Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Characters



Characters



Dodge [in his 70s]

This is the main and one of the most important characters in the play. He is in the middle of everything. He is sick and he has to put up with his annoying and watchful wife. He is very protective of his oldest son - Tilden. Dodge is addicted to whiskey and cigarettes. He also sneaks them out sometimes. Most of his time he spends watching televising, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. However, it wasn't always like that. He used to be a strong, successful and energetic leader of his family and farm. But after his wife conceived a child with their oldest son, he hasn't been the same since. This tragic mishap shamed him good and changed his life forever.

Halie [in her mid 60s]

This is Dodge's wife. At the beginning, she seems like she is this quiet calm wife, causing no problems. She keeps herself away from her family and she imagines and fantasize about a better life than she already has. It seems like she is completely ignoring the nastiness around her. Halie is hypocritical and promiscuous. Although she might seem to you like a saint, she has affairs with the minister and most likely with other men as well.





Tilden [oldest son]
This is Halie and Dodge's oldest son. He is the one who had an incestuous affair with his mother. The body of their child is buried on their backyard. Tilden used to be a football palyer and his parents expected great things from him. But it didn't quite happen and Tilden went astray. Apparently he got into a trouble in New Mexico and was banned from the state. So he went back home.






Bradley [middle son]
This is Halie and Dodge's middle son. Unlike Tilden, he wasn't expected to do great thing in life. Supposedly, he is the one that got the least attention from his parents. When he was young, his one leg got accidentally cut off with a chainsaw. As an adult, he no longer lives with his parents but still visits them very often. Bradley is mean, violent and vicious man.



Vince [Tilden's son]
He is portrayed as a prodigal son who keeps searching for his roots, meaning and acknowledgment. He has a beautiful girlfriend - Shelly. One day he decides to take Shelly on a trip to see his father, Tilden. Along the way, they stop for a visit to see his grandparents, Dodge and Halie.








Shelly [Vince's girlfriend]
She is kind of an outside in this particular play. She is way too normal for them. By them I mean the rest of the family. Vince told her a little bit about his family. He gave her the idea that his family is this typical, happy American family, which is so untrue. Once she meets them, she is terrified and intimidated by them.



Father Dewis [Protestant minister]
This is the minister who hailed had an affair with. He has the smallest part in the play and as well as Shelly he is an outsider. He is inept and unable to dealt with the family issues. He is unwilling to even try and to provide a help. Halie tries to convince him to tell the City Council to put some statue that would honor her dead son, Ansel. Father Dewis represents the immorality and helplessness of the church.


Friday, February 3, 2012

Buried Child by Sam Shepard



Buried Child

by


Sam Shepard




Buried Child is a play written by Sam Shepard. It came out in 1978 and premiered in Magic Theater in San Francisco, California. One year later it won the 1979 Pulitzer Price for Drama. 

The author Sam Shepard was born on November 5, 1943 in Illinois. He is an American playwright, actor and film director. His biggest hit is probably Buried Child, but some of his other great works are:
  • Curse of the Starving Class
  • Fool for Love
  • A Lie of the Mind


I chose Buried Child, because I thought it would be the most interesting one out of his works. It is a drama which portrays the disintegration of American farming family dealing with disappointment and disillusionment with American mythology and American dream. They must also cope with the 1970s rural economic slowdown reflecting the poverty of  farms and people living in hunger. Moreover the traditional family structures and values are completely torn apart amongst their family.




Summary:

Name of the play: Buried Child
Author: Sam Shepard
Premiered: June 27, 1978 [Magic Theater, San Francisco, CA]
Awards: Pulitzer Price for Drama
Language: English
Genre: Drama
Setting: Farm house in Illinois, 1978
Characters:
  • Bradley
  • Dodge
  • Tilden
  • Father Dewis
  • Shelly
  • Halie
  • Vince