Monologue Of Anna By Geraldine Brooks

English Script
Thank you! Thank you so much for this incredible honour.
[Pause] It does not escape me for one moment that the joy I feel right now is thanks to the incredible Geraldine Brooks, for while this play is a historical piece, it acts as a mirror for all of us today. I want to thank the spirit of Anna for her guidance and for Brooks for creating such a beautiful heroine who’s journey has transformed the lives of so many: it transformed mine.

Brook’s imaginative exploration of a single moment in history mounts the modern argument for self-determination and independence. The modern character of Anna is deliberately placed in the 1660’s to symbolise a microcosm of the society’s journey through the Enlightenment. The prevalent Elizabethan

Paradigm was underpinned by the God-centered reality of the Great Chain of Beings: a rigid hierarchy ordained by God that dictated society. This catholic orthodoxy was so strong and pervasive that is was the binding force of soceity. However, as the Enlightenment swept across the nation, dramatic revolutions in science, philosophy and politics challenged the monopoly of the Church and the validity of religion to justify all aspects of life. The growth of Anna’s character reflects the intellectual concerns of 17th-century England to become an extended metaphor of the Enlightenment.

In one of the opening scenes, Anna exposes the nature of the binary oppositions that control her life:
“Dark and light, dark and light, dark and light.

That was how I had been taught to view the world. The Puritans who had ministered to us here had held that all actions and thoughts could be only one of two natures: godly and right, or Satanic and Evil.” Pp. 55 – Bright day walking towards the woods
This dogmatic dichotomy of “godly” and “satanic”, which filters the way Anna experiences humanity, emphasises the way religious fervour constructs a parochial mindset. Anna’s strict conformity evokes a nexus with our highly globalised and media driven society, where it is easier to passively accept and conform to stereotypes and dominant beliefs than to try and analyse both the good and evil that resides with our collective

subconsciousness.

Brook’s uses the plague as a catalyst in facilitating a change in thinking and stimulating a re-evaluation of current beliefs.

Anna’s humanistic perspective is exemplified through questioning the omnipotence of God in contrast to the superstitions of the Devil:
“Why did we, all of us, both rector in his pulpit and simple Lottie in her croft, seek to put the Plague in unseen hands? Why should this thing be either a test of faith sent by God, or by the evil working of the Devil in the world? One of these beliefs we embraced, the other we scorned as superstition. But perhaps each was false, equally. Perhaps the Plague was neither of God nor the Devil, but simply a thing in nature, as the stone on which we stub a toe.” pp. 215 – outside rocks
Anna’s questioning explores the tension between this theological worldview and the nascent emergence of science. Her view that time is wasted on religious speculations instead of rationality, extends beyond questioning the validity of faith to encapsulate a bold act of nonconformity. Through these emancipatory threads of the narrative we are provided a glimpse into a modern, independent character that affirms humanity’s capacity of

self-determination.

Anna’s decision to leave the village symbolised a fundamental development in her journey:
“I knew then that this was how I was meant to go on: away from death and towards life, from birth to birth, from seed to blossom, living my life among the wonderers”.
The uncertainty and doubt that had plagued Anna’s consciousness throughout the play had inhibited her from making any substantial choices, leaving her trapped within her village. Therefore, Anna’s voyage overseas symbolises that she has thrown off the manacles of religious dogma, as she is reborn as a child of the world.

Anna’s journey subverts the construct of society by questioning whether faith is maintained because it is socially convenient and expedient or because it is a genuine belief that allows individuals to cope with and grow in adversity. This aspect of the character evokes parallels with our society through challenging the social construction of ideologies today. Ultimately, Anna’s exploration of conformity and religious orthodoxy, at its heart, transcends its historical setting to stimulate us to look beyond the prejudices and misconceptions of our time.