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
The significance of character in Equus
Re-telling events
The way in which characters are developed is crucial to the plot and structure of the play. The main ‘action’ of Equus takes place in the dialogue between Alan and Dysart, and during these conversations we learn a lot about what has happened and why. We also see flashbacks from Alan’s past, which help to explain his character, and we see other characters interacting, for example:
- Alan and Jill
- Hesther and Dysart
- Alan’s parents and Dysart.
Most of the major dialogue in the play involves either Alan, Dysart or both, as they are the most important characters.
Interpretation
While you are studying the play, think about:
- What the characters say and what they really mean
- How believable you find the characters
- Whose point of view you are seeing
- How the characters interact with each other and how this interaction changes
- How the characters want to be seen – are they putting on an act?
Investigating characters...
- Make a list of the characters in the play.
- Which are the most crucial?
- Does this play have a ‘hero’ and, if so, who is it?
- What do we learn from how the characters interact?
- Which are the most significant scenes and why?
- What purpose do you think the minor characters play?
- For example, what do characters such as Frank and Dora add to the plot?
Flashback is a term for a scene in a novel, film or play, in which a character in the present returns to - and re-enacts - a relevant scene from the past.
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