Doomed Eternality of Desire and Fear
in A Delicate Balance Cover Image

Doomed Eternality of Desire and Fear in A Delicate Balance
Doomed Eternality of Desire and Fear in A Delicate Balance

Author(s): Samira Sasani, Haghrezaei Elham
Subject(s): Drama
Published by: Editura Universității Aurel Vlaicu
Keywords: Edward Albee; A Delicate Balance; R. D. Laing; Divided Self; Self and Others;

Summary/Abstract: A Delicate Balance is a play of fear and threat. The characters in this play show an unknown dread of the outside world and try to maintain the status quo.The sense of communication is bound to a protective behavior which results in their avoidance of any outsider. Laing’s theory on the condition of the schizoid and the divided selves which torture his existence has become the framework through which this study will show how collusions at work create divided selves and how these selves find themselves in their encounter with the real world. In this article, the attempt has been made to demonstrate the deepest layers of relationships between the characters of the play, while delving into the conflicting forces which are at work in each character’s inner world resulting in their ironically opposing and conflicting behaviors. This study will also reveal how masks act as important tools to protect the characters’ existence from the threat of the outside invaders. These schizoid characters suffer from, deal with and behave differently towards their inner split and the conflict it arises from within, so that their main focus will be to preserve their existence.

  • Issue Year: 9/2018
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 23-36
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: English