AMERICAN DREAM IN THE PLAYS OF CLIFFORD ODETSshodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in › bitstream › 10603 › 4054 › 8... · and status as the significant things in the life. Yet they are

CHAPTER – II

AMERICAN DREAM IN THE PLAYS OF CLIFFORD ODETS

2.1 CLIFFORD ODETS : LIFE AND LITERARY CAREER

Clifford Odets (1906-1963), a playwright of intense social

sensitivity and consciousness, was born on July 18th, 1906, to his Jew

immigrant parents, Louis Odets and Pearl Geisenger.

His father, Louis came from typical Russian ‘Old World’ Jew

family having strong love for music and quest for successful luxurious life

whereas his mother belonged to Romanian Jew family. The poverty and

will to struggle for success was common legacy to both of them.

Apart from native hatred and common suffering to the Jews in

America, Odets family was struggling to make their life. Despite

deliberate attempts of Clifford’s father – to shape up his life providing

decent education and high rank profession later, Odets could not do much

in education and in commercial profession.

During his schooling, rather than education he showed inclination

towards creative art and theatrical activities. Odets’ artistic desire and

inability to succeed in the world in the eyes of his father aggravated

relationship between father and son. In the course of time, when engaged in

an active literary career, his preoccupation with artistic desire confronting

with the idealistic world became the feature of some of his protagonists.

His love for acting profession brought him in concern with many

amateur theatre groups. He was happy with even the speechless minor roles

PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

http://www.docudesk.com

56

assigned to him. Throughout his life, he preferred to be a creative artist.

Along with his theatrical career, he worked as a disc – jockey for radio

station. He even enjoyed his skill of oratory as a professional elocutionist.

But his main concern was theatre and theatrical activities. He regarded

technique of theatre is founded on life values and human experiences. His

intention was to analyze the structure and the feel of the society and he

strongly believed that the theatre is the effective tool to do so and to

convey the desired message.

Besides his multifaceted career, theatre was very close to his heart.

In an extensive interview run for two days, in September 1961, two years

before his death, he evaluates the place of theatre in his life as :

I had always wanted as a kid to be both actor and writer, I thought I would be a novelist, but when I became a professional actor, my mind naturally began to take the form of the play as a means of saying something…. But being an actor, I began to think in terms of three acts, divisions of acts and scenes within the acts, and whatever technique I have has been unconsciously absorbed – almost through my skin – with all kinds of acting I have done (1991:75).

Though later on, Odets’ career flourished as the playwright of the

middle class ethics and dilemmas of aspiration, initially he started his

creative career by writing two radio plays – Dawn and At the Water Line,

in the year 1926. Both these plays, deal with the theme of men in spiritual

crisis. In fact, it was the period slightly prior to the Depression, when these

plays were broadcast. He had sensed the forthcoming turmoil of crisis

and failure.


57

Of course, many of the critics have recognized Odets as influential

writer. However, it seems that he is not paid much attention which he

deserved. His connection with Hollywood and theatre and the gossips

regarding that was the matter of more interest for some of the critics. So he

became the victim of diverse opinions about his literary career. Some of the

critics have criticized him as a ‘betrayed talent’ whereas some critics

honour him as a ‘golden boy of a theatre’.

Walter J. Meserve, in the volume, American Literary Scholarship

of 1969 makes the chronological categorization of the plays of

Odets as :

1. The Early Plays : written in anger 2. The Middle Plays : written in moderation 3. The Post-War Plays : written in maturity (1978:3).

While criticizing the chronological approach of Walter Meserve,

Harold Cantor in his extensive study Clifford Odets : Playwright-Poet,

points out the loopholes. Talking about the play, Waiting For Lefty, even if

it is written in early phase of anger and outburst, he remarks that Odets

shows his maturity of thought.

In the year 1935, Odets wrote his full-length play, Awake and Sing.

It is a family drama with a predominant theme – a middleclass family

facing extinction in an economic holocaust can sustain itself by tenderness

and mutual loyalty. Beyond anything else, family relationship and trust in

one another is important. Awake and Sing (1935) is also remarkable for

Odets’ love for music. It is a central symbol in the play.


58

Waiting for Lefty (1935) is Odets’ socio political play shows his

Marxist bent of mind. The play is a call for action in which Odets appeals

to the suffering mass to rise up and give voice to despair. Odets’ concept of

Marxism was quite romantic and idealistic. But soon with the feeling of

betrayal he left Marxist party as there was no space for his informal,

spiritual and emotional nature.

The cry and the protest of society entrapped in economic downfall

and its consequences is the recurring theme of his most of the plays.

I Can’t Sleep (1936) is a monologue of an American businessman

struggling to sustain and restlessness among the working class is the theme

of the play. Though the play didn’t get warm reception, it was genuine

protest of hungry mouths and empty hands.

Paradise Lost (1936) is Odets another play written in early phase of

anger. The play is a depiction of a family struggling to overcome the

erosion of the society, disturbed by the inward and outward forces beyond

control. Gordon family is, actually a miniature of the society suffering

from the pressure of economic condition and the frustration.

Till the Day I Die (1936) is the play written by Odets as a curtain

raiser to Waiting for Lefty. It was his first minor play having non-localized

setting. In fact, it was first anti-Nazi play in America. Rather than dramatic

the play has great historical significance.

Apart from commercial failure of Odets’ Paradise Lost and

unstaged play, The Silent Partner; Golden Boy (1937), the play written in


59

following year brought Odets a renewal of his status as a playwright. In the

play, Odets harshly comments on the desire for money is an American

malady. It is a disease brought by American Dream, which weakens the

moral values.

In the present work, the play is extensively analyzed with the

approach of success and failure of American Dream.

Alongwith identity-crisis and struggle to sustain, widening gap

between family relationship specifically marital relations is the bitter fruit

of material minded mentality. Rocket to the Moon (1939) is another play of

Odets. Like Paradise Lost, Rocket to the Moon realistically speaks about

love and marital relations. The play is about American optimistic idealism

underlines Odets deep trust that the real salvation of America is not in

money but in true love.

It is remarkable to note that Odets received diverse criticism for his

literary creation. His Night Music (1940) was almost neglected full-length

play. Though it earnestly deals with the theme of homelessness,

rootlessness and disorientation of Depression stricken society, the critics

harshly criticised the work. At the end of the play, Odets hopefully

expresses the note of optimism consoling degeneration of American

Dream.

Like Rocket in the Moon, his next play, Clash by Night (1942)

displays an indulgence of ordinary souls in love affair. An external bitter

weather is responsible for violent passion. Even in love, people lose their


60

temper if outward conditions are not complementary. The period of

Depression brought much unhealthy condition to create restlessness in

relationship of love.

As far as writing of the plays is concern, after Clash by Night Odets

has spent seven years in passivity. The Big Knife (1949) was the first play

written by Odets in his last phase of his literary career. The play is the

reflection of compromise of success minded people for whom moral values

are least significant in the life than the material attainment. The play

effectively speaks about inner and outer corruption and victimization of the

people caused by. Odets bitterly reacts against Hollywood as wrapped and

dishonest.

The play is elaborately analysed further with the view of

degeneration of American Dream as one of the predominant themes of

the play.

In the play, The Country Girl Odets’ mood is bit softer to treat

Hollywood. Like The Big Knife, the central figures in the play are actors

searching for self satisfaction and meaningful achievement. American

Dream and idea of success made Americans to count material prosperity

and status as the significant things in the life. Yet they are restless to know

why there is a vaccum in the life even after attaining the money and status.

The play The Flowering Peach (1955) is the most appreciated work

of Odets written in the phase of maturity. First time Odets is quite calm and

composed to react about American society and human life altogether. His


61

play The Flowering Peach is honoured as the ‘testament to the endurance

and native wisdom of mankind’. He is quite optimistic to pass over the

message of hope.

Alongwith these plays discussed above, Odets has written a play

The Russian People (1943) adapted from a play by Konstantin Simonov.

He wrote some screen-plays like, The General Died at Dawn (1936),

None But the Lonely Heart (1944), Deadline at Dawn (1945). The Sweet

Smell of Success (1957), The Story on Page One (1959) and Wild in the

Country (1960). Three televisions scripts are credited to his name. It is

remarkable to know that almost seven plays of Odets remained

unpublished.

Odets, a playwright, determined to depict the problems of

inequality, evils of money minded mentality and stretched domestic and

social relationship undergone adverse criticism frequently. On the other

hand, his recurring themes of loneliness, rootlessness, alienation and search

for spiritual satisfaction gave him true recognition as playwright of social

consciousness.

Odets, a playwright of great determination and dedication died of

stomach cancer on 15th August 1963.

2.2 GOLDEN BOY (1937)

Odets, unquestionably, most significant playwright of thirties,

visioned the decade of Depression and its consequences with close

compassion. The tension produced in an individual by the impulses of


62

world’s most competitive materialism and its consequent domestic and

social injustice consistently appealed to Odets’ confessional and reformist

approach. His passionate view towards the struggle of success crazy

Americans made him to identify the feeling of dispossession, homelessness

and rootlessness. Truly speaking, Odets was the voice of millions of

Americans, nostalgic about the prosperity of progressive era and sufferings

of the Depression period.

