The Disillusionment with Marriage in Nick Joaquin’s May Day Eve and The Summer Solstice

Abstract

This study examines the disillusionment with marriage in Nick Joaquin’s May Day Eve and The Summer Solstice, two short stories that depict marital relationships shaped by cultural tradition, gender expectations, and personal conflict within Filipino society. Employing a qualitative literary research design, the study analyzes how disillusionment emerges through plot structure, characterization, and thematic development. The analysis proceeds in three major phases. The first phase focuses on plot structure using IA Richard's New Criticism theory. It followed the structure of Aristotelian plot structure and principles of narratology, revealing how cyclical narration, ritualized events, and reversals of power expose the erosion of marital idealism. The second phase examines the characters through Leon Festinger’s Cognitive Dissonance Theory, demonstrating how internal conflicts arise when characters’ expectations of marriage clash with lived realities, resulting in emotional estrangement, resentment, and role reversal. The third phase applies Braun and Clarke’s Thematic Analysis to identify recurring patterns of marital disillusionment, particularly those linked to authority, gendered power, and unmet romantic ideals. The fourth phase presents a creative writeback in the form of a monologue, synthesizing the analytical findings into an interpretive response that reflects the emotional and thematic tensions of marital disillusionment. Findings reveal that marriage in both texts is not portrayed as a harmonious union but as a place of psychological tension and transformation, where ritual, memory, and power destabilize traditional marital roles. Ultimately, the study concludes that Joaquin critiques marriage as a culturally sanctified institution by exposing its capacity to produce disillusionment rather than fulfillment. This research contributes to Philippine literary studies by foregrounding marriage as a central thematic concern and by integrating literary and psychological frameworks in textual analysis.