The Beaver Coat - Manipulation in a matriarchal society

There are two groups of people portrayed in this play: the “thieves” and the “law”. The “thieves” are represented by Mrs. Wolff, her husband, her two daughters, and the boatman Wulkow; while the “law” is represented by Wherhahn, Mr. and Mrs. Motes, Glasenapp, and the bailiff Mitteldorf.

Among the group of “thieves”, the Wolff family probably represents the general social, moral, intellectual, and culture climate of that period of time. In their family, it seems to be heavily matriarchal inclined. Mrs. Wolff is the main character of the entire play, and also the one who takes control over the family. She is the most ‘outstanding’ thieve and seems to be VERY manipulative over everyone around her to attain her goal. However, she seems to be very persuasive in convincing herself and her daughters that “we are not thieves”. An example that we can see how she manipulatives people is how she resolves her conflicts with Kruger. When Kruger demanded that the Wolff should pay for the theft of the wood since Leontine refused bring them in, she brazenly challenged Kruger with the question “Did I perhaps steal your wood?”. And he is so taken by her fake aura of integrity that he rehires her to do the laundry and accept Leontine back to his household with a higher salary. Mrs. Wolff seems to be able to convince everyone that she is innocent that even Wherhahn pointed out that she is an “honest soul”. At that matriarchal society, this gives her an even greater advantage to manipulate and perhaps escape her crime.