Dull Gret is based on the subject of the painting "Dulle Griet" by Pieter Breughel, which depicts a woman leading other women into Hell to fight devils. In the play, Gret says she and other women "gave the devils such a beating." This character would have been unconventional for women in 16th century England, when women were usually expected to marry and raise children. Gret is crude, eats voraciously, and has difficulty with social conventions and conversation. She can be compared to the independently-minded characters of Beatrice in "Much Ado About Nothing" and Jane Eyre, who do not rely on men despite hardships.

1. Dull Gret – (aka Mad Meg)
From ‘Top Girls’
Charlotte and Amy

2. Where is she from?
• The character, Dull Gret is based on the
subject of a painting ‘Dulle Griet’ by Pieter
Breughel. The subject is a woman wearing an
apron and armed with tools of male
aggression – armour, helmet and sword. This
woman is leading a mob of other women
dressed in aprons, she charges into Hell
fighting the devils and filling her baskets with
gold cups.

3. Dulle Griet – Pieter Breughel

4. Quote about this in Act 1 – ‘We came into Hell
through a big mouth…But most of us is
fighting the devils , there’s lots of little
devils, our size, and we get them down all
right and give them a beating’

5. Women in the time they lived
• The painting ‘Dulle Griet’ was painted in 1562.
Women in the 1500s were treated better than
in the Renaissance period and were praised
for being the one that raised the children.
Only women from rich backgrounds were
educated and women would get married and
then be expected to raise children and live as
a housewife. Although, women were starting
to get jobs in cities, farms or palaces.

6. • In ‘Top Girls’ Gret says “Oh, we give them
devils such a beating” this could be referring
to the women taking charge and
overpowering the men. This wouldn’t of
normally happened in the C16th and so Gret is
not what a traditional woman would be like in
these times.

7. Her character…
• In the restaurant scene, Gret manages to eat
two baskets of bread even before the starter
arrives. She is not restricted by social
conventions and is uncomfortable in this
traditional formal setting and continues to eat
and steal whatever she can get her hands on.
• Quotes from Act 1 – “Potatoes” “Pig”
• Gret saying single words highlights the fact
she is not used to any type of conversation.

8. • Gret has not spent time with other people and
is not sure how to communicate, this is the
reason why she has little to say throughout
the scene and often says only crude remarks.
• Quotes from Act 1 – “Bastard” “Big Cock”

9. Much Ado About Nothing
• Dull Gret’s character could be likened to the
character of Beatrice in ‘Much Ado’. Neither
resemble the role or personality of a
traditional women. Gret and Beatrice are both
independent and do not rely on men.

10. • Gret proves this in her last quote in Act 1,
where she speaks about her and other women
going to fight the devils, showing their
strength and power.
• Beatrice in ‘Much Ado’ also presents her
strength by matching Benedick with insults
and proving herself to be just as witty and
clever as he is. “Kill Claudio” being a quote
proving how she isn’t overpowered by men.

11. Wider Reading
• Wider reading characters that could be
associated with Gret is Jayne Eyre who suffers
greatly being an orphan and living with Mrs
Reed who treats her poorly but yet she stays
an independent character and doesn’t reply
on anyone which is the same as Gret does.