The Little Foxes

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains references to domestic violence, alcohol addiction, racism, and violence against a character with disabilities, which feature in the source text.

The play takes place at Regina Giddens’ house in Alabama, where she and her family are hosting Mr. William Marshall from Chicago. In the living room, two of the servants are working when Birdie, Regina’s sister-in-law, rushes inside to find a music album. Birdie, who is “usually nervous and timid” is in a hurry to show Mr. Marshall her Wagner album. She is a little drunk, and excited about having dinner with a man who loves music as much as she does, to the point where he travels to Europe for the sole purpose of hearing music.

Her husband, Oscar, enters the living room. He firmly tells his wife they must return to the dining room and tells her she must stop talking so much. He scolds her, saying, “You’ve been chattering at him like a magpie […] I can’t think he came South to be bored with you” (7). Birdie tries to defend herself, saying she is certain Mr. Marshall likes her, but Oscar shuts down her protests. Before they can exit, their teenaged son, Leo, announces the rest of the party will be joining them in the living room.

Leo is followed by Regina, Oscar’s sister who lives at the house, William Marshall from Chicago, Regina’s 17-year-old daughter Alexandra, and Regina and Oscar’s older brother, Ben. As they all sit down to enjoy a glass of port, Marshall applauds the family and their way of life, specifically how they have managed to live so close to each other. Regina reassures him of just how close they are. She tells him, “My brother Ben lives next door. My brother Oscar and his family live in the next square” (9). Ben adds that they all love it that way, and want to remain close as they age. Marshall is touched by this, as his own family is spread out and not in touch with one another as much as he would like.

The men of the family all work closely together, too. Ben and Oscar are in business together, with a company called “Hubbard Sons” (9) and Regina’s husband is a banker. Regina tells Marshall that her husband, Horace, is ill and getting treated at Johns Hopkins. He will, she hopes, be on the mend and home again soon. Finally, Leo works at the bank where Horace is employed.

Marshall asks Birdie to play the piano for a while. Birdie looks to Oscar for permission, and he urges her to go on. As she plays, Marshall continues to ask about the family and their way of life. They tell him that Birdie is the only true Southern aristocrat of the group, and her family’s plantation home, Lionnet, “was the best cotton land in the South” (11). Birdie looks back on her home with fond memories, careful to explain they were kind there. Ben goes on to tell Marshall Lionnet was nearly ruined by the war, “and the sons finish ruining it. And there were thousands like them” (12). He says that aristocrats cannot adjust to change, and it ends up being the end of them. Meanwhile, Ben argues, his family comes from new money: trade. He brags, “twenty years ago we took over their land, their cotton, and their daughter” (12). Now, Lionnet belongs to his family, not Birdie’s.

The deal that the men are there to discuss is the building of a cotton mill in Alabama. Ben says the reason why is to “bring the machine to the cotton, not the cotton to the machine” (13). Marshall is convinced, and the group toasts their new partnership. Marshall bids everyone farewell, especially Regina, whom he has invited to visit Chicago. Leo and Alexandra leave with Marshall to drive their guest back to where he is staying for the night. The brothers exit the living room, too, leaving Birdie and Regina alone.

Regina is elated with the deal and starts to envision her life as a millionaire living in Chicago. Birdie questions how Horace will be able to get around in a big city, but Regina brushes off her sister-in-law’s doubts. She says to Birdie, “Make a wish Birdie, any wish. It’s bound to come true now” (16). Ben and Oscar return and the group takes turns talking about the lavish lifestyle they want now that they’ll be rich. Regina talks of her life in Chicago, Oscar and Ben mention the great trips they’ll take, and Birdie dreams of two things: restoring Lionnet, and for Oscar to give up shooting. Ben calms the room saying that the profits will be very high indeed, for himself and for Oscar.

This statement stops Regina in her tracks. When she asks what he means, Oscar says, “Ben means that we are ready with our two-thirds of the money. Your third, Horace’s, I mean, doesn’t seem to be ready” (19). He tells her the two of them have written to Horace about the deal, but he has never answered their questions about it in his replies. They have been patient, because they want it to stay in the family, but they are running out of time and are not above finding an outside partner for their third investor.

Regina must think quickly. She suggests her husband hasn’t replied because he wants a better bargain. Ben suggests that Oscar give Horace an extra percentage of his shares in exchange for the promise that Alexandra will wed Leo. There is a show of concern from Birdie and Regina, but Regina is willing to consider it as an option to keep the peace and her family’s share of the mill.

Just then, Leo and Alexandra return to the living room. Regina tells Alexandra she must go to Baltimore tomorrow to fetch her father and bring him home. Alexandra is excited, thinking he must be better, but then learns that isn’t the case. She tells her mother that she will go, but if he is not well enough to travel then she will not bring him back to Alabama. Regina is surprised by her daughter’s firmness but doesn’t push back. Instead, she tells her that she will be doing it for his own good, and that she should tell Horace that Regina misses him very much and wants him home.

The men exit and Regina starts up the stairs. Alexandra begins to follow when her aunt Birdie calls her back down. Birdie warns Alexandra that she might be forced into a marriage with Leo, but Alexandra shrugs her off. She tells her aunt not to worry, no one can make her do anything. She bids her good night and starts back up the stairs. As Birdie goes to leave, Oscar, who overheard their conversation, slaps Birdie hard across the face. Alexandra calls out to see if she is okay, but Birdie lies and says she only twisted her ankle. Birdie and Oscar leave the house, and Alexandra is left on the stairs feeling confused and frightened.