Are the characters in Oscar Hammerstein's musicals in Carousel and The Sound of Music an accurate representation of women and family structures in the period in which they were written? Between 1945 and 1959 Oscar Hammerstein wrote two successful musicals, Carousel and The Sound Of Music. In this independent project, I argue that despite their different time settings, these two musicals explore current social issues, including women's rights and transforming roles in American culture, sometimes directly and sometimes obliquely. Women's activism and the development of feminism can be seen as a response to the previous years of domestic ideology and its contradictions. Over the course of 14 years, Hammerstein charted the liberation of women and their role in the family. Both Carousel and The Sound of Music can be seen as a contradictory response to this feminism. These shows establish the women of their times and their need for stability from their family, emotionally. and the men they were surrounded by. Carousel represents the fact that previously women had very little say in society and were stereotyped to stay at home, have children, be a good housewife and wife. While in The Sound of Music represents the ideological aggression against feminism, the belief that all people, especially women, have the right to freedom. TitleNo name is more admired in the field of American musical theater than Oscar Hammerstein II. He himself and Richard Rodgers originated the development of the union of dialogue, music and lyrics within the musical structure. They helped raise the importance of dance through their groundbreaking work with ballet with Agnes DeMille and Jerome Robbins. Hammerstein was among the first writers to consider "normal" people as main characters in his shows and not the standard prince and p...... middle of the card ...... the characters expressed their opinion against Billy's abuse, even Julie herself, victim of her husband's anger. When he commits suicide, Julie mourns his death, but also touches the man he had transformed into: “It was wicked of you to hit me… on the chest, on the head and on the face… but now you are gone . (Sits next to him and touches his face.) You have treated me badly; It was wicked of you. But sleep easy, Liliom... bad, bad boy, you. I love you."). The scene in which the audience aurally recognizes that Billy is violent towards Julie in Carousel has few but crucial differences from Molnár's original work. In Liliom, Julie herself confesses to Liliom's abuse and somehow condemns it. In the musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein introduced the character of Cousin Nettie. “Nettie: You know something else, Carrie? Last Monday, it hit her.Julie: Nettie!