John Shanley Play Analysis

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2. What does Shanley reveal about the historical context for the play? What in going on in the neighborhood, the Catholic Church, society in general? The context of this play is Shanley’s way of expressing the reality of uncertainty. His mother, in opposition to his view of life, saw the world as an “un-imaginary place”. His idea for this play spawned from the darkness of doubt. John grew up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood and attended a private school in New Hampshire. Being widely read he was misunderstood by others in school. During his school years, a male teacher reached out to him, aiding him in support and compassion. The priest whom John admired was later recognized as a predator, having harmed numerous children in past years. Shanley, as a result, was unable to reconcile the idea of the man who …show more content…

Grateful for the help provided his view of the man was so contradictory once he learned of the news. The play is based on his personal experience but morphed to signify the relevance of doubt he and many others may have experienced in real life. Within the Catholic Church the Pope, the cardinals, the bishops, the Monsignors, Priests, Monks, and Nuns are the order of ranked authority, Nuns being lowest and the pope having the most authority signified how gender revolution hadn’t taken place yet. The play was dated around the assassination of President Kennedy. The world was changing from classic departments, penmanship, to the authority of the nuns. Everything in the world hurts. Within the characters’ certainty, there is a lingering element of doubt. Priest, being overhead the nuns made it difficult to present accusations without being ignored. The men in the Catholic church were constantly being watched by nuns in the community, however, without

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