Resumo de Equus - Peter Shaffer

Shaffer has given the world what can only be termed a Greek Tradgedy for modern times when in Equus he intoduces us through chorus, split stage monologues andlengthy scences of dialougeto a mentally ill young Alan Strang who has just blinded six horses. The audience is taken on a disturbing journey through the days that have lead up to Alan committing this horrendus act of cruelty on an animal he actually adores. At the beginning of the playwe see Alanintimatley nuzzling a horse called nugget and hear the voice of his psychiatrist Martin Dysart describing what is occuring in the scene. Then the action moves to a dialogue between Hester, who is a magistrate that convinced the jury that Alan was a canditate for hospital not jail, and Dystart. During this scene Hester explains to Dysart that she gets vibrations from the boy that gives her cause to think that he is a very special young man and that she feels it is important that he takes Alans case. Dr Dysart agrees to this reluctantly. Next we move on to Alan and Dysarts first session together where Alan sings television jingles to the doctor everytime the doctor asks him a question. The doctor does not appear phased by Alans unusual behaviour and just continues with the interview. When the interview ends Alan does not want to leave the doctors office. When he eventually leaves he is shown to his room by a nurse who he sings at and then swears at. The mystery begins to unravel when Alans parents are brought into the play. It is discovered that Alan worked at the stables where he blinded the horses and that he has always had great affection for these magnificent creatures. Then through Mrs Strangs dialougue with Dysart the audience learn that Alans affection for horses is more than love it is in fact worship. Alan sees horses as gods. It id discovered that Alan takes moonlight rides in the nude and get sexual satisfation from riding the horses. Alan beleives that by doing this he will free himself from the chains of society and the horses from the chains that have encumbered them due to taking on mankinds sins. Much of Alans dialogue with the horses is taken from the bible and expressed with fervour and passion. Knowing that Alan has this fanatic religous requard for horses makes it easier to understand his motives behind blinding them when it is revealed that Alan had met a girl at the stables and had a sexual encounter with her in front of the horses. Alan feels devestated that the gods (horses) who he so worships have seen him commit what he beleives to be an evil act. The most fasinating thing about this story, however, is not Alan Strangs bizarre religios obsession with horses but the way in which the psychiatrist, Dr Dysart envies Alan his passion as he has none in his own life. Dr Dysart is very reluctant to turn Alan into a so called normal boy as he would then loose this unique enthusiasm. Dysart laments that Alan will no longer feel with the intensness that he did and that he will no longer gallop naked along the shore. Is this really worth living a normal life? I beleive this is the ultimate question Shaffer poses in his poingiant work of art. Is it better to stay safe in our homes and dream of doing dangerous and thrilling things or is it better to put ourselves at risk and feel the passion beat within our chest for the life we have been given to live?

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