Tony Kushner's Angels In America
“Angels in America” is without a doubt Tony Kushner’s finest work. Even though it was published in 1993, the play constructs a picture of the gay society in the 1980s. America in the 1980s was dominated by both conservative ideology after Ronald Reagan won the presidency in 1981 and AIDS virus. Ronald Reagan stressed the importance of religious freedom and it, desirably or undesirably, affects the gay community at such time. The most dominant religion in America is Christianity, and such religion taught that intercourse between people of the same sex is unacceptable. Moreover, the fact that Reagan “virtually ignored the AIDS crisis” (Crary) devastated the gay community at the time. Kushner captures such society into his play and uses it to convey his messages. Through Angels in America, Kushner calls for recognizing and accepting of
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gay right as well as calling for reunion of people to move forward by the way of respecting others idea. Moreover, he rises awareness to the disastrous effects of Reagan being unresponsive to AIDS through showing how it can affect peoples’ life.
The historic context in which Angels in America was written is unique. In 1981, America elected Ronald Reagan, arguably the most conservative president in the history of the country. President Reagan let his faith “permeated every part of his life and therefore played a major role in shaping his views on every subject”, and rather than going to church, he “brought the church to his presidency.” (Goode) Religious freedom is the core of Reagan’s policies, and Christianity thrived under his presidency. Another major event that occurred was the spread of AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), a syndrome that was caused by HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus). It spread through sexual interaction and was the most popular as well as devastated syndrome in the gay community. By 1987, “20,000 Americans had died of its complications.”(Crary) The gay community at such time was captured by Tony Kushner.
While Americans enjoy practicing their religions, it is not without its consequences. Christianity is the most dominant religion in America. Since Christianity dismisses same sex marriage and homosexuals, gay people suffer complicated social issues. While the society did not explicitly express its hatred toward gay people, in order to assimilate, homosexuals felt the need of enclosing themselves. They suffers the hardship of identifying themselves as a homosexual since it contradicted with the general acceptance as well as their religion. These issues are addresses through struggle to self-identity of Roy Kohn and Joe Pitt. The spread of AIDS disease and how slow the Reagan administration responded to it as Reagan himself “didn't make his first public comments about AIDS until 1987” (Crary) also concerns Kushner. While it is argued that since Ronald Reagan cut taxes and government programs led to it being unresponsive to the issue, Kushner believes the fact that the disease is spread mostly among gay people affects his responding. Kushner expresses his idea the struggle against AIDS of Prior Walter, Roy Cohn, as well as the appearance of angel.
While homosexuals today enjoy the gender identity, gays in 1980s didn’t have such privilege as they faced contradiction between their gender and power. The general belief that gay has no power is reflected through the character Roy Cohn, a closeted gay who befriend with Ronald and his wife, Nancy Reagan. Roy is a powerful and corrupted lawyer. Roy labeled gays as weak and powerless, stating they are “men who know nobody, and who nobody knows.” (Kushner) He denies his true gender. He believes by doing so, he would lose his political power. As much as Roy denies being a homosexual, it does not exclude himself from AIDS since he still has sexual relationship with men. However, since AIDS is linked to gays, Roy denies having it. He stated “AIDS is what homosexuals have. I have liver cancer.” (Kushner) The statement clearly showed Roy avoidance toward homosexuality. He believed admitting to having AIDS will “impacts his ability to maintain political clout.” (Harris Ramsby) Roy is obsessed with power so much that he would avoid admitted to being gay even when he is dying. Through Roy’s “avoidance of homosexual labels to maintain political weight,” (Harris Ramsby) Kushner addresses the powerlessness of gay under Reagan presidency. He believes that the only way for gay people to thrive is to enclose their gender. It is also worth pointing out that while thousands of gay people are dying from AIDS, only powerful and closeted gay like Roy Cohn has access to AZT, a drug that was believed to cure AIDS. Kushner also challenged the idea that gay people are powerless through the survival of Prior Walter. While powerful the figure Roy Cohn has direct access to AZT, he did not survive the disease. It is Prior, an open gay, that makes