Restructuring society - The concept of hybridity among different ethnic groups in Tony Kushner's 'Angels in America'

The concept of hybridity among different ethnic groups in Tony Kushner's 'Angels in America'

Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University of Münster, 23 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Tony Kushner's Angels in America is a very complex drama dealing with many different themes. This seminar paper analyses the theme of social reconstruction. As I will expound, hybridity is the form of society aimed at by the characters of this play who strive for social change. In order to demonstrate the concept of a hybrid society, I analyse the characters who represent this idea with regard to their ethnic group membership and their position in society. On this basis, their views and interests become more evident and easier to understand. After that I analyse and interpret their role in the play in order to point out the consequences for the concept of social reconstruction towards a hybrid society. First, the terms ethnicity and hybridity, which are essential for the analysis, are explained briefly. The next part of this paper presents two characters from different ethnic groups (Prior and Belize) striving for social change. On the basis of their position in society and their role in this play I then expound the concept of hybridity in the drama before analysing the relationship between Prior and Belize with regard to this idea. In chapter 4, other indications demonstrating if and how a social reconstruction is achieved are pointed out. The result of this analysis is summarized in the conclusion. The chapter providing background information is mainly based on articles in reference books. Chapter 3 and 4 are built up on the analysis of Angels in America itself, whereas essays dealing with ethnicity and the concept of social reconstruction in this play serve as support for my work.