Carmen Jones Play - Essay Example

Carmen Jones The Purpose of this paper, is to discuss a particular play, first seen in 1943. This play deals Heavily with a myriad of issues from World War II to gender issues, to racial issues and finally to love and crimes of passion. This particular piece can be classified in the genre of tragic-period pieces which are set as musicals. The aspect of making the piece into a musical allows for the breadth of dialogue pertinent to this story, to be adequately displayed and understood. Multiple elements play an important role in the intricate layers of this story, such as war, being a woman, being black, segregation and social classes. Carmen Jones was a 1943 musical which was later adapted to film in 1954. Much of the original cast was African American during a time in this country when segregation was still prominent. This fictional story is centered around one character by the name of Carmen Jones and is done so in musical fashion. Carmen Jones is a young woman who makes parachutes for the flyboys in the American military. Incidentally, Carmen falls in love with one flyboy in particular named Joe. Joe however, is initially in love with another girl by the name of Cindy Lou. Joe intends to marry Cindy Lou on his next day of leave only to spurn Carmen’s jealousy enough to cause her to destroy a parachute. Since the parachute is government property, Carmen is in danger of getting in to trouble for doing so, so she must flea and does so with Joe. As they run off together, Carmen is able to both enchant and seduce Joe, who quickly forgets about Cindy Lou. As a result, Joe does not return to his post as he is supposed to and therefore is court marshaled. Carmen in the meantime, meets a boxer in a saloon who invites her and her friends to attend his next boxing match. At first, Carmen does not consent to go but then later sees the wealth bestowed on her friends by Husky the boxer, and so therefore decides to accept the advances of Husky while rejecting Joe altogether. While at the apartment of Husky the boxer, Carmen has her cards read to her wherein she learns that death is soon coming for her. Additionally, Joe is confronted with Cindy Lou who wishes fro him to return to her and marry her. He rejects her completely as he is in love with Carmen. Incidentally, it is Joe who comes for her shortly after this in hopes of convincing her to come back to him. When she rejects him, he kills her thereby fulfilling the prophecy of the cards. In looking at the multi-layered themes of this piece, there is a lot to consider about the time period in which is both created and then set. The period is indicative of World War II and how that war seemed to overshadow and even influence virtually all relationships or lifestyles for those living in the times. The piece can be said to be a tragedy-period piece which is also a musical, but even though the predominant aspects of love, loss, relationships and even race are on the surface of the story, all of these aspects are attached to the idea that there is a war going on and every person for whom this play is about, is touched by that aspect. Carmen Jones is the main character of the play, and she is working within a parachute factory which creates parachutes fro the military. She meets Joe, who is incidentally a flyboy. The back and forth of emotions between these two is constantly overshadowed by the complexities of war going on around them. Ultimately, Carmen decides on someone else but is then murdered by the heartbroken Joe. This is an all too familiar reminder of the many soldiers who were in love with a woman back home and eventually, received a “dear John” letter saying that the woman they love has opted to be with another man. These were soldiers who were able to cope with the horrors of war by means of their love for another individual who waited fro them at home. That type of diversion kept many soldiers sane. On the inverse however, many who were dismissed by the woman that they loved, for another man, found themselves completely unable to cope and often times acting out in a violent rage. Similarly, from Carmen’s perspective, Carmen seems to be floundering about for the best possible outcome with men and life itself. She initially is smitten with Joe the flyboy but later switches her affections to Husky the boxer, as she is caught up in the notion of riches and grandeur that a life with him will offer. This view point says a great deal about women in general at this time in America. Women were considered to be more of a second class citizen and the only real avenue a woman could peruse in order to do well for herself, was to marry rich or at least to marry well-off. Carmen may not have necessarily been acting on feelings as much as she was acting on instincts and a primal survival mechanism instilled into her as she was a woman in a man’s world. Carmen’s initial infatuation with Joe, quickly turned to Husky when she realized the riches and securities he could provide. For a woman in America, during World War II and an economic depression, choosing a man based on his income, social ranking and status, meant making a lifetime decision to either be cared for or to live in want for the rest of her life. This tragic musical not only speaks to society about the all consuming forces of war as well as the burdens of being a woman, but also about racial issues and struggles. Several of the original adaptations of this piece utilized an all African American cast. It was hard enough during those times to be a woman, but to be a black woman who is seeking reprieve from want by finding a mate, was a challenge beyond what most of us can understand today. Though the country had long since been free of the institution of slavery, the institution of segregation lingered heavily over society. Carmen was not only a woman caught up in the patriarchy of a man’s world but also in the aftermath of a country that had just abolished the institution of slavery. Many Americans at the time were from the school of thought that African Americans were not equals with other races of people and that they should be kept from enjoying the same liberties as others. This caused a great deal of racial tension at the time as well as oppression to those who happened to be African American. The language of the piece is akin to mid twentieth century dialect spoken by many African Americans. This allows the audience to more readily identify with the reality of the situation unfolding before them on stage. This piece overall, is a rich kaleidoscope of relevant topics of the time both then and now. The issues surrounding class, race, war and even love are seemingly eternal complexities that are faced every day around the world. Carmen Jones manages to effortlessly bring all of these elements together in such a way as to remind its audience of the folly of being human. Works Cited: “Carmen Jones” (2006) Musical Heaven, retrieved 20 July, 2008 from website at: http://www.musicalheaven.com/Detailed/947.html Time Magazine, CNN (2008) “The 25 Most Important Films on Race” retrieved 20 July, 2008 from website at:http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1709148_1709 143_1709650,00.html Otto Preminger, (1954) “Carmen Jones” film adaptation, retrieved online 20 July, 2008 from website at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695937/ Read More