An analysis on how peter shaffer effectively created an atmosphere of tension throughout his play "Equus"

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An analysis on how peter shaffer effectively created an atmosphere of tension throughout his play "Equus"

        The play “Equus” by Peter Schaffer is perhaps one of the most famous and controversial plays written in the twentieth century. Based on an actual incident in real life, it is best remembered for its inventive plot, enigmatic characters and intense scenes. The story begins after the protagonist, Alan Strang, blinded six horses with a hoof-pick for no apparent reason. A psychiatrist is then called upon to find out why Alan committed the crime. The play then uses this journey of discovery to explore the theme of materialism versus spirituality in the modern world. A particularly memorable aspect of the play is the fact that the atmosphere is always full of tension and suspense which becomes increasingly apparent as the plot progresses. This essay will examine some examples of how the writer achieved this effect through his creative use of dramatic techniques.

        The tense atmosphere which is prevalent throughout the play is prepared right from the start. Prior to the main body of dialogue, the writer meticulously describes the environment for the performance in a special “Setting” section, written in prose.  The most important, and unusual, specification is that “All the cast of ‘Equus’ sits on stage the entire evening...They are witnesses and assistants...” (p. 13) This means that only a minority of space on stage is actually used for acting. Also, as the number of visible performers remains constant, the stage will appear to be more crowded at the start than the audience is suited to. Added to the fact that the stalls in the theatre are normally full, it is likely that an inescapable sense of claustrophobia would be created. Furthermore, the cast members are “witnesses” which means they share the experience of watching the play. At a basic level this will generate an air of expectation as greater than normal importance has been so obviously placed on the small but significant performing area. In addition, during the play the presence of the full cast also encourages the audience to maintain their concentration on the performance. All of these things ensure that the ongoing scene will have the undivided attention of all those in attendance. As a consequence, over the course of the play the viewers will become gradually more perceptive to the developing tension as they are compelled to watch the uneasy interactions and dialogues on stage.

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        Now that the audience has been conditioned for the play, the atmosphere must be created by using a variety of dramatic devices. One of these is the use of frequent monologues by the character Dysart, the child psychiatrist who was employed to discover why Alan Strang blinded the horses. The use of monologues, where the character delivers a solo speech to those watching the play, is a device that was used extensively by Schaffer and many well-know playwrights before him. Here in “Equus”, the monologues are used to reveal to the audience Dysart’s own thoughts and doubts but also more ...

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