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Explain the Angel (Emma Thompson)- totally confused

posted 15 years ago by JaysonT
4 replies | jump to latest

Love, love, love ANGELS IN AMERICA (both the play and the miniseries), but to this day I cannot for the life of me understand the point of the Angel, what her deal with Pryor was, and what she was trying to do. Let me verify in questions-

1) Who was the Angel? I am not a religious person, so if this has to do with the Bible, I would rather have it explained in a very Kindergarten form- in other words, talk to me like I'm 6 years old trying to understand what Emma Thompson's character was in the play for. When I saw the previews for the miniseries (and before reading the play), I assumed the Angel was there to save everyone from having AIDS. But apparently that's not the case.

2) Why did Pryor keep cursing in front of the Angel? Isn't that a sin? Plenty of Catholics and Christians I know donnot like to swear, as they say it's not right. Pryor cursed and dropped the f-bomb so much, I was thinking he should be condemned to hell on the spot.

3) Why did the Angel keep breaking into his apartment? As Pryor explained, he was in a lease, and the damage the angel caused would be quite costly to him. Yet the Angel does not listen when Pryor tells her to leave, and keeps destroying his property. Huh? Really confused here.

[–] CollideWithDestiny 15 years ago

She was one screwed up angel. And I don't think Prior was very religious, because as you may have noticed he wasn't a big fan of God. So being tormented by a crazy Angel and being very ill, cursing was the least of his problems.

The Angel broke into his apartment and hospitalroom, but every time she left, everything was just the way it was before she appeared for him.

And the angels in their winterjackets, caps and glasses at the end wasn't confusing to you?

"You cannot find peace by avoiding life"

[–] verbumctf 15 years ago

Maybe you have to be in touch with religious tradition to get the role of the angel.

'Angel' comes from the Greek word for messenger.

They are messengers that connect between Heaven (God/Spirit/source of life) and men on earth.

Such are our human limitations that we cannot communicate directly with God; communication has to be mediated (as, through angels).

There are numbers of instances of angels communicating with men in both the Old and New Testaments. It could be to clarify steps to fulfill a chosen destiny (angel tells Joseph in his dream to escape Herod's massacre, angel Gabriel reveals Our Lady's destiny if she consents...); it could be to prepare someone for greater responsibility (as Jacob wrestles with his angel before reconciling with his brother Essau).

This heritage informs 'Angels in America'.

The play weaves a dialogue of traditions that make up the United States of America.

(Does that help?)

[–] Thomasina 14 years ago

I don't think this is the only explanation of the angel, or even a complete single explanation. But I read this in The New York Times today and thought it was a nice way into starting an answer to your question:

Bradley Cherna, a 22-year-old aspiring playwright, recalled finding a copy of “Angels” in his Florida library in the eighth grade and said he was “blown away page after page” by the ambition and sweep of the story, which jumps through time and places and mixes naturalistic and supernatural drama.

“I guess everyone longs at some point for an angel to crash through their roof to provide some sort of hope and help — for me it came at a time of conflict with my parents about my sexuality,” said Mr. Cherna, who is gay and now lives in Brooklyn. (emphasis mine) “The play also showed me what theater can do — capture history, realize the imaginary and familiarize the strange.”

from "‘Angels in America’ Earns Place in Pantheon" by Patrick Healy, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/theater/25angels.html?hpw

[–] robann1 14 years ago

The New York Times article was so meaningful for me. I have been a fan of AinA since first seeing it in 2003 and was one of the consistent posters here for quite a while. I love what Mr. Cherna had to say about the angel.