Death Knocks Issues - Essay Example

The use of various comic elements has helped him cover up the death and bring out a laughable theme that most would have found difficult to create. He has used puns and pratfalls heavily and carefully to channel succinctly a light and comical delineation of death. Putting it differently, he has successfully managed to manipulate death, such a serious issue into a funny and laughable matter.

The play begins with a vivid description of Nat Ackerman’s house (Myers, 4). He stays in a two-story building in Kew curtilage. The wall is covered completely with carpet. Inside the bedroom, there is a large divalent bed and a large dresser. The living room is richly furnished and colorful curtains all over. There are several pictures smartly arranged on the wall and an ugly likable barometer. Just as the curtains are opened, soft music emerges from the background. It is at this time that Nat, who is a fifty-seven-years- old dressmaker with a bald head is seen comfortably lying on the bed reading a newspaper. At close to midnight, Nat hears a noise that startles him prompting him to stand by the window to lock at what is happening.

Woody Allen portrays death as a funny and humorous character. In the way death acts out, he is seen as very friendly contrary to the real-life situation. Both Nat and Death are equally humorous, when Nat confirms that he was not expecting Death, Death replies in a joking way by asking Nat if he was expecting Rock Hudson. Furthermore, in this play, Death does not have the full capacity and aggressiveness in executing his task. He willingly joins Nat in playing a gin rummy game. There is an agreement that if Nat emerges the winner in the game, Death spares his life for extra 24 hours. On the other hand, if Nat loses the game, Death leaves with him instantly. Allen depicts Death as unthreatening and conversant by impersonating him as an ethical image. That Nat can talk to Death and changes everything modifying death as approachable and less awful. When Nat borrows the idea of winning the game to prolong his life, it clearly shows that life is worth fighting for even if it means only living an extra hour although eventually, one will die (Myers, 12).

There is a great sense of humor right away from simple conversations to acts between Death and Nat. for instance when Nat tells Death that both of them seem to share similar characters, Death replies by saying that it is because he is his death. Surprisingly, death fails to remember what the purpose of the game was. After Nat wins the game, Death wonders where he will spend his next 24 hours. While Death thinks of going to walk on the streets, Nat suggests that he should visit a hotel and probably pay a visit to a movie. However, he is to be careful not to violate federal laws. Death is not satisfied with the results of the game and he urges Nat to recount the scores. Funny enough, (Myers, 16) Death owes Nat some twenty-eight dollars but Death is reluctant to give out as he claims that he will need that money to help Nat move to the Beyond.

Thought the play, both Nat and death are engaged in a casual and comic conversation as if nothing serious is happening. When they should both be fighting or chasing after one another, they rather decide to have a naturally safe and friendly conversation full of negotiations and jokes. Allen has painted Death as an understanding and humorous character in this play.