Kelly Donovan

Mrs Harold

Equus

How does Shaffer use dialogue and other dramatic techniques to present the relationship between Frank and Dora in this extract? (pg 32 35) In your answer you should refer closely to the extract and to one other episode in the play. In this extract, we immediately see the disagreements and contrasting attitudes between Frank and Dora Strang towards Alans behaviour and upbringing. Frank begins by using only short sentences, such as what about it? suggesting he is unwilling to co-operate with Dysart by telling him useful information about Alan. However, later in the play when Frank goes to visit Dysart alone, we see a different attitude as he reveals much more information as he states, I wanted to tell you the other night, but I couldnt in front of Dora, showing the lack of trust he has with his wife. In the first extract, Dora appears to patronise Frank with the repetition of the word dear and use of rhetorical questions. For example, Dora asks, Do you remember? and continues to talk before giving Frank a chance to intervene in the conversation. In the set extract, Dora appears to reveal much more than intended about the reason for Alans crime as she states I always wanted to boy to ride himself and how she told Alan about the word equus, which clearly has a huge impact on Alan as his fascination with that word is so strong. Dora tried to make Alans fascination look normal by saying weve always been a horsey family and tries to ignore the fact Alans fascination with horses is much stronger than those others. Frank makes it clear that he disagrees with the way Dora has forced this information upon Alan and we see that he tries to get a moment alone with Dysart to talk by asking Dora if she had offered the doctor a cup of tea. When Dora leaves the room, he tells Dysart that he hears her whispering that Bible to him, suggesting that he blames Dora for Alans crime and confusion. Frank appears to get frustrated by Doras denial as she states, I dont understand. What are you saying? and he immediately turns away from her suggesting he is being polite as Dysart is there. The contrasting ways of parenting are very apparent in this extract, showing a clear point of disagreement between Frank and Dora. The main theme here appears to be religion as Dora has brought Alan up around it by reading the Bible to him and showing him kinky pictures, which appears to show a clear overlap between the two themes of sex and religion. Frank, however, makes it clear to Dysart that he disagrees with this attitude and puts clear blame on Dora as he says she is excessively religious. When Frank goes to see Dysart he once again shares this attitude as he refers to the Bible as one of those lists his mothers always reading to him. We also see a contrast in parenting when it comes to the subject of sex, as Frank appears to be very uncomfortable when discussing it with Alan. On the other hand, Dora tells Dysart of the romantic view on sex she had described to Alan in the set extract. Frank and Dora appear to have a lack of intimacy in their relationship as in the set extract, when Dora breaks down in sobs, Frank goes over to comfort her but is embarrassed, showing he is not actually sympathetic towards Dora. This lack of intimacy is also apparent in the extract in Act Two when Alan and Frank meet at the skinflick, as we learn that Frank is secretly going to these films without telling Dora, showing once again the lack of trust

Kelly Donovan

Mrs Harold

Equus

in their relationship also. In the set extract, we also see that Frank, Dora and Alan do not appear to have a very family-like attitude towards things as Frank tells Dysart hes my son as well as hers. She doesnt see that, almost as if Frank and Dora were fighting over the custody of Alan.