For Further Exploration Genre Roles—Romantic Comedies and TV Sitcoms Shep and Gillian are in love. He wants to get married. She thinks it might be too soon. He is confused about why he, the man, is pushing to take their relationship to the next level while she, the woman, thinks things are moving too fast. SHEP: Darling, after the last two weeks, you can’t say, “This is so sudden.” GILLIAN: No, but I hadn’t thought of marriage. SHEP: (Lightly) Darling, that’s the man’s remark—usually. GILLIAN: (Smiling, but half-serious.) You mean you’ve been thinking of it—all along? SHEP: Well, not all along, but—now it’s getting pretty bad. I never knew a man could feel this way. I’m going crazy. I’ve let everything slide . . . GILLIAN: (Keeping up banter.) And how do you think marriage would cure that. SHEP: I don’t know. I don’t care. But we can’t go on like this. GILLIAN: Darling—that’s the girl’s remark—usually! SHEP: You know I’m in love with you. Marriage is the logical next step. Doesn’t it seem that way to you? Gill, why are you ducking this? Tell me, be serious. GILLIAN: I don’t think I’m cut out for marriage, that’s all. (Act II, Scene 1) While the characters’ perspectives on their relationship would not be unheard of today, they created a provocative reversal of expected gender roles in Bell, Book & Candle’s early 1950s setting. During World War II, women entered the workforce in huge numbers, taking on jobs left vacant by the men who were fighting overseas. Between 1940 and 1945, the female percentage of the United States workforce grew from 27% to 37%, with nearly a quarter of all married women working outside of the home. Though women earned only a fraction of what men were paid for the same work, the image of Rosie the Riveter was a symbol of female empowerment, declaring “We Can Do It!” When the war ended, however, and the men came marching home, many female workers returned home, too. Some women made the choice to do so because with their husbands’ return, there was no longer an economic need for them to work outside of the home. Some were laid off to make jobs available for male workers, and others were forced into lower paying or part-time positions. In 1950, the year Bell, Book & Candle premiered on Broadway, the image of women as homemakers was perpetuated by the birth of television sitcoms. Prime time television was dominated by family-
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who disguises herself as a witch to deliver a poisoned apple to her beautiful step-daughter, Snow White. August 25, 1939—The film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz opens. October 30, 1942—The film I Married a Witch debuts. The film is a romantic comedy about an executed Salem witch who is brought back to life and tries to get her prosecutor’s descendant to fall in love with her just before his wedding. 1949-1954—C.S. Lewis writes his seven-book series, The Chronicles of Narnia, featuring the evil White Witch. November 14, 1950— The original Broadway production of Bell, Book & Candle opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It will close on June 2, 1951 after 233 performances. January 22, 1953—Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, which uses the Salem witch trials as an allegory for McCarthyism, debuts on Broadway. 1954—Gerald Gardner publishes his book, Witchcraft Today, in what is frequently regarded as Wicca’s founding event. May 1954—The character of Wendy the Good Little Witch first appears in the comic book series, Casper the Friendly Ghost. After six appearances with Casper, she becomes the focus of her own comic. Storylines about Wendy 11