Domestic abuse
The prominent theme explored in the play is domestic abuse. Loureen is a survivor of abuse, and the question about how to proceed—how to react and respond—is lurking within the pages. The script opens with a note from Nottage stating that "Nearly half the women on death row in the United States were convicted of killing abusive husbands. Spontaneous combustion is not recognized as a capital crime" (Nottage 2). This note raises a philosophical problem that Nottage is clearly grappling with: how can we convict women who were themselves harmed? While the second sentence reads a bit tongue-in-cheek, the farcical element of Samuel's spontaneous combustion is a way for Nottage to nod to the hypocrisy of punishing domestic abuse survivors for saving their own lives. Loureen has committed no crime, and as the play suggests, any person who defends themself from an abusive partner hasn't either. Furthermore, that fact that Loureen turned Samuel to ash with her voice—not with any weapon or violent act—shows that the systematic silencing of marginalized voices is one of the greatest tools for keeping power with abusers. Loureen's strength lies in her own voice, and in her own agency; once she uses it, she is able to take back some of her power to find safety.
Guilt
The play explores guilt as a nonproductive, and in fact entrapping, emotion. When Loureen first realizes Samuel is dead, she does experience guilt: she apologizes for not picking up his shirt and says she'll wash another (3). Later, she feels guilty that her mind isn't preoccupied with all the things it "should" be preoccupied with—praying, mourning, planning the burial—and then, when she's considering not telling anyone about his death, she feels guilty thinking of his mother. All of these thoughts only perpetuate Samuel's power over Loureen, keeping her in his hold even after he's gone.
Female friendship
The issue of suffering in silence defines both Loureen and Florence's situations, thus uniting them in their loneliness. The play underscores the importance of these female friendships—the women are not just sources of comfort to each other, they quite literally keep each other alive. This deep trust is demonstrated from the very beginning, when Loureen calls Florence to come downstairs after Samuel's death, knowing that she would still be on her side. Furthermore, we learn that Florence has spent nights at Loureen's when Samuel was violent, and that the women have been crafting a getaway plan together.
Patriarchy
The play is situated in a very traditional patriarchal structure, wherein the men hold all the power and the women are placed into a position of subordination. We can see this even in the mundane: the way that Loureen and Florence cook dinner for their husbands, the way they iron their clothes, neither action from a place of care, but from a sense of internalized obligation. While these examples may seem harmless, they stem from the same place that allows—encourages—the husbands' neglect and violence. By living within this patriarchal structure, Loureen and Florence have learned to be silent, and therefore have learned to be mistreated. While it may seem obvious to readers that these women are in abusive marriages, it is not so obvious to them, not when they have been repeatedly relegated to a position of inferiority. It comes as no surprise then that the only way for Loureen to be free is quite literally for the whole system (represented by Samuel) to be blown up. Conversely, we see that Florence, having been told that her duty is to her family and not to herself, still remains stuck within it, even when the door is opened for her.
Failure of the police and justice system
Before the play even begins, Nottage includes an author's note stating that "Nearly half the women on death row in the United States were convicted of killing abusive husbands" (ii). Functioning similarly to an epigraph in a novel, this note gives us context through which to interpret the events of the play. She clearly thinks this is an error with the system, as she invents a new way of "killing" the husband (spontaneous combustion) that is notably "not recognized as a capital crime." In the play, Nottage elaborates on her stance: as Florence says, there is no point in calling the police. She says: "'Why? What are you gonna tell them? About all those times they refused to help . . . ?'" (14). Loureen has sought the help of the police many times before when her safety was in danger, but they didn't come. Instead, she had to rely on the support of Florence, and ultimately had to take matters into her own hands. This illuminates a massive contradiction at the heart of policing and "justice" that Nottage is interested in exploring: what is fair about someone being left out of the system that is supposedly meant to protect them, and then, when they must resort to other methods to ensure their safety, getting punished by that same system?
Autonomy
While the play certainly highlights the power of community (evident from the ongoing, life-saving support Loureen and Florence have given each other), it also underscores the importance of self-reliance and autonomous acting. When Florence learns that Loureen has gotten rid of Samuel, one of her first reactions is to panic, wondering what this means for her. "You bitch!" she says, "We made a pact...You've broken it...We agreed that when things got real bad for both of us we'd...you know...together...Do I have to go back upstairs to that?...What next?" (10). Florence is upset that Loureen has freed herself, because she can't conceive of how she will do the same on her own. She even asks Loureen if she can come upstairs and speak her words to Edgar. Loureen says no, understanding that only Florence herself can stand up to him. But Florence doesn't think she has the strength to do it, and says that nothing is going to change; sadly, by the end of the play we are left feeling like things probably won't change for Florence, as ultimately the change has to come from her.
Breaking a cycle
Importantly, Samuel doesn't combust on a day where he is being more violent than normal. Rather, Loureen says that his rage was "No more than usual. [She] just couldn't take being hit one more time" (9). This is a powerful decision on Nottage's part, as it draws attention to the harm of these cycles of cruelty and violence. If it was a day where the violence had escalated, then it would appear that the escalation was what warranted the response, rather than the continued mistreatment. But what Loureen has done is not just fight back in an instance of especially violent behavior, she has broken a cycle of harm. Trapped in the cycle, Loureen and Florence have lost so much of their lives—Florence even says that Edgar "sure did take the better part of [her] life" (pg. 13). The never ending, repetitive nature of their positions in life has made it nearly impossible for the women to imagine their way out of the cycle: Florence, as such, cannot see her way out.
