In Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, there are several elements of heteronormativity in the text. The societal bias in favor of heterosexual relationships are a recurring theme in the play. Many of these examples come up through character’s relationships and the 1980s society’s response to them. However, Kushner also displays many characters battles with compulsory heterosexuality; the belief that heterosexuality is the default sexual orientation. One of the main characters in the play who struggles with society’s bias against same-sex relationships is Joe Pitt. Kushner not only demonstrates Joe’s disempowerment with his unfortunate marriage to Harper, but also with himself. Many characters such as Joe’s mother Hannah and his boss, Roy Cohn, …show more content…
An example of this is when Joe converses with his mother while he was drunk and comes out to her. After he mentions his homosexuality, Hannah [Joe’s mother] responds by saying, “You really ought to go home now to your wife. I need to go to bed. This phone call...We will just forget this phone call” (82). Although later in the book it is confirmed that Hannah is also homosexual, she still wants her son to continue to have a normal married life. This can be seen by the flustered response as she repeats that he must go home to his wife, as if his wife will “fix” the confusion and disempowerment Joe has. This bias is unfortunately retold by his boss Roy Cohn as well. As Joe reveals he has been staying with another man, Roy responds by saying, “I want you home. With your wife. Whatever else you got going, cut it dead” (219). Roy’s response reveals his true emotions about what he supports. Throughout the play, readers also witness Roy hiding from his own sexuality as well. What I find most …show more content…
One of these characters is Roy Cohn. A shrewd and powerful lawyer who never believes he is gay, Cohn is an example of a character who battles with his own self. This battle is seen as he converses with Henry, “No, say it. I mean it. Say: Roy Cohn you are a homosexual...And I will proceed systematically, to destroy your reputation and your practice and your career in New York State, Henry. Which you know I can do (50)”. This quote exemplifies the denial Cohn continues to face with himself. He uses his power as a powerful man to shield him from his real truth, and subject to compulsory heterosexuality. I find it most interesting that despite Cohn being a man of high power and arrogance, he is the most insecure character when it comes to his AIDS. Fortunately, there are strong openly gay characters in the center of the text that help the characters battling with compulsory heterosexuality. Kushner constantly displays the power Belize has by being an openly gay person. He empowers him and depicts them as the main voice of the play. Instead of focusing on society's response to him being different, he encourages Prior to be open with his personality. Further in the play as Prior converses with Hannah he says, “I am a homosexual with AIDS. I can just imagine... (235”). Through this quote, readers can see that Prior is openly stating what his true sexuality is. Instead of letting the disease, a result of him being
Although language manipulation can be broken into countless categories and sub-categories, diction is arguably the common denominator. When one conducts an analysis of another’s words, it is both logical and necessary for one to address the author’s word choice. Vàzquez’s essay is full of strategically placed adjectives and transitions to pull the reader to her message. She refers to society’s gender roles as being a “straitjacket” that “suffocates” (p. 493, 3rd paragraph). Both of the words “straitjacket” and “suffocates” not only embody the frustration felt by homosexuals, but also suggest that society is bound by its own unreasonable expectations. The author’s metaphorical suffocating straightjacket serves as a signal to the reader that society’s treatment of gender roles is in dire need of reform.
...e social changes brought about this period. He cites the growing sensationalism of sex covered in the media as a prime driver behind the sexual orthodoxy in American culture (Chauncey 1994, 359). During this witch hunt, he draws a silver lining. Using the scholarship of others such as John D’Emilio, he cites that this period brought a greater bond to the gay community by forging brotherhood of adversity which would then come back into play in the 1960’s as an experiential touchstone for the Civil Rights era (Chauncey 1994, 360). Chauncey nestles his own narrative of the gay community in New York within the larger narrative of gay life in America filling in the gaps of secondary sources through his own primary work.
... homosexual being felt in the world around the 1970’s and 1980’s. The time period in which this play was written was one of great dissonance to the LGBT movement. For Harvey Fierstein to be so bold and public with his own lifestyle was truly admirable and brave. Fierstein shows us that ignorance can destroy a life because of what is unknown.
One’s sexuality is undeniably a major part of who they are as an individual. The sexuality of characters plays a major role throughout the book and this is used to show how society
Irving Katrina. "Displacing Homosexuality: The Use of Ethnicity in Willa Cather's My Antonia." Modern Fiction Studies 36 (1990): 91-111.
I feel that Joe's search for power and to have the dominant role over women is very emphasized and presence. To “top it off”, Joe makes Eatonville's black community “bow” to him as non-equals.