His reformist and moralist bent of mind always compelled him to

analyze his observations with humanitarian point of view. As we know,

reflection of author’s autobiographical experiences in his creative work is

the universal principle. Odets personal life is inseparable from his work,

rather it was never-ending source for his writing. He belonged to typical

generation of American community, who gave prime importance to

ideologies while fulfilling their American Dream of Success. He was one

of the representatives of American community indulged in the battle to

make their mark in a new world without sacrificing the customs of the

culture they had inherited from ‘the old country’.

Of course, his commercial purpose towards his creativity is an

undeniable fact. However, it does not make us to disregard the depth of his

social consciousness. In fact, theatre was his handy tool to make public,

the assessment of values and make the voice of the frustrated generation

audible.


63

The role of Group Theatre, the most influential theatre group of

Depression period, is quite remarkable in the life of Odets. The success

and failure of both the group theatre and Odets is intertwined. The group

theatre founded in 1931, till the time of its collapse in 1941, presented

twenty-three plays. Out of them seven were of Odets. Odets’ association

with the Group Theatre gave the name and fame to him as one of the

biggest emerging playwrights. Generally the group designed and presented

the plays which were quite complementary to their favourite motto, “What

shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul”

(1989:10).

Alongwith Clifford Odets, Harold Clurman, Lee Strasberg, Sanford

Meisner, Franchot Tone and Morris Carnovsky, members of the group

theatre, despite their commercial failure looked forward with some noble

purpose. However, frequent failure brought the group fatal financial

difficulties, yet they never did any compromise with their ideologies. The

principle cause of the group’s failure was its inability to secure the

financial means to meet its high artistic ends.

In the last quarter of 1940s, the Group Theatre was literally striving

hard to sustain. Odets’ Golden Boy (1937) proved to be a great consolation

to the group. It brought money, good grace and above all an assurance of

an existence. The Golden Boy came at such a critical period when the

group was about to disperse. The success of the play served as a vehicle

for group to function together for next some years.


64

The play, initially, called The Manly Art or Golden Gloves finally

became popular as Golden Boy, with its subtitle An American Allegory. It

ran on Broadway for 250 performances. It was the first play of Odets sold

to movie which in a true sense opened Hollywood doors for him.

Golden Boy is a tragic story of an Italian-Jewish boy, Joe Bonaparte,

struggling to realize his dream of success. He stands at the centre of the

play as a protagonist larger than life, wants to become ‘somebody’ in

America finally meets to his death.

Joe Bonaparte is a 21 years old success crazy American boy of

Italian-Jewish origin, son of Mr. Bonaparte, an old man having traditional

notion of success, based on moral ethics and self-satisfaction. Keeping, Joe

Bonaparte, the protagonist at the center, the characters of the play can

roughly be categorized under two groups – one is Joe’s family relations

and another is his professional relations.

Mr. Bonaparte his father, Siggie-Joe’s brother in law, Anna-Siggie’s

wife and Joe’s sister, Frank-Joe’s elder brother and Mr. Carp his father’s

Jewish friend are at one side having love for Joe and certain expectations

from him.

Whereas, Tom Moody his fight manager, Lorna-Tom’s fiancée,

Tokio, his trainer and Eddie Fuseli, a gambler and gunman are interested in

Joe’s victory in boxing ring. The professional success of all these

characters is involved in the success of Joe. An individual identity of Joe

is burdened under the clashing expectations. Except his father, everybody


65

wants to make use of his youthful desires of success. They are dreaming

their success in the success of Joe. They least think of ‘what he wants to

be in the life, rather they impose their wills on him.’

In fact, Joe represents thousands of success-crazy American

youngster having withered self-identity and lost innocence. Money-minded

implication of success made them to divorce the idealism. He belongs to

typical American young generation, ready to compromise with even moral

values and idealism to please the ‘bitch goddess-success’. Consequently, it

is bound to meet the degeneration of dream and dire frustration. The

success attained at the price of character-ethic and idealism is momentary

and of mean value.

The play opens at fight manager Tom Moody’s office. Lorna, his

fiancée and he are worried about their financial status. They have to marry

but until they pay five thousand dollars to Monica-Tom’s wife, she is not

ready to go out of their way. Lorna is consistently insisting him to marry

her. But as his business is not running well, he is unable to give five

thousand dollars to his wife Monica.

It is ridiculous to know that getting divorce is not difficult but to get

money is problematic. Monica too is not hesitating to divorce her husband

if she is getting five thousand dollars. Marital relationship is less important

than the money. The desire for getting money is reached to an extreme

extent where relationships are also sold out.


66

Realizing the difficulties in making money and running his boxing

company, Tom becomes nostalgic about the past glories of America where

to him, ‘New York was hot with money’. The insecurity in his profession

compels him to sing, ‘Carry me back to old Virginny’ (1937:138).

The economic downfall of the great Depression has affected the

entire scenario. The feeling of insecurity and doubt made the Americans,

pessimistic about future. Tom Moody realizes, ‘there isn’t much future’

Lorna complements him by saying, “It’s the Twentieth Century, Tom – no

more miracles” (GB138), irrespective of success or failure everybody has

to take the risk to sustain.

Tom is in search of a suitable black boy who can win a prize-fight

for him. To him, talent is rare so it is difficult to get a good boy. He is

discussing the same with Lorna. Joe Bonaparte the protagonist of the play

enters in the office. He straightway requests Tom to give him an

opportunity to fight for him. It is all absurd for Tom that a cock-eyed black

boy could fight against Chocolate Drop a boxer of the reputation. But Joe

is quite confident to convince him. In fact, Joe much formally trained

fighter but his will to win and an outstanding determination to grab the

opportunity is typical characteristic of quest to fulfill the American Dream.

America is always appreciated as the land of opportunity, but many

of the times when natural opportunity is not availed, the success-crazy

Americans create the opportunities by hook or by crook. Joe, too here does

the same. Initially Kaplan was supposed to fight for Tom. In the course of


67

time, he was systematically being trained by the trainer Tokio. But Joe

deliberately colloided with Kaplan and made him to get his bones broken.

The incident made Kaplan unfit to fight and Joe grabbed the opportunity,

which he created himself.

The boxing ring is a miniature of changing America where at every

moment every success crazy American has to face the rivalry. At every

juncture there is a risk of life. But if one wants to be successful and make

money he or she has to accept the challenges. It was the mentality came

out of dire depression. American society was tasting the bitterness of

economic failure. The young Americans were ready to die and shed the

blood than to live the miserable life of failure and oddities.

It is also significant to note that in the progressive era, American

economy was safely based on agrarian activities, demanded only sweat- the

hard work. But its transformation to industry demanded throat cutting

rivalry. Particularly in the present play, entertainment industry like boxing

ring demanded extreme life risk. And it is an inevitability of the time.

Even after knowing the insecurity of life, success crazy Joe willingly

accepts the risk to fulfill his dream of success.

Tom Moody, the fight manager, too, without showing any emotional

concern for Joe’s life, pushes Joe into the boxing ring to fight against

mighty opponent. It is his professional practicality, gives all importance to

making money than anybody’s life. Tom’s dream of success is directly

related to Joe’s win. It is really disgusting to see Tom’s commercial


68

attitude towards Joe, treating him as a mere machine employed to borne the

success. Moreover, Tom shows his typical hatred for Joe’s Jewish origin.

The scene shifts to the dining room of the Bonaparte home. Joe’s

father, Mr. Bonaparte and his Jewish friend Carp, a owner of a local candy

and stationery stores, are sitting by the table. Siggie – son-in-law of Mr.

Bonaparte enters into dining room. Siggie and Carp are at conversation.

Carp, typical old generation Jew, is quite sensible to the things rapidly

changing. He has realized that it is difficult to pace up with the new

dimensions and dilemmas of American Dream. The old generation is

totally outcast. And it is all painful for old generation to take the things

easy. Carp gives way to his painful thought by saying, “I don’t take it

easy, that’s my trouble – If I could only learn to take it easy” (GB 244).

Siggie makes him feel more painful by criticizing his candy business as

lower scale business.

In fact, Siggie himself is a sort of person who is unfit to live in

American Dream. There is no space for the people like Siggie, who expect

somebody should do something for them. Siggie is interested in taxi cab

business, but he wants his father-in-law should give him money to buy the

cab. And in future, if he gets cab from Mr. Bonaparte, he already declares

that he will drive the cab in day shifts only as he is married person. He

expects Joe to drive the cab in night shifts. The fulfillment of American

dream requires sacrifice of worldly pleasures. It requires to do some more

than usual.


69

Mr. Bonaparte who is quite tender and touchy about his son Joe

denies Joe as a cab driver. Joe, who is expected to make his career in

music has practised fiddle for ten years and secured Erickson Institute

Scholarship for his skill. Mr. Bonaparte who bought a violin as a gift of

his 21st birthday dreams him to be a feedler. Carp’s reaction on seeing a

violin case is significant. It seems like a coffin-box for him. In the

present, competitive civilization, the career in music may give pleasure but

it is difficult to make living. The music and art cannot fulfill the quest of

material success. In Carp’s words “Could the Muses put bread and butter

on the table?” (GB 249).

