Betty Timeline and Summary

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• In the opening of Act 1, we see Betty sing a nice little song about how her only goal in life is to be whatever her husband wants her to be. It's not the greatest way to be, but don't worry; it won't hold up.
• Before Scene 1 of Act 1 is even over, we find out that Betty is in love with her husband's best friend, Harry Bagley. So much for all of that "I live for my husband" nonsense. It's just a shame that Betty doesn't realize that Harry has also had sexual relations with her son, Edward.
• As Act 1 unfolds, we see Betty try to grapple with her love for Harry. She wants to run away with him; but Harry won't hear anything of it. She's so in love with him that she's even blind to the fact that her governess, Ellen, is totally trying to put the moves on her.
• By the end of Act 1, Betty is thoroughly confused and sad. Her husband Clive has found out about her little romance with Harry and has put a stop to it by getting Harry married to Ellen. Meanwhile, Betty seems to take her frustration out on her son, Edward, and hits the little boy for not acting manly enough. You've heard of the circle of life? Well, there's also a circle of abuse.
• In Act 2, Betty has finally decided to leave Clive and to start living on her own. It's a pretty bold decision, especially since Betty has a tough time even walking down the street without a man to escort her. But little by little, she seems to be figuring out that the only way she can move forward with her life is to gain some independence.
• That being said, Betty doesn't totally turn all liberal progressive overnight. She still feels like women need men in their lives and that being gay isn't morally right. But she does make some progress by accepting the fact that both her son and daughter like to have sex with people of the same gender.
• As Act 2 continues, Betty becomes increasingly aware of the fact that she does have desires of her own; it's just that she has spent much of her life burying these desires by focusing on the needs of others.
• By the end of the play, Betty gives an impassioned speech about how she truly likes sex and masturbation. The moment is a liberating one, since it gives Betty the confidence she needs to move forward and to make her own desires a priority. After a short conversation with Edward's lover, Gerry, she decides that the best thing to do is to focus on the little things in life (like what she wants for dinner) and to build her new life by making daily choices about how she wants to live on her own terms.
• In the play's final scene, Betty sees the past version of herself walk onstage, and the two of them hug. The hug shows us that Betty has truly learned to accept herself as an independent woman, and that things are probably going to get better from this point on.