Jenny Gaffey
Shannon Reilly
November 22, 2010
Advanced Drama C Block
November 22, 2010
Advanced Drama C Block
The Character of Mrs. Lovett
Mrs. Lovett is a fictional character included in many of the adaptations of the story Sweeney Todd, a playwright based on the true accounts of a tragic murder in London. In each version, Mrs. Lovett is the business partner and accomplice of the main character Sweeney Todd and in some versions she is also his lover. She is portrayed without children and in some cases with her husband, Mr. Albert Lovett. In some instances, Mrs. Lovett commits suicides after being convicted of her crimes throughout the story while in others Todd kills her himself. Her guise differs anywhere from petite and more youthful, to older and motherly appearing. Another big difference between the interpretations is the relationship between Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd, varying from a companionship to a romantic connection.
Prior to her business relationship with Sweeney, Mrs. Lovett or Nelly is borderline destitute, reduced to using substitutes in her pies in order to improve her pie sales. When Todd visits Mrs. Lovett’s pie shop after having been in exile for the past fifteen years due to false accusations, Mrs. Lovett recognizes him and informs him about the happenings of his family since his departure. Mrs. Lovett reports that his wife, Lucy, after being raped by the judge Lord Turpin, was so beside herself that she poisoned herself with arsenic (Sweeney Todd).
As the play progresses, the duo grow closer from their partnership and their living in the same building. Mrs. Lovett becomes more obvious with her loving emotions towards Mr. Todd, and tries to get him to think more about their relationship than his obsession over getting revenge for his wife. Mrs. Lovett sings the song “By the Sea” confronting Mr. Todd about her wish for them to get married and grow old together. However, Sweeney Todd barely pays attention to her. Mrs. Lovett’s feelings for Mr. Todd kept from telling him that his wife has been alive the entire time. When Mr. Todd discovers that his adored Lucy was actually alive and he unknowingly killed her, he was devastated and blamed Mrs. Lovett for not telling him. Her response was: “I will be a better a better wife than Lucy ever was.” Mr. Todd gave no sympathy to Mrs. Lovett for not telling him because of her own love for him, and murdered her as pay back.
Many people have speculated that Mrs. Lovett was secretly in love with Sweeney Todd preceding his exile, hence the reason she possessed his razors. Once Sweeney returned, it is possible that Mrs. Lovett had underhandedly planned to trick Sweeney into killing his wife Lucy in order to replace her as his wife. In my presentations of the story, she is recognized as the single most evil person in the story due to her conniving ways. Had it not been for her persistence in telling Mr. Todd to return to being a barber again it is a strong possibility that he would not have murdered anyone. Mrs. Lovett’s role was also important because it allowed the audience or reader to see the story from the point of view of Sweeney, as seen through their many interactions. Her funny personality added a comedic piece to a rather dismal story. Her villainous yet seemingly sweet role was essential to the story because she helped to further the plot and give the audience a different insight on the story.
Mrs. Lovett is a fun loving and energetic person. These traits are clearly shown through her first song “The Worst Pies in London”. This ballad gives Mrs. Lovett a comical and loveable vibe that immediately draws the audience in on her side. She is depicted as a poor, hard working citizen who is just trying to make a living. She is very relatable, making her desirable to the audience.
“The Worst Pies in London” is a catchy and fun song in which Mrs. Lovett, showing spunk and spirit, honestly tells Sweeney Todd that she has the worst pies in London. “Sit! Sit ye down! Sit! All I meant is that I haven’t seen a customer for weeks.” (Sweeney Todd 10). This suggests that Mrs. Lovett is a struggling business owner, making her favorable to the audience because most people can relate to someone who struggles just like others. Her honesty also draws people in: “Mind you. I can’t hardly blame them…These are probably the worst pies in London. I know why nobody cares to take them…I should know. I make them. But good? No. The worst pies in London…if you doubt it take a bite” (Sweeney Todd 11). This honesty makes the audience chuckle and appreciate her because honesty is increasingly hard to find as the years pass by.
This song, however, seems to be a false lead in Mrs. Lovett’s personality. She comes off as a sweet and motivated woman to Sweeney, yet in the end she is shown in her true colors as a liar and a schemer. As previously mentioned, Todd kills his own wife accidently, but didn’t know because Mrs. Lovett had told him that she was dead. This reality shocks the audience into the sad realization that Mrs. Lovett is not the funny and happy-go-lucky character that she once was. The crowd feels betrayed by her and falls in line with Sweeney and his killing of Mrs. Lovett.
In conclusion, Mrs. Lovett seems to be the ultimate character in a play. Her sweet and comedic ways draw in the audience, who are only to be spit back out with the realization that Mrs. Lovett is actually evil. Mrs. Lovett’s many layers are exposed at the end, leaving everyone in complete shock. Her goodness, going hand and hand with her madness, creates the ultimate suspenseful character that every great play contains. Mrs. Lovett is the complete and utter epitome of good gone bad.
Works Cited
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (TV 1982) ." IMDb. IMDb.com Inc., n.d. Web. 18 Nov 2010. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084747/>.
"Sweeney Todd (2007) ending / spoiler." Ruined Endings. ruinedendings.com, n.d. Web. 18 Nov 2010. <http://www.ruinedendings.com/film7130ending>.
"Sweeney Todd." Scribd. Scribd.com, 18 12 2006. Web. 21 Nov 2010. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/1555999/script-sweeneytodd>.