Mr. Bonaparte is quite optimistic to convince Carp that Joe has love

for music and he does not expect Joe as a millionaire. Music can give

satisfaction of living and will be cheer-up for Joe’s life. But Carp has

came to a conclusion that the quest for material success and the

competitive spirit has made life so bad. Music and Art cannot satisfy the

material demands of new American generation. The changing mentality of

young Americans is searching pleasure in worldly things. Muses may give

them satisfaction but cannot suffice their material needs. Modern

implication of American dream of quest of material fulfillment sacrifices

human values and satisfaction. So Carp, with all his experience, makes the

prediction that Joe will keep aside his love for music and Mr. Bonaparte’s

expectations, to meet his dream.


70

Frank, Joe’s elder brother, working for labour union brings to the

notice of Mr. Bonaparte, an advertisement about prize-fight between Joe

and Chocolate Drop. Mr. Bonaparte is shocked to know this. He is

disillusioned. With all love and care, Mr. Bonaparte and Frank ask Joe

about his professional fight Joe’s reaction is quite cynical. All his anger

about himself and the world is apparent in his words. He does not expect

anybody should interrupt and criticize his decision.

In a dire anguish and frustration, Joe, accepting the life risk, has

taken decision to make the life and change the fortune. He shows his

typical Jewish anger for neglecting and outcasting from the main stream of

development. He expresses his frustration in the words :

I don’t know why I got so sore … I don’t like myself, past, present and future. Do you know there are men who have wonderful things from life? Do you think I like this feeling of no possessions? … I change my life (GB 252).

The cynicism and anger of the new generation is quite significant,

upto certain extent, they are holding old generation, responsible for their

present wretched state. An old generation, themselves have tasted the

fruits of prosperity and new generation is struggling to exist. They are

crazy to choose their own ways to meet their dreams. To them,

expectations of old generation are hurdles in their way. Even the genuine

love and care of the parents cannot resist them from madly running after

their dreams.


71

It seems that Carp, principally, has admitted the mistake of old

generation. It has failed to provide safe fortune and cultural legacy. His

words are enough clear to express the confession: “Fortune! I used to hear

it in my youth – the streets of America is paved with gold. Say you forgot

to give him the present” (GB 253). Busy with fulfiling the American

Dream and enjoying its fruits, old generation forgot to sow the proper

seeds of fortune for forthcoming generation.

Frank, the man having Marxist set up of mind, shows his elderliness

to convince his younger brother. But when he realizes the firm

determination of Joe, he significantly remarks that “It looks like the gold

bug has visited our house” (GB 253).

As already, American Dream is treated as ‘bitch Goddess’, Frank

calls it ‘a gold bug’; sucking blood of success aspirer and making restless

to fulfill the ideas of success. It doesn’t mean that Joe is not aware of the

risk and his behaviour can cause pains to his father and brother, but to

bring the change, in the present course of time, he has no alternative. His

approach is rather practical than sentimental.

Two months later, Mr. Bonaparte goes to Tom Moody’s office to

see the new friends of his son. Meanwhile, Joe is being trained by Tom,

Tokio and Roxy. It is a problem for Tom and his colleagues that Joe’s

approach is rather defensive. It seems that Joe is worried about his hands.

He is taking more care of his hands. In fact, somewhere, at the back of

Joe’s mind there is a talented violinist taking special care of his hands.


72

Mr. Bonaparte, when enquires about Joe, Roxy tells him that “We

want to make your boy famous – a millionaire … We offer him on a gold

platter! Wine, women and song to make a figure of speech. We offer him

magnitude” (GB 256).

Truly speaking, it is an idea of success, to attain the popularity,

wealth and life style of higher magnitude. It is everything in the life to be

fulfilled. This is the dream of every crazy American. The name, fame and

the luxurious life style are the temptations of American Dream, which

make impatient to dream-aspirers. They are ready to please their goddess

of success at the cost of anything.

For Roxy, it is sheer stupidity of Mr. Bonaparte to expect Joe as a

violinist, he in anguish, remarks : “If I had hair, I’d tear it out! Five

hundred fiddlers stand on Broadway and 48th street, on the corner,

everyday, rain or shine, hot or cold” (GB 257). For Roxy Music cannot be

a career enough to satisfy the richness and magnitude. There is no scope in

it to make the fortune. Mr. Bonaparte cannot hide his sorrow, seeing the

changing attitude of the people. He is quite worried about Joe. Roxy has

now decided to make up Joe’s mind in favour of fight. He confidently

assures his colleagues, “For the money that’s involved I’d make Niagara

falls turn around and go back to Canada” (GB 258).

Tom is expecting Joe to fight with all his potential and ability. In

the victory of Joe, for him, there is resurrection of prosperous era. Tom

Moody and his colleagues have made all the arrangement to get public


73

response using their salesmanship tactics. Yet, he is not sure about Joe.

He convinces Lorna, “It is our last chance for a decent life, for getting

married – we have to make that kid fight! He is more than a meal ticket –

he is everything we want and need from life” (Odets 261). It is now

Lorna’s turn to convince Joe. Tom too, skillfully makes Lorna to realize

the fulfillment of their dream is related to Joe’s win. Lorna promises Tom

that she will use her own ways to make Joe fight. In fact, to make up Joe’s

mind for fight, is an attempt of Lorna to go closer to her own dream that

she looks in decent married life with Tom.

Few nights later, Lorna and Joe, sitting on a bench in the park

having tender talk, Lorna’s passionate look at Joe, makes him little relaxed

to open his heart. He tells Lorna, how does he feel all alone and homeless

in the world. The burden of fulfilling his own expectations and the

expectations of his father has made his life full of internal and external

struggles. He feels insecure in the selfish world of ‘Me, myself and I.’ He

admits that his true life and love is music,

With music I’m never alone when I’m alone – playing music … that’s like saying. I am man, I belong here. How do you do, world good evening ! When I play music nothing is closed to me. I’m not afraid of people and what they say. There is no war in music. … But when you leave your room … down in the street … its war! Music can’t help me there (GB 263, 264).

He knows his inclination for music cannot fulfill his dream. There

is no place for artistic desires in their harsh practical realities of American

idea of success. The arts and artists are proving freak in money-minded


74

society. The fast changing America is outcasting all those things where

there is no money. Is it not prior to all living is more important than the

satisfaction in living? In fact, Joe is in a mood of sharing his genuine

feelings, expecting complementary response. But Lorna, as she has

promised to Tom, cunningly is trying to make up his mind for fight. She

makes use of his revengeful-mentality saying : “Joe, listen : be a fighter!

Show the world! If you made your fame and fortune … you’d be anything

you want … Get a bank account … You’ll take face so people won’t laugh

or scorn your face” (GB 264).

Joe has decided to fight, it is not because of Lorna’s efforts to

convince him. He has realized the futility of fiddling in the competitive

spirit of the world. He has decided to buy a car. It symbolically indicates

he has to pace up with the demands of the age. Sitting in a car and driving

at high speed is for him making world look down. It is his revengeful

notion against the society which by neglecting the worth of his artistic

desires makes him feel outcast.

Few days later, at his father’s home, Joe is preparing to go on fight

tour, Anna ,Joe’s sister, Siggie and Lorna Moon are there to help him. Mr.

Bonaparte is quite worried about Joe, yet hopeful that Joe could change his

mind. Siggie, very superficial man having little understanding and

seriousness of life is excited to see Joe is going for fight, that probably can

help Siggie to change his life. He couldn’t hide his selfish expectations.

He encourages Joe, saying : “My God is success. Need I say more? I am


75

proud of you, come home champ ! Make enough dough to buy your

sister’s boy friend a new cab! … Yazoo !” (GB 270).

As already noted above, Joe is a ‘meal ticket’ for Tom and Lorno,

for decent life. For Siggie also, he is a money-making machine, can

provide life of higher rank. Except Mr. Bonaparte and Frank, everybody is

looking Joe as a mere key to unlock the dream of success.

Helpless father is watching everything with broken heart. He has

realized that now it is difficult to stop Joe. Mr. Bonaparte makes his last

attempt to convince his son. Very philosophically, he tells Lorna, “when

you find out help Joe find truthful success.” Mr. Bonaparte is doubtful

about truthfulness of success which is against the inclination. He reminds

Lorna that Joe had a dream for years to be a superior violinist, but the

changing implication of success has made him to go for prize fight against

his inclination. Finally, he requests her to take care of Joe.

Joe while departing manages somehow to compose himself to

embrace his father. He could not hide his pains to ask his father to return

the violin. Mr. Bonaparte is quite emotional at Joe departure. Joe consoles

him saying “Give me the word to go ahead, you’re looking at yesterday –

I see tomorrow” (GB:271).

In other words, Joe wants to bring to the notice of his father that

there is no place for emotions and relations in the way of fulfillment of

fortune. In fact, while consoling his father. Joe needs true consolation that

he is to sacrifice his boyhood dreams to fulfill his youthful dreams. After


76

departure of Joe, Mr. Bonaparte and Carp are nostalgic about their

emotional attachment to the past and culture. They have not yet understood

true nature of man and his place in changing world.

