The reading challenge book for April was Minna Canth's arguably most famous work, Työmiehen vaimo. The play follows a recently married couple, a hardworking woman and an alcoholic husband, as their marriage slowly falls apart.

I had previously dipped my toe into Canth's texts by reading her play Annaliisa, and I was excited to read her other works. From my previous readings I knew Canth was known for focusing on so-called "women's issues". However, when I started Työmiehen vaimo, I was disappointed by how she presented these feminist themes in this specific text. The only real conflict in the story was the husband's alcoholism and how the wife found it difficult to accept. Instead of creating well-rounded characters, the characters in the play were two opposites of a moral quandary.

I'm glad I've now read Työmiehen vaimo, solely for the cultural capital associated with it, but I would not recommend the play if it was not considered a classic of Finnish literature. 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

-Laura