Equus

Playwright: Peter Shaffer

Genre: Individual in Society, Psychology, Religion, Play

Summary: For no apparent reason, 17 year old Alan Strang blinds six horses, and is taken to court. The nature of the crime is so horrifying that at first, it seems like he would be sent to prison. However, a magistrate, Hesther Salomon intervenes, and sends him to seek psychiatric help instead, calling in a favor from an old friend.

Martin Dysart is overworked, overwrought, and not sure about whether he is doing the right thing. He has nightmares of cutting up children, sacrificing them at the altar and scooping out their insides, all the while making sure to disguise his real feelings, his fear, because if his mask slips and his sheer terror or doubt is found out, it would be him who is being sacrificed at the altar.

While he tries to find out the reason, the motive for Alan blinding the horses, the doctor is forced to face his own demons, is forced to make the decision whether to 'fix' him, make him normal, is the right thing to do.

Review: Apparently when this play was first put on, the first, and main reaction to this was how utterly shocking it was. The crime itself, was shocking, probably even more so to the English audience whose love for horses is ingrained in tradition. Still, the act of blinding animals that cruelly, without any real reason, is considered a hideous crime in any society, and rightfully so. However, reading this, I felt that Alan's crime, while it could not be made right or justified, at the very least, it could be understood.

This is something that makes you question your moral values, and the socially acceptable standards, society's acceptable common sense. Like Dysart says, maybe it is true that the boy he is suffering, and he is in pain. But the pain is rightfully, completely, his. What right does anyone have to take it away from him? Specially in this world where most of the people go through life, everything, with a sort of detachment; a lack of emotion, shouldn't the passion he feels, the passion he is the embodiment of, be envied instead? In this monochromatic world we live, in he is different, unique like a brilliant flash of color. Is it  really the right thing to do, to mute it down, make it normal, the same as everything else?

In a way, this raises more questions than it gives answers, but at the same time, it provides a sense of understanding. Acceptance.

Rating: 9/10

Quotes:

~ At songstories ~ 

Note: Dear Google, when I was searching for Equus, I wanted the book cover, not to see Daniel Radcliffe naked. -__-' [Now, if it was Pi/Ryo/Jin or heck, even Tego-in-drag, I would be more than happy, naked images would've been more than welcome, but that dude is just nowhere near my list of ogglable pretties, okay? For further reference.]

As it often happens, fiction has a way of telling me, reminding me things [Barry Bague-ly, but I like reading into things? ^^'], at the most appropriate times. I read this, focusing mainly on the theme 'Individual in Society' on the 25th. The very day Johnny announced the KT-TUN in Asia/Jin in L.A tours thing. I know, I know. I get it, okay.