Reviving Thatcher

Margaret "Maggie" Thatcher was a lot of things during her reign as Prime Minister – a wife, mother and leader; she was an role model, not just for all the women in Britain, but a worldly figure to all females.

But for some she was a "monster", and even during her occupation as Education Secretary, she received the nickname "Margaret Thatcher, Milk Snatcher" because she went against the distribution of milk for school children at a certain age. Yet, with all those people idolizing her or banging at her car, she had a sort of character that made her different from all the other politicians: she stuck with what she believed in, whether it was right or wrong.

Yet, she proved to be a formidably powerful character as her ideas were gripping the nation during her time.  Now, the movie The Iron Lady, in which she is played by the talented Meryl Streep, leads to the question: did the movie really do her justice? Not just as Prime Minister, but a woman as well?

That being said, this is not a movie review, but an evaluation of the movie and its influence on the audience.

Before I watched the movie, I always saw Thatcher as a woman of conviction, discipline, punctuality and innovation; and after seeing the movie it has brought me to the conclusion that we have really just scratched the surface of the former Prime Minister.

A striking point that was greatly emphasized during the movie was Thatcher's hallucinations and health problems. This, I found quite upsetting and offensive. Sure, there have been reports where she may have been suffering from dementia in office, having a hard time finishing sentences and even forgetting that her husband had passed.

This would all be greatly praised, not only from me, but also from the rest of those movie critics in the world if there was any specific evidence that Thatcher really did suffer from these vivid hallucinations, and if she really was locked in her house to make sure that she would not wander out and about. If none of this proof exists, then I have a hard time believing the movie.

 Nevertheless, Meryl Streep delivers her role fantastically and she shows such great emotion every time she appears in the movie. When I look at Streep, I don't see her – I see the strong voice of Thatcher. This brings us to a much more positive side of the movie. I think that Thatcher's devotion and determination really inspires the audience that say that they too can make something more of their lives, whether you're a grocer's daughter or a business man.

So, whether you hate Thatcher or idolize her confidence and perseverance, we can't deny that she evidently left her mark on the face of British society.