August Wilson's Play Gem of the Ocean - Case Study Example

Visual Arts and Film Studies 26 Jan. Response paper on August Wilson’s play Gem of the Ocean This paper focuses on August Wilson’s play ‘Gem of the Ocean’. Through the analysis of August Wilson’s ‘Gem of the Ocean’, the focus is also given on the relevant African and American theatres. American theatre is a new tradition as compared to African theatre. The Thesis sentence being argued is, is African American history associated with the Gem of the Ocean? The African American history is said to be associated with the August Wilson’s play Gem of the Ocean. ‘Gem of the ocean’ is a play written by eminent American playwright August Wilson. The plot of the play is set in the year 1904 and the main characters are Aunt Tyler, Citizen Barlow, Solly two kings, Black Mary, Caesar Eli and Selig. Aunt Tyler is the central character of the play and is a former slave who is now a soul cleanser. Prompt I: African American History & Gem of the Ocean: The end of the nineteenth century saw a radical transformation and the blacks got more rights as compared to the previous decades. African Americans experienced huge mental trauma especially during post slavery era and the US laws were less significant in reducing the effect on the African Americans. Even though there had been a number of US legislations, yet Slavery seemed to be an inborn part of the African American. There were no more options available to an African American other than being either forced into Slavery or becoming the servant of whites. The blacks completely resisted Slavery and treated it to be the most dreadful act that a person could face in his life. Evidence Supporting Point: Citizen Barlow’s dialogue in the book in page number 59 which states that “making the people owe is worse than slavery and Solly’s dialogues of Ain’t ……………….ground” Citizen Barlow states that slavery is better than making the people owe to you but Solly emphasizes that Slavery is the most dreadful crime committed on a human. Evidence Supporting Point: The blacks had separate sleeping places and could not become an eminent part in the society and were treated differently. Black Mary’s dialogue: “He probably goes down under the Brady Street Bridge to sleep. They got a whole bunch of people sleeping down there.” In page 10 in the book, there is a clear indication of how badly the Africans were treated. Black Mary refers to the African Americans, who are usually assigned separate sleeping places and in this play they usually sleep under the Brady Street Bridge. Prompt II: Aunt Ester: One of the most interesting things about the play is the characters. When I read it, the first thing that strikes me is the age of the main character Aunt Ester, who holds 285 years of experience with her. I think that the author did this to talk effectively about the background of the African American when they were slaves of the white people. Aunt Esther used to be a troubled soul but her years of experiences turned her into a wise person. She holds on to the memories of the entire history of the Africans in America, “People say you crazy to remember. But I ain’t afraid to remember. I try to remember out loud. I keep my memories alive. I feed them. I got to feed them otherwise they’d eat me up. I got memories go way back. I’m carrying them for a lot of folk” (Walseth par. 1). The age of Aunt Esther may be unreal for many readers but I feel that it is very effective to make others remember about the slavery days and how the Africans were treated in those days. It also illustrates the fact that they have come from a long line of abuse and hardships which continues till the 1904’s. Aunt Esther represents the old traditions while Black Mary, her successor represents the forward thinking African American. She likes to do things her own way, “It’s been three years now.  I can’t do nothing to satisfy you.  I may as well lay down somewhere and forget about it…Your way ain’t always the best way.  I got my own way and that’s the way I’m doing it.  If I stay around here I’m doing my own way” (Wilson 74). All the characters are in their own way trying to make a better life for themselves and their community despite the fact that everything around them work against their well being.  Evidence Supporting Point: Citizen’s dialogue in page 7 to Eli in which he says adamantly that “I ain’t going nowhere till I see Aunt Ester.” And the tussle between the two of them after which Aunt Ester enters and asks Citizen to come on Tuesday to which citizen takes back his hat and goes. Even when Citizen shows such eagerness and creates a scene in order to meet Aunt Ester, yet Aunt Ester claims that she will be available only on Tuesdays and he should come only on that day. In this way, her character is displayed as that of a strict disciplinarian. The character of Aunt Ester is very religious in nature. Throughout the play a large number of dialogues and the development of the scenes indicate this, but the foremost in the play is when Selig takes leave of Aunt Ester then Aunt Ester’s dialogue “Aunt Ester: you take care…….May god blesses you and keeps you in the palm of his hand.” In page 81, there is a clear indication that Aunt Ester is a very religious person and believes in God and his supreme powers. Aunt Ester is considered to be of 85 years and is the central character in the play. Acting as a cleaner or healer of souls, this needs supernatural powers and thus, calls for firm and positive religious beliefs. Her interaction with all the characters in the play, especially with Citizen is wonderful. Her friendship with Solly is also admirable. Black Mary, Eli and Selig are important persons in Aunt Ester’s life. Prompt III: Character and History in Gem of the Ocean: The African American history and character is very adequately displayed in August Wilson’s Gem of the ocean. This play revealed that even though African Americans revolution brought about changes in the historical books, in actual life in the twentieth century there were not many changes in the lifestyle of the African Americans. Slavery was an integral part of the social life and the blacks were treated like wastes in society. They were given no respect in life as well as in death. Evidence Supporting Point: Eli’s dialogue in Act 1 scene 1 in page 11 in which he says that “they were supposed to bury him yesterday out of Reverend flower’s church but Caesar stopped them. He went upto …… the law”. The burial of Garret Brown at the Reverend flower’s church was against the Christian law according to Caesar and so he resisted it at the first instance. But it is also a sarcastic statement that because Caesar had never gone to the church for 30 years and was talking about Christian law. Caesar did not allow him to be buried at Reverend Flower’s church simply because he lost the chance of arresting him. The important thing was Garret Brown was a black and therefore Caesar intended to punish him brutally by putting him behind bars but Garret resisted it by taking away his own life. Since Caesar could not get hold of him in life, he did not allow Garret to be given clean burial. This shows the amount of disrespect with which the blacks are treated. The Captain of the Gem of the Ocean: He took all the water and left the crew to die. But they survived. They followed the law of the sea. Life is above all. God raised it to a great height. “Live, Mr. Citizen. Live to the fullest.” In page 71 in the book an important dialogue is passed Aunt Ester and says that in times of crisis, the captain escapes leaving the crew behind. But destiny saves the crew even when the captain left them out in order to simply establish that for each person life is above all. So ensure life is lived up to its fullest. Caesar is asked to live life to its fullest. Evidence Supporting Point: The slaves were treated very indifferently and they considered themselves to be a part of a band. Solly’s song: “I belong to the band………………talking about that railroad band.” In page no 12 of the book, Solly is 67 years old and he considers himself to be a part of the railroad band. Solly was a previous slave and had faced a number of humiliations. This play particularly emphasizes the hardships faced by the African Americans in the twentieth century and their turmoil experiences of slavery. The aftermath experience of the African American after the slavery period is also a harrowing experience and this is exhibited through the play. Work Cited Walseth, Stephanie Lein. Gem of the Ocean: Dramaturgical Essay: Remember, Restore, Redeem. Penumbra Theatre. 2012. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. Wilson, August. Gem of the Ocean. Theatre Communications Group. New York. 2006. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. 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