Six months later, it seems that Joe has forgotten everything about

his artistic desires. Tom, Lorna and Roxy are happy to see Joe’s

improvement and his whole hearted involvement in practice. They are

admiring Joe in the midst of noise of gymnasium activities. Tokio, Joe’s

trainer is yet doubtful about Joe. He tells about the incident when Joe and

he himself were getting out of the hotel, a long haired, typical violinist with

his violin case passed crossing them, Joe got pale and when he got in the

ring that night he kept his hand in his pockets. Tom Moody realizes, yet

there is a danger. So they plan to keep off all the showings which may

disturb Joe during the fight.

Tom and his colleagues are busy with sorting out their tentative

problem, Eddie Fuseli, a dark skinned renowned gambler and gunman

enters there. He shows his interest in buying some share of the prize fight.

He almost threatens Tom and his colleagues to accept him as the partner.

Joe has to do little with these professional matters. He has bought a

Duinsenberg car, as he has an attraction for speed and dynamism. These

are the success symbols for him with which he can make the world look

down. He wants to make the world to take the cognizance of his long-

ignored identity. The success and prosperity are the parameters of the


77

status. He drives his car, confidently, with high speed to pace up with the

requirements of fulfillment of American Dream.

Tokio and Tom are more conscious about his fitness, they are

worried about his high speed driving may cause any injury. Joe is quite

confident about his improvement. The success which he has attained

makes him feel better. He feels, now he is making some place for himself,

the feeling of uprootedness and frustration of failure is disappeared now.

He proudly says, “I like to work, I’m getting somewhere – I feel it better

everyday” (GB 276). He has realized there is lot of money in boxing. He

appeals his fight manager to arrange fights with metropolitan contenders,

not with petty club-fighters. The ‘golden bug’ has really bitten him, he is

more thirsty to make money. This is the peculiarity of American Dream of

success. Once when you start walking on the track of success, it makes you

run faster. The quest for success gets bigger and bigger.

Eddie Fuseli, the gangster and gunman, represents the evil element

in business world who by using his nuisance wants to make money. Tom

and Tokio are not willing to accept him as a partner. Eddie tries to

prejudice Joe about Tom. Now, it is another fear for Tom and Tokio that

people like Eddie can take Joe away from them. And all their efforts can

turn futile. Once again Tom requests Lorna to take care of Joe and

persuade him. He reminds her, their marriage solely depends upon Joe’s

being with them and his success in prize-fight. He earnestly appeals her to


78

keep on Joe’s mind positive for fight. He indirectly consents her to use her

womanish abilities to persuade him.

Few nights later, Lorna and Joe are sitting on bench in the park.

Lorna’s affectionate concern makes Joe frank to open his heart. Always in

the company of Lorna, genuine Joe comes out. They share their pains and

pleasures. Though, unwillingly, Joe is on the way of material fulfillment,

somewhere in the deep heart, his desire for career in music makes him

restless. Lorna very passionately insists him not to think about music.

It is almost impossible for Joe to forget his love for music and his

old father’s desires. An illusion of ‘a kid with a Buster Brown collar and a

violin case tucked under his arms’ appetize him. His quest for American

Dream has given him a car and career. But he has sacrificed his artistic

desires to fulfill the dream.

He expects sincere love from Lorna, in the course of conversation

He tells her that for Tom he is ‘like a possession! Just a little silver mine.’

As he has left his father, he feels all alone, he needs an emotional support,

which he thinks Lorna can offer him. But out of necessity and under the

burden of gratitude Lorna cannot give up Tom who has helped her in her

difficult hours.

Next day, in the office of Tom Moody, Lorna in a hangover is

present and Siggie arrives there in hurry. He is there to return the money

which Tom has sent to Mr. Bonaparte. He informs them that

Mr. Bonaparte is worried about Joe. Tom shows no concern to


79

Mr. Bonaparte. Lorna doesn’t like this. He is typical practical business

man. Beyond business nothing is important to him. On Lorna’s dislike for

his rude behavior he replies: “I don’t like him and I don’t like his son! It is

a business – Joe does his work, I domine. Like this telephone – I pay the

bill and I use it!” Lorna replies : “He’s human…” (GB 288).

The business minded mentality of changing world has made the

difference in human behaviour. Almighty dollar has made human being

inhuman. Tom’s absolute professional attitude does not allow any fun in

business. For him, there is no place for music and high speed car driving.

He does not like Joe to argue with him. He always tries to keep Joe at his

place. He reminds Joe his importance in his life. “Yes! I’m your maker,

you cock-eyed gutter rat! Out a sawdust and spit I made you! I own you –

without me you’re a blank! …” (1937:291). Eddie Fuseli takes chance to

support Joe to win his goodwill and threatens Tom to do his business rather

using sluggish words for Joe.

Six weeks later, it is a day of fight against Lombardo. The

atmosphere is changed with an excitement. Tokio – the trainer and Eddie

are helping Joe for his preparation for fight. Siggie and

Mr. Bonaparte have come to see the fight. Siggie is quite excited to enjoy

the prize-fight He leaves Mr. Bonaparte alone at dressing room and rushes

to ring. Mr. Bonaparte is worried about Joe. He wants to talk to his son.

Joe realizes the reason of his anxiety. Mr. Bonaparte, too, knows

that it is impossible to resist Joe from the fight. It is inevitability for Joe.


80

He makes his stand clear saying: “I have to fight, no matter what you say

or think! This is my profession! I am out for fame and fortune, not to be

different or artistic! I don’t intend to be ashamed of my life !” (GB 298).

For Mr. Bonaparte, Joe is no more now fit for music. It needs men of

sensitivity and concern. The victims of American Dream, absolutely

practical, running madly after material, cannot fit to worship the muses.

Mr. Bonaparte is sorry for his son but finally wishes good for his fight. Joe

realizes the pains of his father. He is helpless to turn back to warm shelter

of his father. Now he believes in the philosophy that, “when a bullet sings

through the air it has no past – only a future.” He expresses his concrete

determination, saying: “Nobody now stands in my way” (GB 299). He is

excited to march on ‘Millionaire Express.’

The fight is going on, the crowd is cheering the fighters. The

atmosphere is full of cheer and thrill. Mr. Bonaparte cannot dare to see the

fight, he is worried about the hands of Joe. Joe enters in the dressing room.

He has won against Lombardo, but in the fight his hand is broken. Tom,

Tokio, Joe, and Eddie are thrilled with the satisfaction of victory. For Joe,

“It is the beginning of the new world.” The world of the fame and fortune

where dreams come true. They have satisfied the new implication of

American Dream where victory, name, fame and fortune solely mean the

new beginning of the world. But Mr. Bonaparte’s world of aesthetic and

artistic desires is ruined. American idea of success proved cruel and

ruthless for him. His hopes have came to an end.


81

Joe’s success has made a lot of physical change in the lives of Tom,

Tokio, Eddie, Lorna and Joe himself. The fame and fortune has added

certain bellicosity to Joe’s attitude. The grace, glory and confidence, came

out of material prosperity is apparent. It has changed even clothing of Joe

to silk and custom-made suits. The press-people are always around him.

The success has made an internal change as well. The virtue like

modesty is useless for him. The polished prize-fighter has totally knocked

out the tender fiddler. He is nothing else but the prize fighter only. As

American Dream is translating success to status, sacrificing all the virtues

and affection, Joe has attained it. Meanwhile Joe comes to know that soon

Lorna is going to marry Tom. In fact, Joe was dreaming that with the

prosperity Lorna could change her mind to marry him. But it proves his

illusion. Joe expresses his anger for her, but to Lorna, Joe is no more that

kind hearted lovable young man. His profession has changed him to a

ruthless bloody killer.

All those who had real love and care for Joe are going away from

him. His father Mr. Bonaparte, his brother Frank and Lorna who had

certain affection for him are, now, not with him. Though he has attained

all the success he dreamt for he is all alone. The people, like Eddie, are

crowding around him to cheer his success, but it now suffocates Joe. The

talk between Eddie and Joe is clear enough to focus on his miserable state.

Joe : What the hell do you think I am? A machine? May be I’m lonely, may be…


82

Eddie : … Everybody is lonely. Get the money and you are not lonely.

Joe : You use me like a gun! Your loyalty is to keep me wielded and polished (GB 309).

The craziness and quest for fulfillment of American Dream has

brought unbearable isolation and devoid of emotional attachment to

younger generation of America.

The material success has suffocated Joe. He is disgusted of himself

and people around him. He has now realized his dream was delusion.

Beyond material prosperity and popularity there is also a world of love and

virtues. Eddie Fuseli, thorough money minded man has to keep Joe’s moral

high. Yet, the fight against chocolate drop is awaited. The fight is very

crucial for Eddie because they have invested lot in it. Joe’s nervousness

and hesitation is a matter of worry for him. He, empathetically, tries to

convince once again the importance of his profession. He makes him to

compare his past to present. Eddie reminds him the significance of the

profession of boxing :

A year ago Bonaparte was rookie with two-pants suit. Now he wears the best, eats the best, sleeps the best. He walks down the street respected – the golden boy! They had their heads off when Bonaparte steps in the ring … and I done it for him ! (GB 309).

American Dream is proving a bloody web for Joe. It is tightening around

him. American Dream, the way to wealth leads in a monodirection, one

who chooses the way can march ahead but there is no way to return. Joe

realizes the futility of his dream but he is drowned deep in the filth. Eddie


83

makes him aware that: “Don’t think so much – It could make you sick!

