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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
I've been trying to read more (non-Shakespeare) plays lately, and it was hard to ignore the pull of curiosity to read this one, given how unorthodox and eerily controversial its premise is. But in this case, Equus was one of those works that ended up being a lot deeper and more far-reaching for me than the 'scandalous' gossip surrounding it suggested.
It's actually a very short and straightforward play (only two acts), where you have no difficulty keeping track of the characters, setting, or action. In the present day, a psychiatrist named Martin Dysart attempts to unravel the motives of a particularly disturbed young patient entrusted to him by a magistrate friend; a boy named Alan who gouged the eyes out of six horses in some kind of seemingly unprovoked mad frenzy.
As Dysart gains Alan's trust, he eventually teases out the motives and mentality behind his bizarre crime, which are tied up in issues of religion, family, passion, sexuality, and the human need for something greater than oneself. The play manages to do quite a bit with the interplay between these topics in such a short time. I'd love to see it performed live; even reading the stage notes and the way in which elements like the lighting, rotating stage, and horse actors interact gave me a very distinct feeling of the play's eerie, charged atmosphere.
Dysart's development and slow change over the play was done very well, as he questions throughout whether any man, especially one who claims to be healing the psychological pain of children, has the right to take away the kind of passion and mad truth that has manifested itself in Alan.
I feel like a really good literary round table discussion on this play, one fully willing to engage open-mindedly with the weird, religious/sacrilegious, sexual, and psychological depths it broaches would bear a lot of fruit. Maybe someday I'll get to have one. In the meantime, I'll continue musing on some of the strange, chillingly compelling questions Equus raises about gods, sanity, and truth.
It's actually a very short and straightforward play (only two acts), where you have no difficulty keeping track of the characters, setting, or action. In the present day, a psychiatrist named Martin Dysart attempts to unravel the motives of a particularly disturbed young patient entrusted to him by a magistrate friend; a boy named Alan who gouged the eyes out of six horses in some kind of seemingly unprovoked mad frenzy.
As Dysart gains Alan's trust, he eventually teases out the motives and mentality behind his bizarre crime, which are tied up in issues of religion, family, passion, sexuality, and the human need for something greater than oneself. The play manages to do quite a bit with the interplay between these topics in such a short time. I'd love to see it performed live; even reading the stage notes and the way in which elements like the lighting, rotating stage, and horse actors interact gave me a very distinct feeling of the play's eerie, charged atmosphere.
Dysart's development and slow change over the play was done very well, as he questions throughout whether any man, especially one who claims to be healing the psychological pain of children, has the right to take away the kind of passion and mad truth that has manifested itself in Alan.
I feel like a really good literary round table discussion on this play, one fully willing to engage open-mindedly with the weird, religious/sacrilegious, sexual, and psychological depths it broaches would bear a lot of fruit. Maybe someday I'll get to have one. In the meantime, I'll continue musing on some of the strange, chillingly compelling questions Equus raises about gods, sanity, and truth.
When I tried to read more short stories last year, I failed miserably as I really dislike the genre. I decided to try to read more drama as I enjoyed it in high school and took a Shakespeare and another drama course in college and since then had read none. For my summer BOTNS Bingo Challenge, I got the square that said "A play". Many thanks to Eric Kibler who recommended a handful of his favorites, Equus among them. I had never seen it performed and knew t was about horses. Written in 1973, it is a psychological drama about a family and what constitutes "Normal" in the human experience. It is deep and dark and by the end, the psychiatrist who is trying to treat the son is questioning what is "Normal". Though it is 40 years old it is still very relevant today and very compelling. I will definitely try to see it performed as the stage and stage directions are very unique. My new plan is a play a month to broaden my reading away from fiction and nonfiction. Next up, Amadeus!
I finished this a couple of days ago but had ro let it sit for sometime. I went into this because of a raving review from a book tuber I highly enjoy and like most books she recommends. However I was sure I wasn't going to like this and be more disturbed by this. But instead it turned into the the play I've been most invested in and the best play I've read so far. (I haven't yet read that many). It definitely has its disturbing moments bit it's more than just a play to shock and disturb the reader/audience. Don't know how to form my thoughts but a definitely a surprise reading experience
Harika bir eserdi, derste tartışmayı dört gözle bekliyorum. Umarım bir gün sahnede izleme şansı da yakalayabilirim.
Hi, my name is Katy, and I read this book because of Daniel Radclif. Yes, I admit it. I am a huge Harry Potter fan so when I learned that Dan would be performing this play in Londen I was intregued. When I saw the publisity photos of him I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one.
The play itself is odd. You can tell it was written in the 1970s. People were weird back then. A lot of the ideas are out dated. I wonder why the producers decided to bring this one back to the stage, my guess is to see Dan Radcliff naked. Anyway, as strange as it was it does make one think about the way we judge people.
The play itself is odd. You can tell it was written in the 1970s. People were weird back then. A lot of the ideas are out dated. I wonder why the producers decided to bring this one back to the stage, my guess is to see Dan Radcliff naked. Anyway, as strange as it was it does make one think about the way we judge people.
This was a wild book. There were a few parts that didn't make sense to me and the author's purpose is a little bit unclear, but overall it was alright.
一个青年在一晚上刺瞎了六只马后被送去精神病院治疗，精神病医生跟他聊着聊着也陷入了某种道德/信仰困境。原本是一部非常卖座的戏剧，因为太成功所以出了书。写物质主义对人的驯化和崇拜与激情，一读就发现是一部很难过时的经典。没有中译本实在太可惜了，好想看现场表演
It's so...strange. Lots of imagery and symbolism throughout, and of course the characters are all memorable (albeit some I'd rather forget). Why this is part of the AP Lit curriculum is beyond me but it was definitely an interesting read.
I really liked this play because I enjoyed reading the fact that it explores faith and the psychiatrist that is treating Alan questions his relationship with his wife, his career and the normality of his life.
This play is about when Alan Strang blinds six horses with a metal spike and it is Martin Dysart to find out why he did. In treating Alan, he has to uncover what happened during the night that the incident occurred and in doing so he opens his wounds. Also Martin questions whether he should treat Alan and get rid of his uniqueness.
I found this an interesting read because it relates to modern life, even though it was written in 1973.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about humanity and the way that modern life can edit it and make people think about what other people are like and the concept of 'what is normal'.
This play is about when Alan Strang blinds six horses with a metal spike and it is Martin Dysart to find out why he did. In treating Alan, he has to uncover what happened during the night that the incident occurred and in doing so he opens his wounds. Also Martin questions whether he should treat Alan and get rid of his uniqueness.
I found this an interesting read because it relates to modern life, even though it was written in 1973.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about humanity and the way that modern life can edit it and make people think about what other people are like and the concept of 'what is normal'.