it through. Through Prior stating he is “a gay man” who is “used to pressure, to trouble”, “tough and strong”, Kushner believes that an open gay man has his own power. The contradiction between religion and gender identity is also addressed by Kushner, mostly through the character Joe Pitt. While Joe is a Mormon, not a Christian, he suppressed “the fact (with diminishing success) that he is a homosexual.” (Omer-sherman) Joe identifying himself as a Mormon contradicted his true gender, and it led to him having an unhappy relationship with a woman. Kushner pointed out how a religion-base society can affect one’s right. He believes by creating such society, God has “abandons his loved ones,” and while America guarantees “equality for all,” it “bent on excluding homosexuals from the full rights of citizenship.” (Omer-sherman) Joe, who “initially thinks he will go to hell for succumbing to homoerotic leanings and thinks he must kill off that buried identity”, learns to live with his “homosexual selves.” (Omer-sherman) Hannah Pitts, Joe’s mom, would also take care of Prior even though she “in the first part is repulsed when her son Joe reveals he is gay.” (Omer-sherman) The fact that his characters grows out of their religion zone and accept homosexuals convey Kushner message and call for people of all belief to move forward and accept homosexuality as a gender. Kushner stirs controversy with his decision to abandon Joe, a “just out-of-the-closet gay character who flees the "lie" of his marriage” (Omer-sherman), as Joe is the only person not being forgiven at the end of the play. The abandon of Joe represents the abandon of gay Christians who admit to being gay. It is certain that Kushner is not an advocate for religion since he has Louis Ironson, the character that is believed to best represent Kushner’s political stand point, states: “There is no God.” While Kushner accepts both Hannah, who is Joe’s mother and a non-gay Christian, Joe is dismissed because of his political belief and religion. This shows how serious Kushner is about his political belief. The abandon of Joe represents Kushner’s rejection of Conservatism. It is also worth pointing out while Roy, a Conservative, is forgiven, he still rotted in hell instead of making it to heaven. However, it is arguable that Joe should be accepted since he has abandon his religion in order to assimilate. Some critics still believe “the reason for his abandonment is a kind of selfish, self-indulgent whim, like the reason for Louis's abandonment of Prior.” (Omer-Sherman) Two of the biggest topics addresses in Angels in America are progressivism and the suffering of gay community because of AIDS. His use of the interaction between angels and Prior metaphorically addresses his belief. The angels called for humanity to stop progressing. This, in a way, represents President Reagan believes in traditional value and religion. Kushner rejects such ideology. Toward the end of the play, Prior says to the angels “We can’t stop. We’re not rocks—progress, migration, motion is modernity.” (Kushner) Moreover, all the characters progresses. Joe, a Mormon, admits to being gay. Harper Pitts becomes more independent. Hannah Pitts accepts gay as a gender. The characters “will have not only experienced, but embraced, startling changes and shifts in identity.” (Omar-sherman) Kushner makes his message clear: progressing is inevitable.
Kushner called AIDS “the worst, most dangerous moment the human race has ever faced.” (Omer-Sherman) and he believes “Reagan administration’s long silence stoked the plague of the AIDS virus.” (Harris Ramsby). He would also implicitly state that the fact that AIDS is a disease mostly among gay people is one of the reason for the slow response. The angel, again, represents his ideologies. While the angels “is fully aware of AIDS and its death sentence for many, she doesn’t really want to help.” (Harris Ramsby) It is certain that the spread of AIDS reaches the White House, but President Reagan choose to ignore it until six years into the plague. The Angel, instead of providing them with a cure, wants human to stop progressing. Kushner conveys a message that “the Angel and Reagan’s ideological (…) demand he and his fellow AIDS sufferers must be stopped, silenced, die.” (Harris Ramsby) Kushner rejects such idea through the development of Prior. Prior, who used to believe AIDS is a “plague” on his community and “faggots” are “bad dream(s) that the world is having,” (Kushner) survives AIDS and express his objection to not progressing. Kushner shows how “human society has become fossilized over time, unwilling to acknowledge the humanity of homosexuals.” (Omer-sherman) He also wants to send a message that while letting AIDS spread can lead to the death of thousands of gays, it does not stop them nor the society from moving forward and achieve equality.
Kushner’s “Angels in America” addresses issues within the gay community during the 1980s when America is dominated by the idea of Conservatism.
