1. Describe some of the major themes that are present in Equus by Peter Shaffer. One theme that can be easily seen in Equus by Peter Shaffer is sanity and insanity. We can see examples of this theme in the sessions between Dysart and Alan. The reader can see the behavior changes of Alan and as well as Dysart’s. Another theme that can be seen is freedom‚ when Alan blinds the horses and “frees” himself from them. Also the theme of worship and loyalty can be spotted throughout the play in Alan. 2
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The play “Bacchae” was written by Euripides and first published in 1896‚ it was later translated by Henry Hart Milman in 1997. The play “Equus” was written by Peter Shaffer in 1973. The Bacchae is about a god who is struggling to be recognized as a god. However‚ Equus is about a boy who is struggling to find god. Both plays show how religion can change people by modifying their beliefs. Euripides and Shaffer both draw their ideas from ancient traditions through the element of religion by rituals
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Equus is a play in which present and past collide and intertwine in spectacular and thematically significant ways. Psychoanalysis (a process of evaluating mental health that was developed by Sigmund Freud) drives the plot forward‚ as the psychiatrist Martin Dysart succeeds in drawing out of Alan Strang a series of repressed memories. His intention is to achieve abreaction‚ which is the discharge of the emotional energy attached to a repressed idea. Theatrically‚ the past events in the plot of Equus are
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The horse (Equus caballus) is an animal belonging to the Equidae family with the genus Equus. These animals are usually kept for use as a means of transportation and goods transport. This is because the horse has a very strong bone structure. In some areas‚ these animals are also often used as food sources. Horses are thought to originate from Central Asia and North Asia. Animals have been raised since 4500 BC. Horses have a body weight that ranges from 590-907 kg. Some types of horses include arabic
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Peter Shaffer’s play Equus is about Alan Strang and his perception on horses. Alan is currently being treated by a Martin Dysart‚ his psychiatrist‚ for blinding six horses. His psychiatrist tries to get Alan to explain what was going on and he eventually begins to open up. When Alan was a child‚ his mother was a Christian who read the bible to him every day. One day‚ his father destroyed a picture of the crucifixion of Jesus and Alan decided to replace it with a picture of a horse. During Alan’s
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The author of Equus‚ Peter Shaffer‚ explores the idea of differing views of Religion by showing contrasting characters and conflicting points of view. Specifically focusing on how showing the contrasting ideas of sanity and insanity in regards to Alan and Dysart. These techniques of contrasting characters and contrasting points of view are used to explore the main idea of what is normal. The issue with points of view in Equus is that the characters all believe they are right and that their view
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God" (Shaffer 62). Normality exists in a medical textbook; weight of this number‚ intelligence quotient of this quantity‚ social functioning of this quality. Alan Strang and Victor of Aveyron fail to meet standards of normality. In Peter Shaffer’s Equus‚ Dr. Martin Dysart attempts to normalize his patient Alan. In François Truffaut’s L’Enfant Sauvage (1970)‚ Dr. Jean Itard sought to domesticate the wild boy. Both Dysart and Itard feel as if their endeavors may be futile. The doctors feel jealousy
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Madison Deller AP Literature 2nd period Equus Discussion Questions 1. Scene I: In Dysart’s opening monologue‚ he make a comparison between himself and a horse’s head. What is the purpose of this metaphor? How does this comparison give us insight into his Dysart’s character? The purpose of this metaphor is to show the reader that Dysart has become trapped by his education and knowledge of the world. This gives us insight to Dysart’s characters because the reader can see his struggle with
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In Equus by Peter Shaffer‚ Martin Dysart is the psychiatrist of Alan Strang. He is assigned to investigate Alan’s horrible crime of blinding six horses with a spike. During his investigation‚ Dysart questions his career and life and whether it’s his passion. Even though Alan Strang suffers throughout the play‚ Dysart seems to be the one to experience true tragic. As soon as Dysart heard Strang’s story‚ he questions everything that he accepted in his life. This is learned when he starts to trust
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Equus scene 20 Introduction: First we will summarize the scene‚ after that we will analyze the following features. (we will be discussing scene 20 first). Summary: Dysart and Alan are in the office of Dysart‚ however they are pretending to be at the stables. Dysart asks questions to Alan and Alan answers all of them. Alan tells about his ritual in the stable. He does this ritual every time before he rides a horse. In this ritual he gives the horse sandals and the ‘’Chinkle-chankle’’. Later they
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