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Mayme
A wealthy white woman in her early 30s for whom Esther sews lingerie. Mrs. Van Buren appears to have it all—she's mostly successful at disguising her Southern roots, is a part of New York high society, and has the money to throw at expensive undergarments—but she's extremely lonely and insecure despite all of this. Much of this has to do with the fact that despite having been married for some time, she and her husband haven't been able to conceive a child and she's asked about it at almost every party she attends. She believes that her husband is losing interest in her and waffles between wanting to rekindle his affections with seductive undergarments and being thrilled when he leaves for months at a time. Mrs. Van Buren relies heavily on Esther's visits and confides in Esther about almost everything. For Mrs. Van Buren, Esther represents an exciting, exotic lifestyle, especially when Esther shares that she wants to write to George but can't, being illiterate. Mrs. Van Buren jumps at the opportunity to write Esther's letters for her and finds them an excellent distraction from her life. She is also sexually attracted to Esther. Things begin to fall apart between Esther and Mrs. Van Buren when Mrs. Van Buren laments that, with Esther's marriage, she's bored without letters to write; kisses Esther; and then insists that they can "just be friends." She seems not to realize that because of the power imbalance between her and Esther, Esther understands that the two cannot be true friends and that Mrs. Van Buren is using Esther to fill major gaps in her life.
Mrs. Van Buren Quotes in Intimate Apparel
The Intimate Apparel quotes below are all either spoken by Mrs. Van Buren or refer to Mrs. Van Buren. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, Scene 2
Quotes
Mrs. Van Buren: Oh God, I look ridiculous, and I'm behaving absolutely foolishly, but I'm not sure what else to do. Look at me. I've spent a fortune on feathers and every manner of accouterment. They've written positively splendid things about me in the columns this season. [...] But does it matter? Has he spent an evening at home? Or even noticed that I've painted the damn boudoir vermillion red?
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Mrs. Van Buren: I've given him no children. (Whispered.) I'm afraid I can't. It's not for the lack of trying. One takes these things for granted, you assume when it comes time that it will happen, and when it doesn't who is to blame? They think it's vanity that's kept me childless, I've heard the women whispering. If only I were that vain. But it's like he's given up.
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Esther: Do you think there's something wrong with a woman alone?
Mrs. Van Buren: What I think is of little consequence. If I were (whispered.) brave I'd collect my things right now and find a small clean room someplace on the other side of the park. No, further in fact. And I'd...But it isn't a possibility, is it?
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Act 1, Scene 4
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Mayme: All the pawing and pulling. For a dollar they think they own you.
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Esther: You know that white lady I talk about sometime, hold on...She keep asking me what they be wearing up in the Tenderloin. All that money and high breeding and she want what you wearing.
Mayme: No kidding?
Esther: What she got, you want, what you got, she want.
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Act 1, Scene 5
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Mrs. Van Buren: By the way, I bled this morning, and when I delivered the news to Harry, he spat at me. This civilized creature of society. We all bleed, Esther. And yet I actually felt guilt, as though a young girl again apologizing for becoming a woman.
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Mrs. Van Buren: I should like to see one for myself. You must take me to one of your shows.
Esther: And will you take me to the opera next time you go?
Mrs. Van Buren: I would, if I could. It would be marvelously scandalous, just the sort of thing to perk up this humdrum season. It is so easy to be with you. Your visits are just about the only thing I look forward to these days. You, and our letters to George, of course. Shall we write something dazzling to him? Something delicious.
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Act 2, Scene 3
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Mrs. Van Buren: Please. We will forget this and continue to be friends.
Esther: Friends? How we friends? When I ain't never been through your front door. You love me? What of me do you love?
Mrs. Van Buren: Esther, you are the only one who's been in my boudoir in all these months. And honestly, it's only in here with you that I feel...happy. Please, I want us to be friends?
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Mrs. Van Buren Quotes in Intimate Apparel
The Intimate Apparel quotes below are all either spoken by Mrs. Van Buren or refer to Mrs. Van Buren. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, Scene 2
Quotes
Mrs. Van Buren: Oh God, I look ridiculous, and I'm behaving absolutely foolishly, but I'm not sure what else to do. Look at me. I've spent a fortune on feathers and every manner of accouterment. They've written positively splendid things about me in the columns this season. [...] But does it matter? Has he spent an evening at home? Or even noticed that I've painted the damn boudoir vermillion red?
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Mrs. Van Buren: I've given him no children. (Whispered.) I'm afraid I can't. It's not for the lack of trying. One takes these things for granted, you assume when it comes time that it will happen, and when it doesn't who is to blame? They think it's vanity that's kept me childless, I've heard the women whispering. If only I were that vain. But it's like he's given up.
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Esther: Do you think there's something wrong with a woman alone?
Mrs. Van Buren: What I think is of little consequence. If I were (whispered.) brave I'd collect my things right now and find a small clean room someplace on the other side of the park. No, further in fact. And I'd...But it isn't a possibility, is it?
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Act 1, Scene 4
Quotes
Mayme: All the pawing and pulling. For a dollar they think they own you.
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Esther: You know that white lady I talk about sometime, hold on...She keep asking me what they be wearing up in the Tenderloin. All that money and high breeding and she want what you wearing.
Mayme: No kidding?
Esther: What she got, you want, what you got, she want.
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Act 1, Scene 5
Quotes
Mrs. Van Buren: By the way, I bled this morning, and when I delivered the news to Harry, he spat at me. This civilized creature of society. We all bleed, Esther. And yet I actually felt guilt, as though a young girl again apologizing for becoming a woman.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Mrs. Van Buren: I should like to see one for myself. You must take me to one of your shows.
Esther: And will you take me to the opera next time you go?
Mrs. Van Buren: I would, if I could. It would be marvelously scandalous, just the sort of thing to perk up this humdrum season. It is so easy to be with you. Your visits are just about the only thing I look forward to these days. You, and our letters to George, of course. Shall we write something dazzling to him? Something delicious.
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Act 2, Scene 3
Quotes
Mrs. Van Buren: Please. We will forget this and continue to be friends.
Esther: Friends? How we friends? When I ain't never been through your front door. You love me? What of me do you love?
Mrs. Van Buren: Esther, you are the only one who's been in my boudoir in all these months. And honestly, it's only in here with you that I feel...happy. Please, I want us to be friends?
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