You are in this up to your neck !” (GB 310).

The fight against the mighty opponent Chocolate Drop is the

challenging task for Joe and his organizers. Tom, Eddie and Lorna, are in

tense. Nobody dares to go to ring to see the decisive fight which either can

give the title to Joe the world champ or ruin the fortunes of Tom and his

colleagues. Joe has lost his usual confidence. Lorna’s decision to marry

Tom has made him upset. Eddie bursts with anger against Lorna. He

holds her responsible for Joe’s state of mind. Eddie threatens

her, saying : “… If he lost … the trees are ready for your coffin. … You

turned him down, the golden boy … He gave you his hand and you spit on

his face” (GB 311).

Joe, terribly tired, wounded and stained with blood enters in the

dressing room. Eddie, watching him, tries to sense the result. Impatiently,

he asks Roxy about the result of the fight. Roxy, lifting the hands of Joe as

a sign of victory, in an excitement tells about Joe’s win. But when Roxy

leaves Joe’s hand it drops back limply. Joe has knocked out Chocolate

Drop very cruelly. Joe himself describes his fight “I gave him the fury of

life time in that final punch.” Still Joe is in his vehement mood. He

expresses his anguish for whole world. He wants to beat up whole world.

Meanwhile, dressing room receives news that terribly beaten Chocolate

Drop is dead. Tokio in a very tender voice tries to console Joe that he


84

should not feel guilty for Chocolate Drop’s death that was

mere accident.

Joe is stirred by the death of his opponent. He feels quite ashamed

and guilty of his act, suddenly, he calls his father, “what would he think of

me?” makes him feel disgusting of himself.

But I did it! That’s the thing – I did it! What will my father say when he hears I murdered man I. Lorna, I see what I did. I murdered myself too. … Now I am smashed! That’s the truth. Yes? Was a real sparrow, and I wanted to be a fake eagle … I am no good ... My feet are off the earth ! (GB 315).

Joe is totally uprooted. He admits that his quest, nay lust for success

made him inhuman. Whatever dream he satisfied is turned delusion for

him. He recalls how he was very safe like a sparrow in a warm nest of his

father, but he tried to be an Eagle and lost everything.

Lorna expresses her love for him and tries to calm down him. Lorna

appeals her to be a lovable genuine kid to whom she met in the park. She

asks him to give up his fighting business and go back to music. But, as his

hand is broken, he is a half man everything is ruined for him. Lorna

assures him that in her company he can begin his life newly. She says :

No we’re left! Two together! We have each other! Somewhere there must be happy boys and girls who can teach us the way of life! We’ll find some city, where poverty is no shame – where music is no crime – where there is no war in the streets – where man is glad to be himself to live and make his woman herself (GB 316).


85

The materialistic implication of American idea of success is so cruel to

outcast the poor and feel them ashamed of their poverty. Joe and Lorna,

both want to escape from the clutches of this cruel world. They want to go

to the world where there is no enemy and people are happy with their

inclinations. Will they find the world they wish for? Is it not the world of

Utopia, they are longing for?

They want to break up all their relations with the world of rivalry

and greed. The speed is only thing which can make them feel disconnected

from this world. To make the world feel down they decide to go on drive.

By late night, at Bonaparte home, Eddie, Roxy, Moody are gathered,

waiting Joe and Lorna to come for celebration. Tom is restless for Lorna.

Mr. Bonaparte and Frank look gloomy. Siggie insists Mr. Bonaparte to

enjoy the drink as token of Joe’s win. But Mr. Bonaparte is so sad that his

son has killed a man. Though it is game, it is not a matter of celebration

for him. The victory, fame and fortune stained with blood was never a part

of his dreams and aspirations.

Frank, man of certain values expresses the futility of celebration.

What these people are celebrating for, is meaningless for him. The real

satisfaction, for Frank, lies in belonging in harmony with millions of

others. He counts Joe’s so called success is not true success, he has been

made fool of wrong notions of success. Frank knows his principles may

not give him custom-made suits but he can get many other things which


86

Joe cannot. Mr.Bonaparte and Frank’s idealistic nature emphasizes the

meaninglessness of Joe’s success.

Eddie, Tom and Roxy are quite possessive about Joe. They are

having little quarrel among them regarding their investment and profit.

Mr. Bonaparte and Frank are all aloof from these money-matters. As the

telephone rings Frank receives it. It is very shocking news for him. He

does not know how to tell it to his father. Finally, he composes himself to

tell his father that both Joe and Lorna are killed in a car crash. Mr.

Bonaparte is sad to know his son dead, but he is not surprised, as if he was

unfortunately anticipating that the way which Joe has chosen has the same

destination. Tom is weeping for Lorna. Mr. Bonaparte, effortfully stands

strong, saying : “Joe … come, we bring him home … where he belongs”

(GB 321). Mr. Bonaparte knew that Joe, a warm hearted kid was never

made for fights and rivalry.

Music was his love. But his quest for fulfillment of success took

him on the wrong way to which he never belonged. He became the victim

of falsehood and fake glitter of so called ideas of success. So, finally,

Mr. Bonaparte and Frank move to bring him dead to home; the home of

love, music and care where he truly belongs. In the selfish world of

American Dream, he was absolutely homeless and isolated.

The play Golden Boy, played significant role in attributing

recognition and reputation to Odets as visionary playwright of thirties. The

play is remarkable for its vividness in thematic concept. It is interpreted


87

and appreciated tracing down different themes like escape from family

traps, futility of quest of success, degeneration of American Dream,

negligence of the worth of artistic desires in materialistic world, ruthless

and competitive spirit of American society, clash between old generation

and new generation etc.

A noted critic, Gabriel Miller appreciates the play as the best

symbolic and an allegorical play. Odets submitted an early draft of

the play as, ‘An American Allegory’, Gabriel Millers admires an

appropriateness of the subtitle as:

It is Odets’ particular accomplishment in Golden Boy, that his characters are so vividly presented as to transcend their allegorical functions and propel their personal conflict into the realm of tragedy, in order to stimulate a tragic apprehension, dramatic characters must engage an audience’s sympathy and passion more fully ! (Miller 65)

For Gabriel Miller the theme of the play is successfully attained by

Odets making use of symbolic and allegorical devices to win the

admiration of audience. For him:

Joe’s story, however, is more than a tragic study of the danger of courting success in America, for Odets is again exploring herein his favourite theme, the soul’s yearning for a secure heaven in this world … At this level Golden Boy reaches beyond the quintessential American dilemma that supplies its plot, attaining a dimension of universal significance in its symbolic progress (Miller 66).

In his early plays, Odets’ characters are confined to the limited space of

home. For them, the family home is an ultimate goal as the source of

emotional and spiritual support and place of belonging whereas in


88

Golden Boy, Odets has experimented the extension of space. Joe himself

feels that the space of family is a kind of entrapment for him. It is an

obstacle, resisting his flight into the open world of career and prosperity.

Gabriel Miller registers his observation as: In Golden Boy, Odets is

“transporting character and action beyond real space into metaphysical

space” (Miller 1991: 180). Joe, to prove his metal, strives for escape from

real space of family home to deceptive space of ruthless, competitive

world. Joe’s realization of moral emptiness of the society pushes him into

the realm of tragedy.

Burns Mantle appreciates Odets’ dramatic craftsmanship and

success of Golden Boy. To Mantle : “Golden Boy reveals the best of Odets’

genius for recreating a believable realism in both story and characters”

(Miller 1991:23). He interprets the theme of the play as, a carefully

sustained study of an Italian boy whose artistic and creative urges were at

war with the common American ambition to acquire wealth and publicity.

In the course of struggle to attain the material prosperity, Joe’s

artistic and creative urges are victimized. He achieves his dream to be

‘somebody’. But finally, when he realizes the emptiness of the dream,

there remains no way for him but the death.

Harold Clurman while appreciating accomplishment of Odets, ranks

Golden Boy at high position. An allegorical treatment of the play appeals

much to Harold Clurman, he asserts :


89

What the golden boy this allegory … wants is to free his ego from the scorn that attaches to ‘nobodies’ in a society in which every activity is viewed in the light of a competition. He wants success not simply for the soft life – automobiles, etc. – which he talks about, but because the acclaim that goes with it premises him acceptance by the world, peace with it, safety from becoming the victim that it makes of the poor, the alien … He has tried to bridge the gap between his own inner problems and the need he feels, like his hero … to make ‘fame and fortune’ (Miller 1991: 56).

To him, the success of the play offered, is not only the strength and

immediacy to the play house but also the lyric beauty too. More or less,

almost every critic who studied Odets’ contribution to American Drama

has drawn ‘degeneration of American Dream’ as predominant theme of

Golden Boy.

Regarding the play Golden Boy, Michael J. Mendelsonh in his

extensive work Clifford Odets: Humane Dramatist, rightly comments

American Dream as a American Malady, the disease infected to American

society :

… It is undeniable that Joe’s desire for money and all it can buy results from what the playwright obviously considers an American Malady, the disease is shown in context of a brash young fighter … In true Melodramatic fashion, the sides are clearly drawn up in terms of right and wrong. Joe’s career is a reference point… (Mendelsohn 44).

