pgwiki1

=

 * Contrast and compare the role and purpose of secular drama and theatre as an expression of the communities from which it arose and for which it has served with that of religious and ritual drama and theatre. Use examples from __ Joe Turner __ and the way the play makes use of both secular and religious/ritual aspects to shape it's content an manner of expression. **======

-

In August Wilson's //Joe Turner's Come and Gone,// a fusion of harsh secular realities and religious ceremonies are presented that exemplify how each relate to a community. Secular dramas present the reality of the times or times past; a microcosm with which the playwright attempts to attain a much larger truth of the community, the culture, or even human nature. While secular drama has always concerned itself with matters of the day, religious and ritual drama have always held in tact a common ancestry which includes community beliefs, community tradition, and the communities history. In //Joe Turner//, August Wilson's intermingling of religious drama-- generally performed or encouraged by his character Bynum-- demonstrates both what the history of African American's is but also uses this to relate to the secular issue's of the time in that community, i.e. the aftermath of slavery and that affect on culture and identity.

The artist's vision of secular problems in //Joe Turner// was partially inspired by the contemporary issues that he experienced. In the Creative Spirit, Stephanie Arnold notes, "Wilson came of age in the explosive 1960's, when black cultural awareness led to major reassessment of American history and the relationship of black Americans to the society in which they lived," in reference to his inspiration for his works (Arnold 68). The events surrounding August Wilson's life inspired him to examine through drama the journey his community had endured to reach that point. While the story does have modern relevance and analogies, Wilson's focus was also to present a dramatic history of blacks migrating to the north and the effect of that community. Loomis, who has experienced the harshest struggles, represents a complete stripping of culture by his troubled past, having had his family torn apart, and no longer recognizing his roots. This is exemplified when Loomis interrupts the The Juba and frantically tells everyone to stop screaming about the Holy Ghost. The Juba, an illustration of ritualistic theatre, reflects the values of the community; as African American's it has a blend of African tribal dance and the influence of Christianity when they reference the Holy Ghost. Wilson is pointing out how slavery has effected their culture through the acts of Loomis in relation to ritualistic theatre.

A notable difference between the two theatre forms is symbology. For ritualistic theatre, the symbology takes a more literal meaning to the audience and performers. When Byron cuts off the heads of the pigeons in // Joe Turner, // it is assumed he actually believes that this will have a positive effect. Likewise, a tribal performer may dress up as a deity and the audience may literally see him as such. The ritualistic works also dealt more with tradition and conserving what the community had in common. Arnold says of gatherings like the scene of the Juba dance, "These social gatherings were an opportunity for communal emotional expression, for letting fo feelings..." (Arnold 71). In secular works, the play may be highly symbolic, yet, the audience and the actors understand that they themselves are not whatever symbol they represent. For instance, if the character Loomis represents the ill effects of slavery on black culture, the audience can still separate the character from the symbol.

In //Joe Turner,// the representation of religious theatrics in a play trying to make a secular commentary demonstrates that both have meaning for people of a community. For ritualistic theatre, that connection gives them a cultural grounding; whereas, secular theatre attempts to comment on conflicts in that community and (generally) make some sense of them.


 * Citation**

Arnold, Stephanie. // The Creative Spirit: An Introduction to Theatre //. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.