iieiiei1eWrkers - Leicester Research Archive - University of Leicester

The narration of the drama title reiterates the problems of the wedded wife.
It's not difficult for a man to find a wife. There are the rented wife,
the temporary wife and the amateur wife. Provided with money, they
will spend it freely. A lucky man may find a sexy wife or a
patron. But a lady wishes to be the one and only wife. Not the first,
second, third or any number. She will not care for his fortune. But
she wants to be dignified as his truly Wedded Wife (echo)
From the outset, the deep-seated contradictions and dissatisfaction of marriage are
evoked. Mia Tang's terms of reference are opposed to the traditional virtues
of a wife. Submissivness and sacrifice are played down in favour of
end u ran ce.
"Arunphrapai burries her face upon his shoulder and closed her eyes
wearily. She has a life time ahead of her to face the women 's role
of a wife and mother. She must have the endurance to do her duty
decisively. 11 is, perhaps, the inosl worthwhile value in a female
human being.
(Mia, 2:800)
In the film, the happy ending noted earlier is transformed. The final scene
shows the hero receiving a telephone call from a woman. The heroine and
the others pause to listen in. What they hear is, "Oh no, not again!" and
the receiver is quickly flung away. The visual imagery then freezes. For the
heroine, the cycle of struggle begins again before the present situation is really
overcome. This alteration loosens the formulaic ending of romantic fiction and
suggests the continual tensions of married life.
In the radio drama, the highest authority, Khunying Pawan, is mobilised on the
heroine side. Despite the hero's solemn promise the narrative also points to
the disharmony that may erupt in future.
KONGKAI: "Yes, I'll slop my reckless behaviour. I will be a good
husband and father. Please take her hone for me,
mother.
PAWAN: "Arunphrapai, my child, have pity on him. Do give him
another chance. If he does not behave I will disown
him.
(Mm Tang, 33:2)
The second major difference between the novel and the radio adaptation is the
incorporation of emerging social issues that are relevant to the story and to the
audience. The sub-plot of a girl from a broken home is changed to highlight
the plight of prostitutes through the story of Jeep, for example. This draws
from the popular and feminist discourse to bring economic problem and the
question of women's autonomy into play. Like a large number of girls from
poor peasant families Jeep is forced into prostitution. As she tells the hero,
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