Equus (Peter Shaffer)

This section explores the play Equus by Peter Shaffer, focusing on: the structure, setting, staging, characters, themes and the historical and cultural context of the play. Equus is a deeply thought-provoking and intense psychological drama that explores themes of religion, sexuality, mental illness, and the conflict between rationality and passion. The play's non-linear structure, minimalist staging, and symbolic characters all contribute to its expressionistic approach, inviting the audience to confront the complexities of the human mind and the boundaries between sanity and madness. Through its portrayal of Alan Strang’s tragic journey, Equus challenges our understanding of what it means to be truly free.

Structure of the Play

Equus is a two-act play with a non-linear structure that shifts between the present and flashbacks. The story is told through a mix of dramatic scenes, monologues, and narration, often from the perspective of the central character, Martin Dysart, the psychiatrist. The structure is complex and multi-layered, blending psychological drama with philosophical exploration.

• Act 1: The first act introduces Alan Strang, a 17-year-old boy who has blinded six horses in a violent outburst. The act largely focuses on Dysart’s investigation into Alan's life, piecing together his past through flashbacks and interviews with Alan’s parents, his friends, and other figures from his life. Act 1 builds tension by gradually revealing the emotional and psychological reasons behind Alan's actions, while also presenting the psychiatrist's doubts about his ability to cure him.
• Act 2: In the second act, the revelations deepen as the audience learns more about Alan’s relationship with his parents, particularly his domineering mother, Dora, and his distant father, Frank. The play becomes increasingly symbolic, with Alan's emotional and spiritual crisis coming to a head. The final scenes are intense, culminating in a dramatic confrontation between Alan and Dysart, leading to a moment of deep psychological insight, though ultimately, the play ends ambiguously.
• The Role of Dysart: Throughout the play, Dysart’s reflections and monologues serve as both an insight into Alan’s psyche and a commentary on the nature of psychiatry and the human condition. Dysart's own inner conflict about his ability to treat Alan—and his role as a healer—emerges more clearly in Act 2, where he wrestles with the idea of curing Alan at the cost of stripping him of his passion and his beliefs.

The structure of Equus is designed to slowly peel back layers of Alan’s psyche while simultaneously examining the moral, religious, and psychological forces that have shaped him.

Setting and Staging

The setting of Equus is minimalist, symbolic, and stylised, emphasising the psychological nature of the play. The use of abstract staging reflects the themes of internal conflict, perception, and the blurred line between reality and fantasy.

• The Stage: The stage is typically bare or sparsely furnished, with abstract representations of places. For instance, Alan’s home may be represented through minimal props, with multiple spaces (the psychiatrist’s office, Alan’s stable, and his family home) co-existing in the same physical space. This suggests the fractured and complex nature of Alan's psyche. Mimed movements, often used in place of naturalistic props (like the horses), underline the emotional intensity of the scenes.
• Horses: The horses in Equus are represented symbolically by actors, who don horse masks and move in a highly stylised, almost ritualistic manner. The horses are not just physical creatures, but symbolic representations of Alan’s passions, religious beliefs, and sexual desires. The masks and the actors’ movements help to evoke the mystical and dangerous power these creatures hold for Alan. This presentation of the horses is crucial to the play’s expressionistic style, reflecting the emotional states of the characters.
• Lighting and Sound: The use of lighting and sound effects is integral to the play’s expressionistic style. Lighting is often used to highlight the psychological tension of certain moments, especially when Alan’s inner conflict or visions are represented. Sounds of horses’ hooves are frequently heard in the background, connecting the audience to Alan’s obsession and psychological state. The use of drumbeats and chanting at certain points during the play evokes a ritualistic atmosphere, particularly during moments of intense religious fervour or Alan’s fantasy scenes.
• The Psychiatrist's Office: Dysart’s office is a key setting, reflecting the clinical, sterile nature of psychiatric practice. It also serves as a space for introspection and psychological probing, where the characters—especially Alan—are forced to confront their inner thoughts and desires. The office is depicted as a place of authority, contrasting with the chaotic emotional world of Alan.

Historical and Cultural Context

Equus was first performed in 1973, during a period when psychiatry and mental health treatment were becoming widely debated topics. The play emerged in a cultural context that was increasingly focused on individualism, the search for meaning, and the crisis of faith in the modern world.

