Fiddler on the Roof

Tevye is an old man with a wife and four daughters. He is a poor Jew who works very hard and relies on his wife and daughters to help him work the farm. In this village, there are certain, well-known people: the beggar, matchmaker, and rabbi are some examples. This place is divided into Jews and Christians. There are more Christians than Jews but Tevye says they don't bother the Christians and the Christians don't bother them. Yente, the matchmaker, is suppose to choose the spouses for each person. The daughters are nervous about who will be chosen for them because they will be with them forever. The family does not have enough money to use the matchmaker. Tevye sings If I Were a Rich Man, wondering what it would be like if he had just a small fortune. Mottle, a poor tailor, is now staying with Tevye's family. Mottle and the daughter have always had a thing, and they're trying to find a way so they can get married, but he chickens out when trying to ask her father. Everyone is standing around the table and singing, celebrating the Sabbath. Tevye is now at the butcher's house and is talking to him about buying cows. The butcher is an old man who does not look suitable for the young girl. While they are speaking, the butcher thinks they are talking about the marriage, so the conversation is getting very weird. The butcher confesses that he likes the daughter and Tevye agrees to let his daughter marry the butcher. Tevye and the butcher go to a bar to celebrate the soon wedding. Tevye thanks God for sending his daughter a husband. Tevye tells his daughter that she is marrying the butcher. Her mother is very satisfied and thankful, but the daughter is disappointed because she was expecting to marry the tailor. The tailor says that the only reason to pick a man for her to marry should not be for the money, he is very disappointed. The daughter tell Tevye she doesn't want to marry the butcher and she can't. Tevye says she has to because he said so and they made an agreement. The daughter says she'll do anything to get the money he needed, and begins crying and begging not to marry him. Tevye says she won't force her. The tailor comes and says he has to talk to Tevye, but Tevye says not now. He keeps trying to convince him to listen and tells him he has the perfect match for her; himself. Tevye says he's crazy for trying to arrange his own marriage, but then the sailor accidently tells him they made a pledge to marry over a year ago. Tevye gets very mad and says that marriages must be arranged, no other way. The tailor argues that, "even a tailor is entitled to a little happiness." Tevye is contemplating whether to allow them to marry or not, even though the man is poor. He finally agrees to the marriage and both the tailor and daughter are very thankful. Now Tevye has to figure out a way to get out of the promise of marriage he made to the butcher.