Equus is as complex as the human mind. Exploring psychological questions such as what does it mean to be normal, and should individuality be sacrificed for the sake of normality? Whilst propelling a mystery, crime story, and a psychological thriller, Peter Shaffer s Equus examines the minds of a young stable boy who has blinded several horses and the aging psychiatrist asked to cure him. But would a cure really normalize the teenager?
A seventeen year old boy, Alan is brought to a psychiatric hospital because he has blinded six horses with a hoof pick. Dysart, a psychiatrist, works to normalize the boy, feeling that as he makes the boy safe for society, he is taking away his worship and sexual vitality, both of which are missing in the doctors own personal life. Dysart actually envies Alan and the sexual worship he has experienced. In spite of his own hang-ups, the doctor does help the boy work through his obsession, in which he identifies the horse Equus with God.
Shaffer is expressing to his audience that taking away the atypical aspects of this boy would take away part of the person he is, part of the character he has developed and most important, the God he worships.
When Equus leaves – if he lives at all – it will be with
your intestines in his teeth…I ll give him the good, normal
world…and give him normal places for his ecstasy…
Passion, you see, can be destroyed by a doctor it cannot
be created.
Pages 92 & 93*
Alan s love for horses develops into devotion, a religious passion for the horses as all-powerful Gods. As Dysart envies Alan s passion for horses, a type of passion that he knows he will never feel, he questions his livelihood as a healer. He is healing nothing by removing the boys worship and faith. Is it right or worthwhile to try to normalize Alan when what others consider his infatuation with horses, he considers his religion.
Dysart: What am I trying to do to him?
Hesther: Restore him, surely?
Dysart: To what?
Hesther: A normal life.
Dysart: Normal?
Hesther: it still means something.
Dysart: Does it? page 47*
Shaffer employs to the reader that there is a place in society for eccentric, different, individual, passionate and nonconformist people, Alan s own parents are the prime example. Alan s background includes a fanatically religious mother who is polarized by a socialistic atheist father who opposes television. Alan s father s distaste with television is further contradicted by his mother s allowance of the television medium to play a significant role in Alan s life.
Frank: …it s the Bible that responsible for all this…night after night having this stuff read to him: an innocent man tortured to death…Bloody religion, it s our only real problem in this house.
Dora: (to Dysart)You must excuse my husband, Doctor. This one subject is something of an obsession to him…
Frank: Call it what you like. All that stuff to me is just bad sex.
page 18*
These contrasting beliefs of his parents leads Alan into a world of personal problems which encompasses an understanding of the world formed largely by watching television, an inability to read, a distorted view of sex and violence, and no sense of his place in society.
The plots painful journey into the tortured mind of Alan Strang and the equally conflicted mind of child Psychiatrist Martin Dysart created an inharmonious encounter at first. Their differences, and more importantly there own abnormalities soon let both Dysart and Alan accept each other. Shaffer condemns and criticizes modern religion, as Alan s extreme actions are almost justified as an act of religious fanaticism.
What does society mean by the term normal ? Is it conforming to societies ideals of marriage, having a job and career path or developing political views? At the same time society says we should follow a religion, so this may well mean that Alan s ritual was part of his religion. Overall Equus is not about religion, normality violence or even love and sex, it is a play about passion. Dysart took on the characteristics of his of his dreams, he had stolen Alan s passion whilst giving him his pain or true normality.
Другие работы по теме:
Poem Fading Away Essay Research Paper as
Poem: Fading Away Essay, Research Paper as i gaze at the falling rain trying to get away from all the pain som uch tension rising in the air dying inside does anyone care
Romeo An Juliet Essay Research Paper hi
Romeo An Juliet Essay, Research Paper hi i need an essay about a character in romeo and juliet that demonsrtated maturity. in a well developed multi pagraph essay and say why you think the character’s maturity was greater than the other characters in the play.
Plato And Equus Essay Research Paper Plato
Plato And Equus Essay, Research Paper Plato once said that man is a being in search of meaning. In Peter Shaffer s disturbing play, Equus, psychologist Martin Dysart and his patient, Alan Strang, are searching for meaning. Alan Strang has chosen the path of nonrationalism to give him this meaning. He worships Equus a God that he has taken from parts of Christianity and has assumed its form of that of a horse.