Mendelsohn sincerely recognizes Odets’ outstanding propensity for

dealing with significant themes. Golden Boy, for him, was not merely a

prize-fight story. It was an allegory, or better, a parable, in which

playwright examined both an individual relationship to society and his duty

to himself. Joe’s delusion of dream, Mendelsohn’s remarks, stems out of


90

his self-centeredness. It is a sin shared by the country as whole. Miller,

too, rightly complements to Mendlesohn as : “American society has

glorified material possession at the expense of the artistic and the creative.

For the success worshipper’s of American there is no place for second

best” (Miller 1991: 124).

George Jean Nathan, associating Odets’ theatrical career with

Golden Boy mercilessly attacks the theme of the glory. To him, it is a

different kind of allegory in which Odets has dramatized his own career.

He writes :

In that story you have Odets own impatience with close study and critical application to his dramatic writings, his desire for money, his several plays, forcibly contrived, that brought him too soon to be hailed as white Hope, his damaged dramaturgic hand, his increased befuddlement, and – If not yet by any means his artistic suicide – something that, unless he quickly gets hold of himself, may eventually lead to it ( Miller 1991:125).

Nathan finds inseparable tie of the theme of Golden Boy with Odets’

own Hollywood career. He observes partial desintegrity of Odets to his

dramatic genius, otherwise, Odets would have been ranked much higher.

Harold Cantor, in his elaborate work Clifford Odets : playwright Poet

traces Odets’ own struggles with his family relations and his relationship

with the people in his career. Odets himself was, “…the man-youth,

always at war with himself, trying to find his place in a competitive,

chaotic society carrying with him ‘an internal injury’ (Cantor 13).


91

The reflection of this internal injury is apparent in his protagonist.

Odets even experienced the clash with his father regarding his career,

Odets was thinking to be a poet and an actor but his father violently

objected and urged him to adopt some practical occupation like advertising

copywriter.

The clash between Joe and Mr. Bonaparte has its origin in very

personal life of Odets. The theme of family trap and escape from its

clutches predominantly occurs from Odets’ realization of the burden of his

father’s ambitions. Odets, quite passionately, deals with this theme. Harold

Cantor observes it as : “it is a major territory Odets explores as he moves

from the family trap to the societal from the world of blood relations to the

bloody world outside” (Cantor 48). Though Odets is quite optimistic,

changing attitude of American society has instilled dire insecurity and

doubt about the future. The Pre-Depression period was golden period for

him as colourful as Xmas Card. But with the economic downfall of the

Depression era it all changed to despair. In a very nostalgic mood Odets

reacts :

When I was a boy the whole promise of American life was contained for me in Xmas cards which showed a warm little house snuggled in a snow scene … often little boys and girls were walking up the path of the door and carrying bundles of good things. This represented protection, a home and hearth, goodness and comfort, all things which become increasingly more difficult to attain (Miller 12).

Odets’ employment of device of setting and dramatic technique

shows his accomplishment as the dramatist. In a play Golden Boy, Odets


92

utilizes cinematic scenic format, the multiple settings and brief scenes to

offer certain pace to the play. Three major settings Odets uses in the play

are, Moody’s office, talks lot about changing professional and commercial

atmosphere of America; the Bonaparte home is a kind of heaven and a

nourishing paradise where Joe feels restless as the bug of American dream

has bitten him; the park where Joe meets Lorna is a kind of romantic

Utopia, for both them, offering little consolation.

In fact, each locale representing an alternative in Joe’s struggle to

come to grips with himself and the conflicting possibilities offered to him.

The use of images of Duisenberg car reflects like icon of American Dream.

Duisenberg eventually becomes his Coffin he rides in to his death. An

artistic desire of Joe is represented through the image of music which

clashes finally with his pursuit of American Dream. Odets uses the

backdrop of the fields like athletics, music, acting is highly competitive

and closely associated with protagonist’s youthful innocence and his love

for art. But the trouble is that art is incompatible with the climate of a

materialistic, capitalist society.

As Mr. Carp says, ‘Muses cannot put bread and butter on the table’,

there is no place for music in the ruthless world of competition. Harold

Cantor appreciates play for its well-made story line and cinematic

structure. He considers the play Golden Boy as a major play in American

literature as it contains poetic truth. Whereas Michael J. Mendelsohn


93

protects adverse criticism against Odets, ranking Golden Boy at higher

status and his sureness of technique and mastery of craft.

2.3 THE BIG KNIFE (1949)

As already stated earlier, Group Theatre played a vital role in

shaping Odets’ creative dramatic career. It was a kind of spiritual home for

Odets, offered him a reputation as a promising playwright where he got his

protagonists longing for communal ideal.

But after 1941, Odets spent most of his life with Hollywood.

Absolute business mentality of Hollywood affected Odets’ genuine

dramatic genius. His association with Hollywood is marked with

compromises, victimizing his dramatic qualities for material success. After

joining Hollywood, within a span of twenty-two years of his life, he could

write only three plays: The Big Knife (1949), The County

Girl (1950) and The Flowering Peach (1954).

In fact, it was the period of creative decline and confession for

Odets. The disgusting experiences of hypocrisy, rivalry, immoral

relationship and dollar-worship made him to confess for his involvement.

The play The Big Knife, in this sense, though Odets denies, has subjective

nature. The reflection of his personal experiences of Hollywood

involvement is the inspiring force for The Big Knife. His severe attack,

through the play, against Hollywood invited lot of controversies

and criticism.


94

Odets, too, using different platforms, tried to advocate the

objectivity of the play. But he could, seldom justify his stand. In an

interview before the Boston opening of the play, Odets declared :

The Big Knife is that force in modern life which is against people and their aspirations, which seeks to cut people off in their best flower. The play may be about the struggle of a gifted actor to retain his integrity against the combination of inner and outer corruptions which assail him, but this struggle can be found in the lives of countless people who are not on the wealthy level of movie star. I have nothing against Hollywood per se. I do have something against a large set up which destroys people and eats them up. I chose Hollywood for the setting for The Big Knife because I know it. I don’t know any other company town. But this is an objective play about thousands of people, I don’t care what industry they’re in (Miller 81, 82).

Odets himself experienced falsity of Hollywood and stress of the

celebrity syndrome. The fame and fortune which he attained in his

Hollywood business may be success in the practical and ruthless realistic

world. But it made him to betray his consciousness which led him to

decline of his literary career. His dividedness is reflected through the

protagonists like Joe Bonaparte (The Golden Boy) and Charlie Castle

(The Big Knife). Odets prefers allegorical way to express his bitterness for

Hollywood.

Daniel Aron refers him as the “Golden boy of left theatre” (Miller

1991: 1) who failed to do justice with his potential. His compromise for

practical success subdued his dramatic potential. His quest for practical


95

success made him to leave the promising theatre career to join the bigger

canvas of screen.

There is a close resemblance between Odets’ personal life and life

of Charlie Castle, the protagonist of the play The Big Knife who left theatre

career to become a big star of the Hollywood finally realized the emptiness

of the success. American Dream of success, for both, Odets himself and his

character Charlie Castle, proved disillusion.

The detailed analysis of the play, The Big Knife, is attempted further

highlighting the element of American Dream which seems to be

disintegrated and proved disillusion.

Having bitter experiences of Hollywood, in 1948, Odets shifted

back to New York and started writing the play The Big Knife. Initially, he

thought to entitle the play as A Winter Journey. A number of times he

revised the play and finally entitled it as The Big Knife. While justifying

the title he says “the earlier title implied a difficult passage in one’s

life whereas a new one alluded to “a force that moves against people”

(Miller 79).

Odets had to emphasize the role of the situation or exterior force in

shaping up or disturbing the human life. An earlier title, A Winter Journey,

implies the way of life full of crisis. It is a character-oriented title, hence

he changed the title of the play as, The Big Knife which significantly

implies the cutting exterior force affecting the human life.


96

The Big Knife was first presented by Dnight Deve Wiman, in

association with Strasburg and Odets, at the National Theatre, New York,

on February 24, 1949. It was Odets’ come back after eight years. Unlike

Golden Boy, The Big Knife received severe criticism. The critics like

Harold Clurman, Joseph Wood, who always supported Odets, dismissed

the play. Gabriel Miller, like many other critics complains protesting

attitude of Odets :

Odets worked in Hollywood for many years after the collapse of the Group Theatre, was protesting too much. Having made great deal of money there, now it seemed, he was suddenly offering an extended bombastic apology for having abandoned his art and the serious work of the theatre (Miller 79, 80).

Whereas Clurman criticized the play as the defeatist confession

through which Odets was projecting his own sense of guilt into the society.

Apart from such adverse criticism and Odets biographical parallel, the play

shows Odets’ potential as a dramatist, probing into human psychology and

understanding the meaninglessness of human efforts in the way of attaining

success myth.

The play opens in a playroom of Charlie Castle’s (the protagonist of

the play) house in the sophisticated locale of Beverly Hills, California, the

Hollywood city. The material plenty is reflected through the setting.

Charlie Castle is a famous movie star of Hollywood. Castle’s

personality is graced with glory of success. He knows the value of candour,

his gestures and confidence compel others to realize his success.


