Theme Of Violence In Blackrock

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Blackrock was first performed in 1995. The play explores the causes of violence by individuals as well as ideas surrounding mateship and gender. The representations of mateship, masculinity and violence portray Australian culture in Blackrock as dangerous, homophobic and one that is accustomed to gender inequality. Dramatic conventions are employed by Nicholas Enright to challenge the reader or viewer’s view towards mateship, reinforce the idea of masculinity and challenge the idea that Australian culture is safe. The representation of mateship in Blackrock challenges the popular ideas held by Australian society towards it. The play’s negative representation of mateship reshapes the reader or viewers attitude towards it. The boundaries of …show more content…

From the beginning of the play it was evident something bad would occur at Toby 's birthday party down at Blackrock. Parallel scenes 3 and 5 foreshadow a tragedy. Rachel and Cherie are forbidden from going to the party. Cherie tells her mother she "won 't drink. Or get into drugs. Or muck around with boys." Her mother implies to her what 's the point in going then. Stewart tells Rachel "Not to a party at Blackrock ... You always go out before sunset, unless you were looking for ... A punch-up. "The party is fueled by alcohol, which a common outcome is violence. The social behaviour of teenagers is implied to be wild. The recurrence of forbidding girls from going to the party emphasises that girls are at a great risk of being hurt at the party and implies that the night could end a disaster for any one of the girls. Len 's boxing ring represents the culturally accepted form of violence. "Donny can be your mate outside, your best mate in the world. But in the ring you got two allies [fists], one friend [brain], and no mates. It 's just you and him and the sweet smell of blood." The boxing ring allowed for men to release their violent drive which was an attribute of masculinity at the time. The repetition of blood reminds the reader or viewer of Tracy 's murder. Violence anywhere seemed to be a daily occurrence whether at parties, towards objects, in the home or in the ring. Violence in the play challenges the popular idea that Australian culture was

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