Samantha Singal Leaney AP English, Period 8 December 17, 2013

Scene Chosen:

Act Two, scene 35

Meaning of Scene: Dysart realizes his profession as a psychiatrist strips the children he practices on of their passion and individuality. Success is defined by Dysarts ability to make Alan acceptable to society and take away his pain. Technique: Discussion: Paradox and anagnorisis Through the use of anagnorisis and paradox in his play Equus, Shaffer reveals the destructive impact of psychiatry on not only the patients passion by creating a shade of his or her former self, but also on the doctor, breeding doubt and bitterness regarding the moral ethics of his profession. Hesthers insistence that Dysart can take [Alans pain] away (107) prompts Dysarts anagnorisis. He realizes that to fit Alan into societys mold, Dysart will have to carve out the parts of the boy that make him unique, the parts that allow him to experience both pain and love. Success in Dysarts profession requires him to [deliver Alan] from madness so that hell feel himself acceptable, but in doing so, the fierceness with which Alan feels will be blunted and numbed. An example of paradox, to heal the rash on [Alans] body and erase the welts cut

into his mind by flying manes, Dysart must destroy Alans passion. Dysart will extinguish the light in the boy with nothing to gain and everything to lose. Dysarts realization that his hands are stained with such irreversible, terminal things (108) results in his perception of himself as both master and slave. Dysart, in the last line of the play, becomes equus, in [his] mouth, this sharp chain. And it never comes out. He acts as master by wielding the authority of a medical degree and assumed stability of mind over his patients, but Dysart is a slave to his profession, obligated to cure his patients of the qualities which isolate them from societys definition of normal and therefore aid in the destruction of their humanity. Dysart cannot cure Alan without hurting him but he also cannot force societys acceptance; either way, Dysart will fail, and it is because of this that the play ends with his desperate pleading to an unresponsive audience.