“Angels in America” a play written in 1992 was one of the first plays about the AIDS epidemic. The question of “How does the play represent the impact of AIDS on the characters, their relationships, and/or our country as a whole?” is really pertinent to the time period due to the fact that it brought light to the AIDS epidemic. The impact of the characters such as Prior who is chosen as the prophet makes a big impact in the play. Since Prior is chosen as the prophet even though he is not a very religious person. The creation of Prior as the prophet makes him a relatable character. The characters also show that the disease does not spare anyone. From the upper class lawyer to a gay couple in the city. AIDS was effecting all of these people and their relationships while spreading. I think that it makes this something that people can relate to in the play and find a common ground within.
How does the play challenge its audiences (in the mid-1990s, or now) to think differently about HIV/AIDS,sexuality, religion, and/or politics? The play has the ability to challenge the audience due to the fact that it makes people recognize the AIDS crisis’ identity in the 1990’s. People did not recognize how this major piece of history wipes out a whole generation of LGBTQ+ people as well as a crisis to fight for a cure. The play in it’s time was very controversial due to the fact that people thought of HIV/AIDS as a dirty disease which was only transmitted by gay men. The fact of the disease is that it was a large part of the LGBTQ+ community but it was not the only people to be affected by this disease in America. The play now though is able to contribute to history and show how the epidemic was affecting America at the time. The sexuality use of this play has the ability to show the queer community as people which is not how they were viewed in the past. The use of a queer relationship has the ability to show the love, even though one of them does cheat. The religion portion of the play shows how religion has an impact upon identity. The shape of Mormonism in the play was important to Joe’s identity as well as Harper’s identity. The role of religion is almost a shameful thing in the play, but also the angel is a part of religion delivering the message to the prophet.
How does religion shape the characters in the play, their desires, their identities, and/or their bodies?The identities of Joe and Harper are very much shaped by their faith. The use of Mormonism has the ability to shape their view on their identity. Joe has shame for his love for men and this creates a issue within himself as well as his marriage to Harper. Joe struggles with his identity in the beginning of the play and keeps denying to Louis that he is gay. However the denial of this gayness does not stop him from developing HIV/AIDS. In the end of the play Joe begins a relationship with Louis after confessing the fact that he is gay. However Harper is another part of the religious aspect, her relationship with Joe was only maintained due to the fact that she does not want to divorce him on religion. Harper also has may visions in which she has an ability to communicate with other people such as prior. Prior being the prophet and tells her that Joe is gay, which is a delivery to her. I think that religion plays the largest part in these two due to the fact that they see shame associated with religion.
What is the play saying about the relationship between God and humankind?
The role of God and humankind in my eyes is that he is watching over us but will not intervene in our own demise. By sending the angel to Prior he was trying to get people to be concerned about their health and well being and having Prior a very middle man deliver the message was the best way. Due to the fact that Prior was not associated with a certain religion I think that is why God chose to call upon Prior. The relationship with God and humankind is that he is the overseer who intervenes if needed and that is my view point on this play.
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