Through the complexity in the life of Roy Cohn, Kushner rejects the idea that in order to become powerful, gay people must enclosed themselves. He presented that open gay can also be strong through the character Prior suffering and surviving AIDS. Religion, under Kushner view, also blocks homosexuals from their true identity, but it won’t stop them forever as unhappiness will drive human to their true identity. Joe Pitts proves his point as he grows out of his religion and accept his identity. The spread of AIDS and Progressivism are also addressed. Kushner believe Reagan is responsible for the disastrous effect of AIDS as he, as well as the angel, acknowledges the disease but doesn’t response to it. The development of characters throughout the play marks a statement that while AIDS kills a large number of gay people, it does not stop them from advocating for their rights. Overall, Kushner calls for people of all religions to dismiss their differences and accept homosexuals into the
community.
gay right as well as calling for reunion of people to move forward by the way of respecting others idea. Moreover, he rises awareness to the disastrous effects of Reagan being unresponsive to AIDS through showing how it can affect peoples’ life.
The historic context in which Angels in America was written is unique. In 1981, America elected Ronald Reagan, arguably the most conservative president in the history of the country. President Reagan let his faith “permeated every part of his life and therefore played a major role in shaping his views on every subject”, and rather than going to church, he “brought the church to his presidency.” (Goode) Religious freedom is the core of Reagan’s policies, and Christianity thrived under his presidency. Another major event that occurred was the spread of AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), a syndrome that was caused by HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus). It spread through sexual interaction and was the most popular as well as devastated syndrome in the gay community. By 1987, “20,000 Americans had died of its complications.”(Crary) The gay community at such time was captured by Tony Kushner.
While Americans enjoy practicing their religions, it is not without its consequences. Christianity is the most dominant religion in America. Since Christianity dismisses same sex marriage and homosexuals, gay people suffer complicated social issues. While the society did not explicitly express its hatred toward gay people, in order to assimilate, homosexuals felt the need of enclosing themselves. They suffers the hardship of identifying themselves as a homosexual since it contradicted with the general acceptance as well as their religion. These issues are addresses through struggle to self-identity of Roy Kohn and Joe Pitt. The spread of AIDS disease and how slow the Reagan administration responded to it as Reagan himself “didn't make his first public comments about AIDS until 1987” (Crary) also concerns Kushner. While it is argued that since Ronald Reagan cut taxes and government programs led to it being unresponsive to the issue, Kushner believes the fact that the disease is spread mostly among gay people affects his responding. Kushner expresses his idea the struggle against AIDS of Prior Walter, Roy Cohn, as well as the appearance of angel.
While homosexuals today enjoy the gender identity, gays in 1980s didn’t have such privilege as they faced contradiction between their gender and power. The general belief that gay has no power is reflected through the character Roy Cohn, a closeted gay who befriend with Ronald and his wife, Nancy Reagan. Roy is a powerful and corrupted lawyer. Roy labeled gays as weak and powerless, stating they are “men who know nobody, and who nobody knows.” (Kushner) He denies his true gender. He believes by doing so, he would lose his political power. As much as Roy denies being a homosexual, it does not exclude himself from AIDS since he still has sexual relationship with men. However, since AIDS is linked to gays, Roy denies having it. He stated “AIDS is what homosexuals have. I have liver cancer.” (Kushner) The statement clearly showed Roy avoidance toward homosexuality. He believed admitting to having AIDS will “impacts his ability to maintain political clout.” (Harris Ramsby) Roy is obsessed with power so much that he would avoid admitted to being gay even when he is dying. Through Roy’s “avoidance of homosexual labels to maintain political weight,” (Harris Ramsby) Kushner addresses the powerlessness of gay under Reagan presidency. He believes that the only way for gay people to thrive is to enclose their gender. It is also worth pointing out that while thousands of gay people are dying from AIDS, only powerful and closeted gay like Roy Cohn has access to AZT, a drug that was believed to cure AIDS. Kushner also challenged the idea that gay people are powerless through the survival of Prior Walter. While powerful the figure Roy Cohn has direct access to AZT, he did not survive the disease. It is Prior, an open gay, that makes it through. Through Prior stating he is “a gay man” who is “used to pressure, to trouble”, “tough and strong”, Kushner believes that an open gay man has his own power. The contradiction between religion and gender identity is also addressed by Kushner, mostly through the character Joe Pitt. While Joe is a Mormon, not a Christian, he suppressed “the fact (with diminishing success) that he is a homosexual.” (Omer-sherman) Joe identifying himself as a Mormon