97

Buddy Bliss, his publicity personnel and close friend, takes care of

Charlie’s public and press relations. At present, they are waiting for Patty

Benedict, the famous movie columnist, for whom Hollywood is an

‘intimidated Oyster’. Odets describes her as ‘authoritative, cynical and

assured lady.’

In fact, Charlie Castle is not happy to welcome her, but it is a

requirement of his profession to keep as much as cordial relations with the

press people. Buddy Bliss knows all the tactics to tackle with such

situations. Both of them, pretending to be happy, welcome her, and are

ready to entertain her lightly and guying.

Fame and fortune are the fruits of American Dream. Both these

aspects are comparatively easy to attain but difficult to sustain. The fame

and popularity achieved by the people who work in entertainment industry

generally become the victim of stress of celebrity syndrome.

Patty, the Sunday columnist already has got some clues about the

rumour of separation of Marion, Charlie’s wife. To Patty, this can be an

interesting topic for her Sunday piece. The sweet smell of the success

spreads too long, eventually, it invites an attention and curiosity to keep an

eye on celebrity’s personal life. Nothing remains personal in their life.

Success is always accompanied with rumours and gossips, enough to

disturb the peace of mind of the celebrity.

Charlie and Buddy, with all their skill, try to hide the matter from

Patty. They convince her that Marion has gone to beach taking her son


98

away because of polio scare. Patty, too, prolongs her talk to dig out the

truth. In the course of conversation, she enquires about the new contract

which was to be agreed between Charlie Castle and Marcus Hoff, the head

of the studio. Charlie’s resentful remark is quite significant to express his

unrest about the profession: “He is the head of studio, isn’t he? It doesn’t

cost him anything to dream” (1949: 8).

In the way of attainment of success, Charlie has lost all his integrity

and freedom. He has been realizing his guilt and helplessness. As he is

now sold-out figure he has no any right to dream independently. So, he

scornfully reacts to say that the masters alone can dream, the slaves donot

afford to dream. The quest for pursuit of success has dragged Charlie far

away from his virtues and idealism. The way of success leads forward in

one direction only, there is no way to get back but to repent on and express

the homesickness. The realm of theatre and art is the true home for

Charlie. His aspiration for success has evacuated him from his true home.

So he is homesick to say: “We are homesick all our lives, but adults don’t

talk about it, do they?” (BK 8).

Basically, Charlie Castle is a good person, brought up in ideal

cultural legacy. He has read London, Upton Sinclair, Ibsen and Hugo. He

recalls his Hugo reading, “… Hugo said me, “Be a good boy, Charlie love

people, do good, help the lost and fallen, make the world happy, if you

can!” (BK 8). But as Patty looks at him with an eye of doubt and an

interrogation Charlie realizes that he is no more remained that virtuous


99

person who believed in Hugo. He has paid his virtues and idealism for

success. Suddenly he adds to his remark, “I know before you say it, dear …

I buy it all back” (BK 8).

Patty reminds Charlie another most itching experience in his life.

On a Christmas Eve, under the influence of heavy drinks and drugs,

Charlie drove his car and met to an accident. He killed a child. In this, hit-

and-run case Buddy Bliss saved Charlie from getting his career ruined. He

took the charge upon himself and went to the jail for ten months. It was

open secret that Charlie committed the crime and Bliss has been punished

for that. Though he is an idealist, his half idealism made him to turn away

from honesty and integrity to face the charge candidly. Moreover, he has

lame excuses to save his skin rather his business does not allow him to be

an honest. He admits his helplessness as: “I am in the movie business,

darling. I can’t afford these acute attacks of integrity” (BK 11).

Marion, Charlie’s wife has decided to separate from her husband

that he has lost all his integrity and idealism. His hunger for success has

taken him far away from the virtues once he was fond of. Charlie ‘Cass’ is

now Charlie ‘Castle’, trapped in the compact fort of success. The studio

owner Mr. Hoff is now his master.

Marion wants him to leave Hollywood and ‘go back to theatre’. She

is ready to go back with him as she arrived here with Charlie ‘in a pumpkin

coach’ because she wants to save her married life. Charlie, too, has realized

the importance of married life. But as he is now a sold-out figure, he


100

cannot forget the fact that he has lost his liberty to take any decision. Very

helplessly he tries to convince his wife: “Don’t you think I want our

marriage to work? But I have to face one horny fact: I’m Hoff’s prisoner

now and signing the contract is ransom feel” (BK 15).

The mechanization of life and art in Hollywood has disgusted him.

The emptiness of his life has divided his personality. He feels him an half -

an incomplete man. He frankly admits the fact saying to his wife, “Marion,

in the whole world I care about only three and half people : you, little Billy

(his son), Hank Tagle (Marion’s friend and writer) … and half a man that’s

me” (BK 15).

Although he has been enjoying the fruits of American Dream which

he has attained seemingly, it has subdued his idealism and virtue which he,

principally, has cherished in the past. He can differentiate good and bad

but cannot go with good. Though he is able to sense the breaking of

marriage is the worst thing happening in his life, he is helpless to do

anything to save his marital relation. While focusing on Charlie’s

dividedness Gabriel Miller says :

Charlie has seemingly realized the American Dream, but the painfully decided consciousness resulting from recognition of the various betrayals involved in the achievement make Charlie a tragic creature (Miller 84).

Originally, Charlie, an idealist and simplicist, surrendered to

American Dream and Hollywood lure became entangled in a web of the

fate. His half-idealism does not allow him to forget the betrayals he


101

committed on the other hand, huge material temptation of American Dream

is appealing his success-crazy notion. He is spilt into the ruthless demands

of success sustenance and his consciences for betrayals which is making

him restless. Charlie now feels imprisoned by the compromise and the life

that violets his better nature.

Besides her love for Charlie, Marion gives him ultimatum that if he

signs the new contract with ‘Hoff-Fedrated’, she will renounce him.

Because she knows that despite assurance of good deal of money, the

contract can take away all the liberty and integrity of Charlie. Charlie, too,

has decided to save his marital life by denying the signing contract. But it

is not easy to escape from the web of business world in which he

is entrapped.

Nat Danziger, a business agent, quite sympathetic about Charlie, is

there now to make Charlie’s mind for the contract. American business

mentality considering every citizen is a mere consumer and client is

nothing but an object which can be sold or purchased. He tries to convince

Charlie ,the solid financial nature of the contract and argues to make him to

sign it. But Charlie pinpoints the binding nature of the pact which

imprisons his liberty and independent identity. An idealist in Charlie reacts

“The money factor isn’t everything” (1949:18). But Nat’s view is, “… But

a million dollars is got an awful big mouth … And it’s legal tender for

three million, seven hundred forty-four watermelons” (BK 19).


102

Charlie does not know how to make the point clear and convince

Nat. So in dire disgust he says: “You will drive me to suicide,

Nat” (BK 19), and finally, painfully but with concrete determination

expresses his ultimate decision: “I don’t want to sign this contract”

(BK 19). Charlie almost has rejected further talk on the issue of the

contract. Nat is disappointed to realize the futility of his efforts.

As already decided, Marcus Hoff, the studio owner and his

colleague, Simley Coy enter there. Marcus Hoff, authoritative, powerful

and pompous man of middle age is quite confident to make anything

possible. The power of money reflects through his personality.

Nat informs him that Charlie is not willing to sign the contract.

Marcus suggests Nat to make the contract more favourable for Charlie.

But Charlie makes it clear that Marion doesn’t want him to sign

the contract and he wants go back to theatre. All his disgust is reflected in

his words : “I want to leave Hollywood…I’m tired – I want to go

away” (BK 23).

Marcus Hoff is not happy to learn this decision, very calmly but

with certain threat, he reminds Charlie, how in past he has helped Charlie.

He does not hesitate to advice him to give up his wife for better success.

His philosophy is : “sometimes it becomes necessary to separate ourselves

… from a wife who puts her petty interests before the multiplicity of great

career !” (BK 25).


103

For Marcus, career and money matters are highly important in one’s

life than the marital status and family relations. In his American Dream,

there is no place for women, to him: “I realized an essential fact of life; the

woman must stay out of her husband’s work when he’s making her bread

and butter” (BK 24). Marcus Hoff offers twenty five thousand dollars

more for every release and threatens Charlie making him aware that at any

rate he wants get this contract signed and Charlie is not in any position

of bargaining.

Hoff, finally, very gravely shows his anger saying: “I offer you my

hand and you spit in my face” (BK 25). He makes him to know that he

does not want any good will of Charlie. He is the businessman, he is just

interested in ‘Charlie’s’ physical presence and his body. Hoff does not

want his dream broken which is very close to his heart since long. His

anger is burst out in his expression : “Charlie, I can’t tell you how many

long months of constructive dreaming are in this moment. And I will let

nothing or no one stand in the way of that dream” (BK 26).

The powerful Hoff wins to make Charlie sign the contract.

Defeated Charlie couldn’t hide his sorrow and disgust to tell Marion: “he

twisted my head like I was a ten sent doll! … I lost ! (BK 31).

