August Osage County Character Analysis
Cravet 1
Maxim Cravet
ENG 102
Professor Lewis
Main Character
March 9th, 2014
Main Character Synopsis
Tracy Letts drama, ‘August: Osage County’, is a story whose plot focuses on a dysfunctional family’s forced reunion, triggered by the death of the family patriarch,
Beverly Weston. The Weston family and members thereof, are dealing with issues currently at hand and problems from their past, mainly brought on by the actions of the family matriarch, Violet. Throughout the play, all the fights stem out from Violets inappropriate conduct, effectively putting her at the root of the problem. Through her sharp tongue and impulsive behavior, Violet constantly shifts …show more content…
the focus of attention to herself and her issues, affirming her role as the lead character.
Throughout
August: Osage County
, Violet’s nitroglycerine like personality leads the reader to pay attention to her character that much more, awaiting the moment she goes off like dynamite. In the prologue of the play, when the audience is first introduced to Violet, she is high on pills, slurring her words and hallucinating to a certain extent. For example, ‘VIOLET:Why don’t you go fuck a fucking sow’s ass?
BEVERLY: Alright. VIOLET: I’m sorry. I’ll be sickly sweet. I’m soooooooo sweet.
Inelabrially sweet.’(Letts 6) Immediately Violet’s character hooks the reader. She’s inappropriate, foul mouthed, funny and very bipolar.
Cravet 2
In Act I of
August:Osage County Violet is constantly asking for Barbara, yet when she finally arrives, Violet does nothing but criticize, and blame her for …show more content…
Beverly’s death. Following her outburst of anger, Violet effectively manipulates Barbara into feeling guilty for leaving her alone. Violet states, ‘You couldn’t come home when I got cancer but as soon as Beverly disappeared you rushed back BARBARA: I’m sorry... you’re right. I’m sorry.’(pg.35) This shows how well Violet manipulates the situation and those around her, all to her own benefit.
As the play progresses to the funeral dinner, we begin to realize how Violet’s actions control the direction the play heads in.
Violet goes from publicly announcing
Barbara’s failed marriage to criticizing Steve’s past failed marriages and steamrolling
Charlie in the process. Violet exclaims, ‘VIOLET I had that one pegged. I mean, look at him, you can tell he’s been married.’(pg.80) This illustrates how much sway Violet’s actions hold in controlling the overall outcome of the play.
In the final scene of the play, it is quickly revealed that Violet has been withholding information about a note that Beverly has left her. The note most likely included Beverly’s disclosure of his affair with Mattie Fae, and more importantly his will on leaving the contents of the safety deposit box to his daughters. Violet claims that she had known about the affair for quite some time, and that she has been dealing with it accordingly. She exclaims, ‘VIOLET:Oh sure. I never told them I knew. But your father knew. He knew I knew. But we never talked about it. I chose the higher ground.’(pg.132) It seems as though to Violet everything is a game, to prove who’s
the strongest, who the better person is. As Barbara realizes that the safety deposit box took
Cravet 3
priority over Beverly 's life, she kisses her mother and takes her leave. Violet is left alone to deal with the guilt of pushing everyone who has tried to care for her away. After everyone has left Violet is the only Weston left standing in that house, affirming her role as the main character.
In Tracy Lett’s
August: Osage County, the family matriarch Violet, is a funny, sharptongued, and impulsive pill popper, leaving nothing left to be desired of a main character. Her explosive nature always puts her at the root of all problems and often in control of the situation. Violet’s behavior and actions throughout the play lead to the inevitable outcome of her family severing all bonds to her. As the main character Violet learns a harsh but simple lesson: Be nice to people, or sooner or later your own family will want nothing to do with you.
Cravet 4
Works Cited
Letts, Tracy.
August:
Osage County
.
New York
: Theatre Communications Group, 2008.
Pdf
Maxim Cravet
ENG 102
Professor Lewis
Main Character
March 9th, 2014
Main Character Synopsis
Tracy Letts drama, ‘August: Osage County’, is a story whose plot focuses on a dysfunctional family’s forced reunion, triggered by the death of the family patriarch,
Beverly Weston. The Weston family and members thereof, are dealing with issues currently at hand and problems from their past, mainly brought on by the actions of the family matriarch, Violet. Throughout the play, all the fights stem out from Violets inappropriate conduct, effectively putting her at the root of the problem. Through her sharp tongue and impulsive behavior, Violet constantly shifts …show more content…
the focus of attention to herself and her issues, affirming her role as the lead character.
Throughout
August: Osage County
, Violet’s nitroglycerine like personality leads the reader to pay attention to her character that much more, awaiting the moment she goes off like dynamite. In the prologue of the play, when the audience is first introduced to Violet, she is high on pills, slurring her words and hallucinating to a certain extent. For example, ‘VIOLET:Why don’t you go fuck a fucking sow’s ass?
BEVERLY: Alright. VIOLET: I’m sorry. I’ll be sickly sweet. I’m soooooooo sweet.
Inelabrially sweet.’(Letts 6) Immediately Violet’s character hooks the reader. She’s inappropriate, foul mouthed, funny and very bipolar.
Cravet 2
In Act I of
August:Osage County Violet is constantly asking for Barbara, yet when she finally arrives, Violet does nothing but criticize, and blame her for …show more content…
Beverly’s death. Following her outburst of anger, Violet effectively manipulates Barbara into feeling guilty for leaving her alone. Violet states, ‘You couldn’t come home when I got cancer but as soon as Beverly disappeared you rushed back BARBARA: I’m sorry... you’re right. I’m sorry.’(pg.35) This shows how well Violet manipulates the situation and those around her, all to her own benefit.
As the play progresses to the funeral dinner, we begin to realize how Violet’s actions control the direction the play heads in.
Violet goes from publicly announcing
Barbara’s failed marriage to criticizing Steve’s past failed marriages and steamrolling
Charlie in the process. Violet exclaims, ‘VIOLET I had that one pegged. I mean, look at him, you can tell he’s been married.’(pg.80) This illustrates how much sway Violet’s actions hold in controlling the overall outcome of the play.
In the final scene of the play, it is quickly revealed that Violet has been withholding information about a note that Beverly has left her. The note most likely included Beverly’s disclosure of his affair with Mattie Fae, and more importantly his will on leaving the contents of the safety deposit box to his daughters. Violet claims that she had known about the affair for quite some time, and that she has been dealing with it accordingly. She exclaims, ‘VIOLET:Oh sure. I never told them I knew. But your father knew. He knew I knew. But we never talked about it. I chose the higher ground.’(pg.132) It seems as though to Violet everything is a game, to prove who’s
the strongest, who the better person is. As Barbara realizes that the safety deposit box took
Cravet 3
priority over Beverly 's life, she kisses her mother and takes her leave. Violet is left alone to deal with the guilt of pushing everyone who has tried to care for her away. After everyone has left Violet is the only Weston left standing in that house, affirming her role as the main character.
In Tracy Lett’s
August: Osage County, the family matriarch Violet, is a funny, sharptongued, and impulsive pill popper, leaving nothing left to be desired of a main character. Her explosive nature always puts her at the root of all problems and often in control of the situation. Violet’s behavior and actions throughout the play lead to the inevitable outcome of her family severing all bonds to her. As the main character Violet learns a harsh but simple lesson: Be nice to people, or sooner or later your own family will want nothing to do with you.
Cravet 4
Works Cited
Letts, Tracy.
August:
Osage County
.
New York
: Theatre Communications Group, 2008.