Equus Essay Research Paper The play Equus
Equus Essay, Research Paper The play Equus is about a young boy who viciously blinds six horses with a metal spike in a stable and the psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, who investigates the boy s mental state. It is a very complex, multileveled story, with many relationships effecting Allen s (the stabber) behavior.
Oh Really Essay Research Paper Oh Reallyyou
Oh Really? Essay, Research Paper Oh Really, you think i am a lark, the dogs they run and bark, but when i say to them, shut up shut up shut up, you say to be nice to them,
ROTC Entrence Essay Essay Research Paper entrance
ROTC Entrence Essay Essay, Research Paper entrance essay For almost as long as I cn remember, I have been interested in th military. Influenced by such movies as “Patton”, and by my dad’s interest in military history, my
Equus 2 Essay Research Paper EquusEquus written
Equus 2 Essay, Research Paper Equus Equus, written by Peter Shaffer, the creator of plays such as Amadeus and The Royal Hunt Of The Sun creates a psychological thriller that probes deep in to the misguided intentions of religion in a boy named Alan Strang. The play does not stop with character development in him though; it also explores the doctor treating him, Martian Dysart, and even Alan s parents, Dora and Frank.
Shane Essay Research Paper Sometimes I need
Shane Essay, Research Paper Sometimes, I need you more than I need air And sometimes I miss you more than I will forever, never forget the times that we have shaared. The are priceless
Poem Belong Essay Research Paper Where I
Poem: Belong Essay, Research Paper Where I belong I am weak, I am strong I will fit where I belong don’t know where it is for now but it will come, if I allow tomorrow, I start a brand new day
Him Essay Research Paper I think about
Him Essay, Research Paper I think about him day and night The though won’t go away And, oh, how I would hold him tight every second of the day He is perfect, that is true, not an average me or you
Is All Art Appropriate Essay Research Paper
Is All Art Appropriate? Should a Christian refrain from viewing, listening, or reading a piece of art because it is vulgar or offensive . . . no. If I had to pull one aspect out of the Christian faith that is the biggest thorn in my side it would be this very notion, the notion that Christians should abstain from anything that is even remotely distasteful.
Poem She Sat Essay Research Paper She
Poem: She Sat Essay, Research Paper She sat… helpless in her room praying to whatever god there may be to let her call to him. could god ignore such a painful cry?
School Essay Research Paper School Where
School Essay, Research Paper School! Where did they come up with that name? I guess because it rhymes with lame Now this rhyme you read will be quite corny Please don’t get upset, mad, or horny
Miller Spring Essay Essay Research Paper Miller
Miller Spring Essay Essay, Research Paper Miller Springs Essay My science class and I went to Miller Springs to learn about sediments and nature a few days ago. The good and bad sides of the trip I will explain below.
Ode To Boys Essay Research Paper We
Ode To Boys Essay, Research Paper We like them But do they like us The ones we do never fuss They don’t stop in And we wonder why We stress, we bitch We sometimes cry
Crying Again Essay Research Paper The Sky
Crying Again Essay, Research Paper The Sky is crying again And i am crying again. When did it start? When will it end? How’d i wind up with out a friend? Tears from my heart cling to my soul.
Basics Of The Horse And Horse Family
Essay, Research Paper HORSES (Swiftness) The horses habitat depends on the type of horse, there are two types of horses. One is the standard horses which is commonly used for pleasure
Life Is Like Essay Research Paper Life
Life Is Like Essay, Research Paper Life is like a car. When it?s new, it usually works all right. As time drives by, it breaks down and needs repairs. Life is like a leaf. In its youth, it
Hell Day Essay Research Paper Hell day
Hell Day Essay, Research Paper Hell day is a fun day where everything is like a burn day. If you would listen you could learn about this day and be apart of this day. If you are wise then you will relize that hell day is satans Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dare Essay Essay Research Paper What DARE
Dare Essay Essay, Research Paper What D.A.R.E Means To Me Dare has prepared me to say no to drugs in eight different ways. If anyone asks me to do drugs I will know what to do, such as- just ignoring the person or just
The Playground Essay Research Paper I have
The Playground Essay, Research Paper I have a friend I used to know who had a playground where we would go The times we had are fresh in my mind but they are from another time
How To Writing A Research Essay Essay
, Research Paper How To Writing A Research Essay The toughest part of the essay, for me, was taking all the information I had gained and reduce it to a mere few pages essay. After all, quality is better