The unreliable black musician Floyd Barton has great plans to go to Chicago and make more records, trying to get his reluctant girlfriend Vera to accompany him. However, he commits the mistake of robbing a loan office and burying the money in the yard, which is witnessed by his lunatic tubercular friend King Hedley, who eventually kills him with his machete to gain possession of the money, which in his belief was destined to him by the legendary “Buddy Bolden,” according to his late father’s legendary promise.
This drama deals with kings, and a king to be born. It is a prophesy in this regard. The plot is rolled up backwards: first, the audience observes a circle of friends after the funeral feast for one group member, Floyd Barton; then, the setting is a couple of days before his publicly unresolved murder, and some components of the rising action are: a discussion of the men whether knives or revolvers are better for killing (48-49), a boxing fight of Joe Louis witnessed on the radio (57-58), young sensual and pregnant Ruby arriving quite unannounced to stay at her Aunt Louise’s house (61), Hedley killing an annoying rooster (69), Hedley receiving his machete (92-93), Ruby giving herself to old sick Hedley out of mercy (95), Poochie getting shot when robbing a loan office (101-102), Vera giving in to accompany Floyd to Chigaco (103), Floyd and his band members and friends coming back from the Blue Goose where they had an exceptionally well-received gig (106), and Floyd’s burying the money from his loan office robbery being discovered by Canewell (107-108). The climax is Floyd being threatened by Hedley with his machete to give him his money (109), but the audience is not absolutely certain that he gets killed. The falling action plays after the funeral again, and brings the solution to the murder case: Canewell is the only witness that Hedley is in the possession of Floyd’s money, which he allegedly received by the mysterious Buddy Bolden (112).
The theme of this drama is a persiflage about how the American Dream of an aspiring young black musician (with only one hit record so far) is shattered, because the protagonist is corrupted, and eventually killed by an insane man in fulfillment of the oracle of the latter’s mythical African father.
Table of Contents
- Title of Text and Author
- Set of Characters
- Setting
- Plotline
- Theme
Objectives and Key Themes
The play “Seven Guitars” by August Wilson explores the complex themes of ambition, disillusionment, and the African American experience in post-World War II America. Through the tragic story of Floyd Barton, a talented musician striving for success, Wilson presents a poignant commentary on the limitations and injustices faced by African Americans during this period. The play utilizes a circular narrative structure to trace the events leading up to Floyd's death, showcasing the interplay of individual desires and societal constraints.
- The American Dream and its unattainability for Black Americans
- The power of music and its potential for liberation and expression
- The complexities of identity, both individual and collective, within a racially charged society
- The impact of violence and the cycle of destruction
- The significance of tradition and ritual in African American culture
Chapter Summaries
- The first scene introduces the main characters, Floyd Barton and his circle of friends, as they gather for a funeral feast. Through their conversations and interactions, we learn about their aspirations, dreams, and struggles. The play establishes a sense of community and shared history.
- The setting shifts to a few days before Floyd's murder, and the play reveals the tensions and conflicts that will ultimately lead to his demise. King Hedley, Floyd's friend and a troubled individual, emerges as a central figure, and his beliefs and actions foreshadow the tragic events to come.
- As the plot unfolds, Floyd's dreams of escaping poverty and achieving musical success are challenged by a series of events, including a loan office robbery, a boxing match on the radio, and the arrival of Ruby, a young woman who brings both love and disruption into his life.
- Hedley's mental instability and his belief in a mythical prophecy become increasingly apparent. He performs a ritualistic act of killing a rooster, which serves as a symbolic foreshadowing of the violence that will follow.
Keywords
The play explores key themes and concepts such as the American Dream, African American identity, racial inequality, violence, music, prophecy, tradition, and the power of the individual. The play also introduces key figures such as Floyd Barton, a talented musician seeking a better life, and King Hedley, a troubled individual with a fatal prophecy.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Christina Lyons (Author), 2006, Critical Analysis of August Wilson's "Seven Guitars", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1132984