• The Rise of Psychiatry and Psychology: In the 1970s, psychiatry was becoming more institutionalised, but many of its methods, such as psychoanalysis and behavioural therapy, were still controversial. Equus critiques psychiatry by questioning its ability to "cure" psychological disorders. Dysart’s internal conflict reflects a broader cultural anxiety about the ethics and effectiveness of psychiatric treatment.
• The Loss of Faith and Spirituality: The 1970s were a time of growing secularism and questioning of traditional values. Equus deals heavily with religious imagery, especially in Alan’s worship of Equus, a god-like figure he creates in his mind. Alan's relationship with religion and sexuality is symbolic of the wider crisis of belief in modern society. His obsession with Equus and the subsequent violence he commits suggests a clash between rationality (represented by Dysart and modern psychology) and passion or faith.
• Social and Sexual Liberation: The 1960s and 1970s saw a wave of sexual liberation, feminist movements, and growing openness about sexual identity. Alan’s struggle with his own sexuality is central to the play, and his violent act of blinding the horses is a symbolic act of repression and sexual frustration. His repressed desires, especially towards his mother and his religious beliefs, play a significant role in his psychological crisis.
• Taboo Subjects: The 1970s was a time when taboo subjects such as sexual violence, obsessive behaviour, and religious zealotry were beginning to be more openly discussed in art and theatre. Equus explores these themes with raw intensity, which shocked many audiences when it was first performed.

Characters

The characters in Equus are complex and multi-dimensional, and their relationships reflect both the external pressures of society and the internal psychological turmoil each character experiences.

• Alan Strang: Alan, a 17-year-old boy, is the central character of the play. His intense religious fervour, obsession with horses, and psychological breakdown form the core of the drama. His psychological state is influenced by his strict upbringing, particularly the contrasting values of his mother and father. Alan’s relationship with horses and his creation of Equus as a god-like figure reflect his struggle with both sexual identity and religious faith. His actions—blinding six horses—are symbolic of his need to break free from the psychological constraints imposed on him.
• Martin Dysart: Dysart, the psychiatrist, is both a character in the story and a narrator of sorts, guiding the audience through Alan's psychological landscape. Dysart’s internal struggle is central to the play, as he questions the moral implications of his work. As he tries to cure Alan, he begins to feel that he is stripping away the boy’s passion, and he is torn between treating Alan’s condition and recognising the significance of Alan’s beliefs. Dysart represents the conflict between rationality and irrationality, logic and emotion.
• Dora Strang: Alan's mother is a deeply religious and controlling figure who instills in him a sense of guilt and fear about sexuality and sin. She represents the repressive forces in Alan's life and plays a crucial role in shaping his understanding of the world.
• Frank Strang: Alan's father is a more lenient and emotionally distant figure compared to his mother. His lack of involvement in Alan's emotional life contrasts with the overbearing nature of Dora. Frank is caught between his own frustrations and his desire to avoid confronting the underlying issues in his family.
• The Horses (Equus): The horses in Equus are not traditional characters but symbolic representations of sexual desire, religious worship, and freedom. They are vital to understanding Alan’s inner life and his psychological conflict. The horse masks worn by actors suggest the mystical, almost otherworldly nature of Alan's fantasies, while also symbolising the loss of innocence and the complex relationship between violence and worship.

Themes

• Psychological Conflict: At the heart of Equus is the theme of psychological conflict. Alan Strang’s inner turmoil stems from a combination of sexual repression, religious guilt, and his obsessive relationship with horses. The play explores the idea that mental illness is often the result of internal struggles, and how external factors, such as family dynamics and society’s expectations, can exacerbate those struggles.
• Religion and Faith: The play critiques organised religion and explores the concept of faith. Alan’s worship of Equus, a horse-god, is a substitute for traditional religious beliefs, representing both his need for meaning in an otherwise oppressive world and his desire for ritual and identity. The play questions whether faith in any form, whether religious or otherwise, is a necessary part of the human experience.
• Sexuality and Repression: Equus deals explicitly with themes of sexuality and sexual repression. Alan’s sexual awakening is complex, marked by guilt and confusion, and ultimately, violence. The play explores how sexual desire can become distorted and psychologically damaging when repressed or misunderstood.
• Rationality vs. Passion: The play pits rationality, represented by Dysart and psychiatry, against passion, represented by Alan’s obsession with the horses and his religious fervour. Dysart’s role as a psychiatrist involves dismantling Alan’s passion, yet the play suggests that passion may be necessary for a meaningful existence, even if it leads to self-destruction.
• Freedom and Control: The play explores the tension between freedom and control. Alan’s violent actions against the horses can be seen as an attempt to free himself from the psychological control imposed by his mother and society. Dysart, on the other hand, seeks to impose his rational control over Alan’s mind, leading to questions about whether true freedom can exist in a world governed by societal norms and medical authority.