Athol Fugard's drama, Master Harold

Athol Fugard's drama, "Master Harold" . . . And The Boys, was

written during a time of great conflict in South Africa, where he

was raised. Fugard was torn between his mother, who was

"Afrikaaner," (1291) and his father, who was "of English decent"

(1291). These differing influences caused Fugard to use the

discussions between Sam and Hally to demonstrate the religious,

racial, and political tensions of his lifetime in South Africa.

The discussion between Sam and Hally about who was "a man of

magnitude" (1300) represents the religious tensions of Fugard's

lifetime in South Africa between the growing belief in evolution

and Jesus Christ's teaching of Creation. Hally says that Charles

Darwin was "a man of magnitude," (1300) because he was "somebody

who benefited all mankind" (1301). He admires Darwin "for his

Theory of Evolution" (1301), which according to Hally, proves

"where we come from and what it all means" (1301). Sam totally

disagrees with Darwin's "Theory of Evolution" (1301) because

evolution is in contrast to the Bible's teaching on Creationism,

and he says that just because it is in a book it "does not mean

[he's] got to believe it" (1301). Sam believes that "Jesus

Christ" (1302) was "a man of magnitude" (1300). Hally is

obviously against Sam's suggestion of Jesus Christ, because Hally

makes it clear that he is "an atheist" (1303). This disagreement

between Sam and Hally is really just an example of the religious

tensions in South Africa during Fugard's lifetime between the

"Theory of Evolution," (1301) which was becoming more accepted,

and Christianity, which was taught by Jesus Christ.

A second discussion between Sam and Hally that occurs after Hally

learns that his father has gone home demonstrates the racial

tensions of Fugard's lifetime in South Africa. When Sam starts

lecturing Hally about how he treats his father, Hally becomes

angry and tells Sam that he is "treading on dangerous ground"

(1321). Hally also tells Sam that his "mother is right"(1322)

about "warning [him] about allowing you to get to familiar"

(1322). The climax of the argument is when Hally tells Sam that

he is "only a servant" (1322). This is the first noticeable

statement that Hally makes that demonstrates the racial tensions

experienced in South Africa. The next racial statement Hally

makes is when he tells Sam that his father is his boss because

"he's a white man and that's good enough for [him]" (1322).