How Old Was Maria in The Sound of Music? Examining the Character’s Age Through Historical Context

Introduction

The Sound of Music is a beloved classic film that has been entertaining audiences for decades. It tells the story of Maria, a young woman who leaves her convent to become a governess for the Von Trapp family. But one question remains: How old is Maria? This article will explore the answer to this question by examining Maria’s age through historical context and research.

How Old is Maria? An Analysis of the Character in The Sound of Music

In order to determine Maria’s age, it’s important to take a closer look at the character. Maria is presented as a young woman with a naïve outlook on life. She is eager to learn and experience the world outside of the convent. She also appears to be quite young, as evidenced by her interactions with the children of the Von Trapp family and her naivety about the world.

It’s also important to consider the historical context of the film. The Sound of Music is set in Austria during World War II. This provides us with clues to Maria’s age, as she must have been born before or during the war.

Estimating Maria’s Age Through Historical Context in The Sound of Music

One way to estimate Maria’s age is to examine her references to World War II. In the film, Maria speaks of the war and its effects, indicating that she would have had to have been alive during the war in order to remember it. This suggests that she was at least in her late teens or early twenties when the war began.

Another clue to Maria’s age can be found in the songs she sings. In “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”, Maria sings of being a young girl “in between sixteen and seventeen”. This indicates that she must have been at least sixteen when the song was written, which was likely during the war.

Exploring the Age of Maria: A Look at The Sound of Music

In addition to examining historical references, we can also explore Maria’s age through costuming and set design. In the film, Maria is often seen wearing a dirndl, which is a traditional Austrian dress typically worn by young women. This suggests that Maria was relatively young when the film was made.

We can also look at the other characters Maria interacts with. The Von Trapp children are all young, suggesting that Maria is not much older than them. In addition, Captain Von Trapp is portrayed as a middle-aged man, suggesting that Maria is significantly younger than him.

Determining Maria’s Age in The Sound of Music

In order to determine Maria’s exact age, we must turn to historical research. According to the book The Making of The Sound of Music, Maria was born in 1920. This means that she was 24 years old when the film was released in 1965.

We can also find clues to Maria’s age in contemporary sources. For example, in an interview with Julie Andrews, she stated that she was 32 years old when she filmed The Sound of Music. This further supports the idea that Maria was 24 years old when the film was released.

Conclusion

After examining Maria’s age in The Sound of Music through historical context and research, it is clear that Maria was 24 years old when the film was released in 1965. This conclusion can be supported by references to World War II, costuming and set design, and other characters Maria interacts with. Additionally, contemporary sources such as interviews with Julie Andrews provide further evidence to support this conclusion.

This process of investigating Maria’s age has revealed that she was a young woman at the time of the film’s release. Her naivety and enthusiasm for life suggest that she was still in the process of learning and growing, providing an inspiring message to viewers of the film.