Howard

The Silver Cord Reviews

• 
  Greg

  The Silver Cord is a play that does not age. Despite the fact that it takes place in the twenties, the truth is that it could take place in any time. The play deals with the relationship between a mother, Mrs. Phelps, and her two sons. She has tried to raise them to need her, because her self worth is built on the premise that they must need her. The boys are torn between their mother, and the women they ultimately fall in love with. The women themselves represent different symbolic representations – the woman who is in love with one of the boys and is wrecked by his behavior, and the woman who is independently strong and successful and represents a modern alternative of male-female relationships based on mutual respect.
  
  There are a number of awkward scenes. One that stickes out is when David and Christina are intruded on by Mrs. Phelps. Mrs. Phelps essentially neuters David by asking him to change in the room, and that both women will avert their eyes to give him privacy. The tension of such a scene is remarkable and powerful. Later, when Christina takes the side of the clearly wronged Hester, David waivers and says, I won’t let Mother down.” Christina replies that “You’ll let me down” and goes on to accuse David of preferring to stand by his mother rather than Christina. The gauntlet is thrown.