Act Two Scene Thirty-three

Synopsis of Scene 33

Alan asks Jill to lock the door, which she does, although she is surprised. Dysart asks Alan to describe the stable, which he does. He sees a hoof pick, which scares him, but Dysart encourages him to continue.

Once Alan is sure the door is shut, he kisses Jill, at which point hooves can be heard. The couple take off their clothes and lie down, but the sound of the hooves gets louder. Alan tells Dysart that they had sex, but Dysart is sceptical and pushes Alan for more details. Eventually Alan confesses that he was unable to consummate their relationship because his mind was filled with Equus.

Angry with himself, he tells Jill to leave, which she does, although she does not understand what has upset Alan and tells him she is his friend. Alan is left alone in the barn.

Commentary on Scene 33

Into … Holies: Dysart uses biblical language appropriate for Alan’s worship of Equus. The Holy of Holies was the most sacred part of the [Jewish3] Temple - see Hebrews 9:2-3, Hebrews 9:7.

Investigating scene 33...

  • Why do we hear hooves at the moment when Alan kisses Jill?
  • Why do you think Alan was unable to have sex with Jill?
    • How do you think Jill might have felt about this?
  • Why does Alan confuse Jill’s body and the horse’s body in his mind?
  • Do you think that acting out the events for Dysart will help Alan?
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