contradicted his true gender, and it led to him having an unhappy relationship with a woman. Kushner pointed out how a religion-base society can affect one’s right. He believes by creating such society, God has “abandons his loved ones,” and while America guarantees “equality for all,” it “bent on excluding homosexuals from the full rights of citizenship.” (Omer-sherman) Joe, who “initially thinks he will go to hell for succumbing to homoerotic leanings and thinks he must kill off that buried identity”, learns to live with his “homosexual selves.” (Omer-sherman) Hannah Pitts, Joe’s mom, would also take care of Prior even though she “in the first part is repulsed when her son Joe reveals he is gay.” (Omer-sherman) The fact that his characters grows out of their religion zone and accept homosexuals convey Kushner message and call for people of all belief to move forward and accept homosexuality as a gender. Kushner stirs controversy with his decision to abandon Joe, a “just out-of-the-closet gay character who flees the "lie" of his marriage” (Omer-sherman), as Joe is the only person not being forgiven at the end of the play. The abandon of Joe represents the abandon of gay Christians who admit to being gay. It is certain that Kushner is not an advocate for religion since he has Louis Ironson, the character that is believed to best represent Kushner’s political stand point, states: “There is no God.” While Kushner accepts both Hannah, who is Joe’s mother and a non-gay Christian, Joe is dismissed because of his political belief and religion. This shows how serious Kushner is about his political belief. The abandon of Joe represents Kushner’s rejection of Conservatism. It is also worth pointing out while Roy, a Conservative, is forgiven, he still rotted in hell instead of making it to heaven. However, it is arguable that Joe should be accepted since he has abandon his religion in order to assimilate. Some critics still believe “the reason for his abandonment is a kind of selfish, self-indulgent whim, like the reason for Louis's abandonment of Prior.” (Omer-Sherman) Two of the biggest topics addresses in Angels in America are progressivism and the suffering of gay community because of AIDS. His use of the interaction between angels and Prior metaphorically addresses his belief. The angels called for humanity to stop progressing. This, in a way, represents President Reagan believes in traditional value and religion. Kushner rejects such ideology. Toward the end of the play, Prior says to the angels “We can’t stop. We’re not rocks—progress, migration, motion is modernity.” (Kushner) Moreover, all the characters progresses. Joe, a Mormon, admits to being gay. Harper Pitts becomes more independent. Hannah Pitts accepts gay as a gender. The characters “will have not only experienced, but embraced, startling changes and shifts in identity.” (Omar-sherman) Kushner makes his message clear: progressing is inevitable.
Kushner called AIDS “the worst, most dangerous moment the human race has ever faced.” (Omer-Sherman) and he believes “Reagan administration’s long silence stoked the plague of the AIDS virus.” (Harris Ramsby). He would also implicitly state that the fact that AIDS is a disease mostly among gay people is one of the reason for the slow response. The angel, again, represents his ideologies. While the angels “is fully aware of AIDS and its death sentence for many, she doesn’t really want to help.” (Harris Ramsby) It is certain that the spread of AIDS reaches the White House, but President Reagan choose to ignore it until six years into the plague. The Angel, instead of providing them with a cure, wants human to stop progressing. Kushner conveys a message that “the Angel and Reagan’s ideological (…) demand he and his fellow AIDS sufferers must be stopped, silenced, die.” (Harris Ramsby) Kushner rejects such idea through the development of Prior. Prior, who used to believe AIDS is a “plague” on his community and “faggots” are “bad dream(s) that the world is having,” (Kushner) survives AIDS and express his objection to not progressing. Kushner shows how “human society has become fossilized over time, unwilling to acknowledge the humanity of homosexuals.” (Omer-sherman) He also wants to send a message that while letting AIDS spread can lead to the death of thousands of gays, it does not stop them nor the society from moving forward and achieve equality.
Kushner’s “Angels in America” addresses issues within the gay community during the 1980s when America is dominated by the idea of Conservatism.
Through the complexity in the life of Roy Cohn, Kushner rejects the idea that in order to become powerful, gay people must enclosed themselves. He presented that open gay can also be strong through the character Prior suffering and surviving AIDS. Religion, under Kushner view, also blocks homosexuals from their true identity, but it won’t stop them forever as unhappiness will drive human to their true identity. Joe Pitts proves his point as he grows out of his religion and accept his identity. The spread of AIDS and Progressivism are also addressed. Kushner believe Reagan is responsible for the disastrous effect of AIDS as he, as well as the angel, acknowledges the disease but doesn’t response to it. The development of characters throughout the play marks a statement that while AIDS kills a large number of gay people, it does not stop them from advocating for their rights. Overall, Kushner calls for people of all religions to dismiss their differences and accept homosexuals into the
community.