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 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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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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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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"The normal is the good smile in a child’s eyes—all right. It is also the dead stare in a million adults. It both sustains and kills—like a 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)‚
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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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The donkey or ass‚ Equus africanus asinus‚[1][2] is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African wild ass‚ E. africanus. The donkey has been used as a working animal for at least 5000 years. There are more than 40 million donkeys in the world‚ mostly in underdeveloped countries‚ where they are used principally as draught or pack animals. Working donkeys are often associated with those living at or below subsistence levels. Small numbers of donkeys
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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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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‚ a play by Peter Shaffer‚ written in 1973 was performed on Forbes Center Stage by James Madison University students. It introduced actors- Chris Consaul‚ Noah Heie- allowing them to perform complex roles full of emotion. The playwrights inspiration originated from a friends recount of a story heard at a most recent dinner party in London; a young man who blinded 26 horses with a spike. This story was enough to fascinate Peter Shaffer in constructing a play around it. Alan Strang‚ a unstable
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