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A Raisin in the Sun (1959) is a landmark play, daring to bring a new set of characters and circumstances into the theatre. Hansberry diverges from the early century playwrights with strategic use of fragmented character, theatricality and language. Although a specific reflection of the black experience during a period of heightened racial tension, its relevance can not solely be attributed to the unfortunate slow progress of race relations. Beyond this, Hansberry has created an intimate portrayal of “human aspiration, and human relationships – the persistence of dreams, of the bonds and conflicts between men and women, parents and children, old ways and new, and the endless struggle against human oppression” (Nemiroff, 1988).
I welcome you aboard as we journey inside the remarkable world of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun.
Fragmentatin of Character
( 01 )
Fragmentation of Character
Throughout the play, the characters “transform, change, fragment and deconstruct” (Castagno, 2012). This approach charts a course divergent from the traditional character; the consistent character Aristotle defines as a hallmark of dramatic writing (Aristotle, 1961). This technique serves to explore the complexities of the black experience, of which until Raisin, were rarely touched upon in commercial theatre. Throughout the play, Walter undergoes a series of changes of self:
(And now the lighting shifts subtly to suggest the world of Walter’s imagination, and the mood shifts from pure comedy. It is the inner WALTER speaking: the Southside chauffeur has assumed an unexpected majesty)
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(Hansberry, 1959, p. 79)
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As the play unfolds, Walter moves between many archetypal figures, some of which include; the fatherless child, the competitive brother, the father, the drunk and ultimately the 'man of the house'.
Beneatha’s journey, even more than Walter's, serves to explore identity confusion - a feeling that remains palpable in the African American majority and will continue to resonate in audience members (including myself) who were born into a country outside of their ancestral culture. Many black people in the US have little to no understanding of their roots, which to a member of the majority (black or white) can be difficult to understand. The dialogue and stage direction of Asagai (Nigerian) reveals Beneatha's (African American) confusion of self :
ASAGAI: (Laughing aloud at her seriousness) Oh… please! I am only teasing you because you are so very serious about these things. (he stands back from her and folds his arms across his chest as he watches her pulling at her hair and frowning in the mirror) Do you remember the first time you met me at school?... (He laughs) You came up to me and you said – and I thought you were the most serious little thing I ever seen – you said: (He imitates her) “Mr. Asagai – I want very much to talk with you. About Africa. You see, Mr Asagai, I am looking for my identity!” (He laughs)
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(Hansberry, 1959, p. 62)
From my own experience, being a part of a minority means continual changes of self. The first stage is what I call 'fit in or die' and the second, i'll name 'I don't know who I am because I spent my whole life trying to eradicate my culture'. The African American understanding of identity however, is fragmented even further due to the ramifications of slavery. This experience is multi-faceted and thus requires a diversion from the traditional ideal of the continuous character, typically seen of white protagonists.
Theatricality
( 02 )
Theatricality
Hansberry strategically tackles tough social issues throughout the play “catering to the American audience with satire and irony” (Castagno, 2012). Comedy is used throughout Beneatha's journey to further explore the impacts of slavery on identity:
BENEATHA: (She parades for RUTH, her hair completely hidden by the headdress; she is coquettishly fanning herself with an ornate oriental fan, mistakenly more like Butterfly than any Nigerian that ever was) Isn’t she beautiful?
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(Hansberry, 1959, p. 76)
The almost vaudevillian portrayal of Beneatha’s ‘Nigerian woman’ subscribes to the practices of new playwriting. The theatricality implied by the above stage direction serves to “rip the audience out of their comfort zone” (Castagno, 2012), making pertinent the identity confusion of the black community.
Similarly, the grotesque almost carnivalesque nature of Walter's breakdown, juxtaposed with his soon to follow (genuine) break down, leaves the audience in an unresolved state of discomfort.
WALTER: Captain, Mistuh, Bossman – (Grovelling and grinning and wringing his hands in profoundly anguished imitation of the slow-witted movie stereotype) A-hee-hee-hee! Oh, yassuh boss! Yasssssuh! Great white (Voice breaking, he forces himself to go on)
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(Hansberry, 1959, p. 144)
This technique negates the potential frustration of a ‘preachy play’. Instead, a deeper understanding of the ramifications of oppression is left to lurk in the audience’s mind. A horrific history, framed in comedy is not something easily forgotten.
Language
( 03 )
Language
Language is used by Hansberry as a way to reveal character and desire, create conflict and illuminate social issues. The way in which each character speaks reveals almost as much about the character as the content of their dialogue. A strong focus on the revelation of character through language is imperative in order to accurately reflect the African American culture.
The vocabulary and rhythm of dialogue in the early half of the 19th century is predominantly a reflection of the white male experience. African American vernacular differs in its pronunciation and tends to hold a more rhythmic sensibility (often hexameter rather than pentameter). Hansberry chooses to write the majority of the family in this vernacular, that is, with the exception of Beneatha:
(Her speech is a mixture of many things; it is different from the rest of the families insofar as education has permeated her sense of English–and perhaps the Midwest rather than the South has finally at–last–won out in her Inflection)
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(Hansberry, 1959, p. 35)
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Beneatha’s voice not only reveals her innate desire for knowledge and understanding, but also causes conflict between characters. Such conflict highlights her dissonance towards her identity as well as the comparatively poor education received by many Black Americans (an issue that remains unfortunately relevant today).
Walter’s character is what, in modern terms, may be called a "monomaniac" (Edgar, 2007). Like my own brother, he is hyper focused on his desire to use the family’s money to start a business, reducing anyone (especially his sister) who gets in his way. The intensity of his desire is captured by the way in which he speaks.
(Inclined to quick nervous movements and erratic speech habits – and always in his voice there is a quality of indictment)
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(Hansberry, 1959, p. 25)
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The erratic dialogue also serves to heighten the stakes (and so audience investment), whilst his indicting tone provides a continual source of conflict throughout the play.
In contrast, Mama’s voice reveals her state of weariness and overwhelm with her children (a state not too unfamiliar in my own mum!). It also reveals the calm presence of a high-status character – the matriarch of the family.
(Her speech, on the other hand, is as careless as her carriage is precise – she is inclined to slur everything – but her voice is perhaps not so much quiet as simply soft)
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(Hansberry, 1959, p. 39)
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Dramaturgically she is the atlas character; holding the family (and story structure) together in amongst the chaos of Beneatha and Walter’s intense desires. She “speaks and thinks in the language of her generation, shares their dream of a better life and like millions of her counterparts, takes her Christianity to heart” (Nemiroff, 1988). This makes her an integral point of identification for the audience.
Walter
00:00 / 00:12
Mama
00:00 / 00:10
Beneatha
00:00 / 00:05
Publication
Through the use of contemporary techniques, Hansberry has gifted the theatre a play that will remain relevant to audiences for years to come. Her in-depth exploration of the black experience is aided by fragmentation of character, theatricality and language. This is the first play I have found to deeply investigate the experience of people of colour. I believe Hansberry's ability to modernise traditional dramatic notions of playwriting has been key to its success.
As I leave to existentially unpack my own hummanity, I wish to leave you with a poem:
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What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore -
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat
Or crust and sugar over -
Like a syrupy sweet?
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Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.
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Or does it explode?
Langston Hughes
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