Equus Contents
- Act One Scene One
- Act One Scene Two
- Act One Scene Three
- Act One Scene Four
- Act One Scene Five
- Act One Scene Six
- Act One Scene Seven
- Act One Scene Eight
- Act One Scene Nine
- Act One Scene Ten
- Act One Scene Eleven
- Act One Scene Twelve
- Act One Scene Thirteen
- Act One Scene Fourteen
- Act One Scene Fifteen
- Act One Scene Sixteen
- Act One Scene Seventeen
- Act One Scene Eighteen
- Act One Scene Nineteen
- Act One Scene Twenty
- Act One Scene Twenty-one
- Act Two Scene Twenty-two
- Act Two Scene Twenty-three
- Act Two Scene Twenty-four
- Act Two Scene Twenty-five
- Act Two Scene Twenty-six
- Act Two Scene Twenty-seven
- Act Two Scene Twenty-eight
- Act Two Scene Twenty-nine
- Act Two Scene Thirty
- Act Two Scene Thirty-one
- Act Two Scene Thirty-two
- Act Two Scene Thirty-three
- Act Two Scene Thirty-four
- Act Two Scene Thirty-five
Act One Scene Eleven
Synopsis of Scene 11
Dysart tells us that after that talk with Alan, Dora came to see him. She explained that the picture of the horse that Alan had had on his bedroom wall when he was younger had replaced another picture, that of Christ being taken to the cross. Frank, who disapproved of religion, had torn down the religious picture after an argument, which had upset Alan. When the picture of the horse replaced it, he seemed less distressed, however.
Dysart says she can see Alan, but Dora says she’ll come back one afternoon, without Frank. Dysart asks her to describe the photo of the horse, and she says it was taken from an odd angle, in which the eyes were most prominent. When she is gone, Dysart feels a strong premonition that the horse will be very significant in this case.
Commentary on Scene 11
Our Lord … Calvary: The picture is of Jesus Christ, being taken to the hill known as Calvary, where he was crucified. Dora explains that the picture shows Christ being beaten by the centurions, and that even she thinks it was excessively gruesome. Below is an example of the kind of image she means:
photograph of the horse: The fact that Alan hung the photograph in the same position is significant; he has literally replaced one god with another, and creates his own belief system around the horse in the picture.
a giant head: A horse’s head. Dysart is himself beginning to feel the power of Equus, which implies that it is not all in Alan’s mind.
Investigate...
- How effective do you find the narrative method of the play, with Dysart telling us the events whilst we can see re-enactments of them on stage?
- What effect do you think the substituting of the horse picture for the picture of Christ has had on Alan?
- Why do you think Dysart is beginning to feel threatened by Equus?
- What do you think the last line of the scene means?
- How would you describe the atmosphere of this scene?
- Do you feel you are beginning to understand why Alan behaved as he did?
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