...win discusses how Americans have an idea of reality that is not quite true and a writer’s responsibility is to bring to light the truths that Americans are too busy or too ignorant to notice. A novel of the 1950s cannot just be an idealized picture of heterosexual couples and their nuclear families living in suburbia. An accurate depiction of the 1950s needs to discuss homosexuality. It must discuss revolutionary pieces of literature on the subject, like Kinsey’s Sexual Behavior In the Human Male. It must also illustrate how macro events, such as the Cold War, influenced micro events, such as the Lavender Scare. Homosexuals were met with persecution and oppression in postwar America. Without the inclusion of homosexuality in a depiction of the 1950s, the American identity will continue to be incoherent and confine itself within a myth of the American experience.
“Angels in America” is a highly dramatic piece that deals with the AIDS crisis in New York, and the lives that are impacted directly and indirectly by the disease. In this time period in which the play takes place homosexuals are struggling to obtain their rights. Reagan's reforms and policies gave homosexuals the power, and the courage to be open about their sexuality. Throughout this play coming out, and being openly gay is a evolution that Kushner bases his play on.
As I reflected more and more on Wilson's masterpiece, my anger turned to curiosity instead of my curiosity waning, it grew. I felt like I was unraveling a huge ball of yarn. In a play about family, a million different issues are lived. I was astounded at the number of issues that Wilson touched upon, issues ranging from family relationships, to problems in the workplace, racial tensions, and infidelity. And under each one of these was another, underlying issue, the reason, or the catalyst that enabled these to prevail.
Every sexual orientation and lifestyle is explored in this film, through each individual character. Albert plays the emotional, insecure, flighty homosexual male. Armand plays the part of a more reserved, logical, manly homosexual. The Senator is a conservative, political white man who claims to be interested in family values and morality. Both he and his wife are upper class snobs, who do not want to associate with "commoners." Armands first wife plays the part of a desperately horny, divorced woman. Val and Barbara are the only couple that would be deemed "normal" by society. The two show no outlandishc or unusual characteristicsl.
Tony Kushner, carefully denotes how characters display and affirm to their homosexuality. For instance, Roy Cohn is a conservative lawyer with power and superiority. Kushner depicts Roy’s character as arrogant and selfish. Roy wants Joe Pitt to take a job offer in Washington, D.C., so Joe can help him from being disbarred. Later in the play we discover that Roy is responsible for the execution of Ethel Rosenberg’s. He sentenced her to the death penalty for being a spy. Roy exclaims, “I pleaded until I wept to put her in the chair. Me. I did that. I would have fucking pulled the switch if they’d have let me. Why? Because I fucking hate traitors. Because I fucking hate communist.” (pg.108) Roy brags about his legal ability for accomplishing such a cruel unhuman act towards a Jewish woman. In addition, to his social status he states, “Homosexuals are men who know nobody and who nobody knows. Who have zero clout.” (1.9.3). He argues that labels are prime representation of social class. Roy is resentful to be labeled as homosexual and tries to cover up that he has AIDS with liver cancer, due not wanting to be classified as powerless. Throughout the play Roy repeatedly disclaims that he has power and he challenges the label of homosexuals defining himself. Despite that he declares himself to be on the top of the social class, AIDS if affiliated with
McNulty, Charles. "Angels in America: Tony Kushner's Theses on the Philosophy of History." Modern Drama 39.1 (1996): 84-96.
Kushner describes a society, not unlike our own society today, that looks down upon gay men and other minorities. By setting the play in the mid 80's, a time when gay-bashing was at its zenith, he is able to capture the prejudice towards homosexuals and all that surrounds it. The early 80's was also the time when AIDS was a new disease being made aware to the mass public for the first time. By setting the story in New York City, a melting pot of different cultures and people, Kushner proves that not just one group of people come in contact with homosexuals. All of these geographical and atmosphirical forces aid in setting the mood of the play. These surroundings drive the characters to act the way they do and make the choices they make.
The movie ‘Philadelphia’ explores prejudice against having AIDS [also being homosexual]. In the film, Andrew Beckett (played by Tom Hanks) is a lawyer with a huge opportunity as a lawyer in front of him. When he finds out he had AIDS he chose not to tell his firm mentor about either his disease or his sexual orientation. Andrew is fired for, as his firm members claim, ‘incompetence’ however we can see it is more. Andrew was fired because he had AIDS and was assumed gay (at this time AIDS was know the ‘gay disease’). The movie shows Andrews struggle to be treated equally.
It’s safe to say that Kushner’s “Angels in America”, is one of the most famous plays to explore the topic of homosexuality. Joe 's character represents