Odets employs his theatrical expertise in choosing same setting for

the entire play. All the three acts of the play take place in the same

playroom of Charlie Castle’s house, everybody else comes in and goes out

but Charlie remains there all the way. It significantly implies that Charlie


104

Cass is imprisoned in a beautiful castle built by himself. It symbolizes that

his American Dream is fulfilled but finally turned into a complex web in

which he is terribly entrapped. He wants to escape from this wretched

state. But as he tries to do so, he goes on drowning deeper in the filth.

A week later, the second act of the play takes place in the same

playroom of Charlie Castle’s house. Buddy Bliss and his wife Connie are

present with Charlie and Marion. After having casual hospitability Bliss

couple departs.

Charlie is quite upset because of Marion’s decision of separation.

Still he is appealing her to remain with him. But Marion is ‘at the end’ of

other side. To her Charlie has blown up the bridge so there is no way to

reconcile. He tries to convince her importance of material prosperity in the

life. As if he wants to say, if there is any bleak shade of guilt and betrayal

he has committed it to assure her better life. But for Marion it is just stupid

justification.

Charlie further argues: “What do I have to justify? … What, making

money? Is that the sin?” (BK 34). Marion’s reply is quite precise to make

him introspective. “Your sin is living against your own nature. You are

denatured – that’s your sin !” (BK 34).

In the eyes of the world, though Charlie Castle is successful, self-

made man of fame and fortune, Marion underrates his success for the

disintegrity and betrayals. She describes him as :


105

… you’re helpless, you’re sick and unhappy … you feel guilty and it makes you vicious! You have taken the cheap way out! Despite you best intentions, you’re horror (BK 35).

Marion is no longer ready to believe in him. The feeling of

insecurity has made her to take decision of abortion. To her, there love-

song is almost came to an end. She feels more comfortable with Hank

Tagle, a man of affectionate nature and a civilized man who respects a

tremor in others. In fact, he is the man of integrity; mirror opposite of

Charlie Castle. His ideas of successful life are quite clear. In fact, Odets, in

the play, very skillfully employs him as an aloof observer of American

society who never hesitates to criticize the evil. To him: “Success has

made them all so dull !” (BK 38).

Charlie comes to know that Marion and Hank are soon going to get

married. In the way of success, after losing integrity and self-honour, for

Charlie, to lose Marion was the last thing. This makes him to feel

unbearable vaccum in the life. It was all he was being punished for his

negligence towards marital life. His quest for material success has brought

him other side of life leaving behind all his virtues and people who truly

loved him. Ample material prosperity is around him but he has lost the

deservingness for genuine affection.

Charlie realizes his dream turning disillusion. In a dire frustration

he reacts: “It is all bleak and bitter dream… There is only two ways to

forget everything – get drunk or stick a pencil in your eye” (BK 38). He

admits the downfall of his nature and integrity. He tries to convince


106

Marion, that he has not willingly committed any wrong. As he was sold

out figure, he had no alternative to choose than to flow with the waves. He

expresses his agony in the words: “While I’m charming the world with my

light fantastic … I’m bleeding to death under my shirt” (BK 39).

Charlie himself is responsible for his downfall and wretched

condition. His target of hatred is he himself. In the way of fame and

future, his deviation from his true nature leads him to the corruption.

Dreiser rightly examines the effect of ‘denaturing’ process leading to the

sell-out figure :

Once a man is mortgaged his true talent and become tainted by ‘Success’ – American style – he can never regain his full humanity. Realizing that he is a mere commodity he lashes out at his friends and enemies, moved by guilt feelings and self-hatred (Cantor 61).

Charlie feels desperately alone when Marion goes away with Hank.

Charlie’s life is full of complications. He is an example of the victimization

of virtues surrendered to the ‘success’ attained by self-denaturing. His

success is accompanied by many complications, such as killing of a child

in hit-and-run case, nomination of a minor studio flunky to take a blame,

his marriage on the verge of break, death of his unborn child, in addition to

these, hit-and-run case becomes even further complicated by the fact which

was not known to Charlie’s wife that along that ride he was with a young

Hollywood starlet, Dixie Evans who likes to talk about that incident

publicly. Ultimately, Hoff and his people get this piece of material to

blackmail Charlie to hold him in Hollywood against his will.


107

Charlie, right from the beginning of the play shows his detest and

bitterness about Hollywood. Falsity, deceit, shallowness, disintegrity and

exploitation are the evils of Hollywood make him nostalgic about his days

of theatre. Charlie Castle expresses his detest about Hollywood as:

“California, think of it – a place where an honest apple tree won’t

grow” (BK 40).

Smiley Coy, business agent of Hoff senses the danger in Dixie

Evans’ attitude regarding hit-and-run case. She expects Charlie should

marry her to keep her mouth shut. But to Coy, this marriage can be

harmful for Charlie’s Hollywood career, his marital relation turned bitter

already and reputation of studio is defamed . To avoid all this, Coy thinks

‘to remove’ her forever is the only way. Charlie is shocked to know this.

He doesn’t want to commit one more crime to hide his earlier betrayals.

Coy suggests him to check other choice to buy her.

Late in the night, Charlie calls Dixie at his home and very softly

handles her to convince. She does not show any interest in money. Dixie

wants to make studio people ‘crawl and kiss her feet’ who have exploited

her lot. She expresses her anger and bitterness in violent words : “I hate

those studio bastards! … I hate them. They signed me up for my body and

not to act. They hire girls like me to entertain the visiting sales

force” (BK 47).

An inhuman treatment received by Dixie underlines the unethical

means of Hollywood applied in the way of attainment of material success.


108

The art and artistic desires are subdued in the game of money. Material

temptation of Hollywood invites the attention of success-crazy artists.

Despite practical success, the life becomes dull of compromises. At the

end, if the conscience is yet alive, the dream they seemingly realize turns

disintegrated and life, instead of paradise of rewards becomes the hell of

sleepless nights of repentance.

Marion thinking about Charlie’s state of mind, comes back to him.

But it is an odd time. The presence of Dixie at home makes her more

suspicious about Charlie’s character. Charlie is again at the position of

self-justification. His prolonged passionate argument makes Marion to

think twice about her decision of separation. He admits the guilt of

denaturing himself. But he appeals Marion to remain sincere with

her nature : “The merchant psychology of the country is in your blood, too.

You bargain and trifle with your own nature! … Why you are willfully

denaturing yourself” (BK 49).

Charlie admits that he is denatured, his integrity is impaired. He

promises her to change himself. He appeals her to be with him in his

efforts of escaping from the trap. Marion is convinced by this emotional

appeal. At least, for the moment, all their indifferences are melted down in

an affectionate embrace of reconciliation.

Charlie Castle’s impaired integrity and betrayals are the bitter fruits

of his ‘success’ adversely affected his family life. He has painfully realized

the nature of his success is stained with his impaired integrity and


109

betrayals. It is now heavy burden for him either to save and sustain the

‘success’ or to regain the paradise of conjugal life.

The final act of the play takes place at Charlie Castle’s house. As a

result of reconciliation Marion is quite enthusiastic to perform her domestic

responsibilities. She reveals now as bustling housewife enjoying her

domestic functions. After giving him casual instructions, she rushes for

shopping and there enters Nat Danziger, the business agent.

Nat is there to get an approval of Charlie on a script, as Marcus Hoff

insisted him to do so. Charlie denies approving the script because Charlie

and Marion are thinking about second honeymoon cruise. Nat is happy to

know about come back of Marion to make Charlie’s life livelier. Nat

departs wishing Marion best of his love.

Knowing the news of reconciliation, Hank Teagle comes to meet

Marion. The talk between Hank and Charlie is quite significant to focus on

changing attitude of material minded American society. They come to a

conclusion that the quest for fulfillment of dream has wasted the life of

Americans. And, nonetheless they belong to same American society.

Hank Teagle very sensibly comments :

I don’t want Marion joining the lonely junked people of our world – millions of wasted by the dreams of life they were promised and the swill they received ... I think lot of us are in for big shot of Vitamin D : defeat, decay, depression and despair (BK 57).

To him, America has lost her past glory. In the course of success,

the religious conviction and ethical values are subdued. “Eagle is no more


110

American symbol, it is Cocker Spaniel, paws up saying, Like me, Like me,

I am a good dog, Like me !” (BK 56).

He makes Charlie to realize that Marion stands in his life for

idealism which he has lost in the cat-rat race of so called success.

Moreover, he is suffering from the torture of half-idealism and impaired

integrity. So Hank, very philosophically, advises him to choose either of

the ways, better he should join the mass who least think of their idealism :

You’ve sold out! … Charlie, … don’t resist! Your wild, native idealism is a fatal flaw in the context of your life and here. Half-idealism is the peritonitis of the soul … America is full of it ! (BK 58)

Hank sincerely believes in his principle that the ‘failure’, accepted

for saving moral ethics and integrity ‘is the best of American life’ than the

‘success’ attained by sacrificing the values. But the bulk of American

society is victimized of practical success making their life more miserable.

After Hank Teagle’s departure, Simley Coy enters with the twist in

the plot. He has brought the news that Dixie Evans under the influence of

the heavy drink is about to spill the story of hit-and-run case to the press,

and Hoff Marcus has kicked her severely to black and blue and he further

adds that to saddle Dixie it needs to finish her to death.

Charlie does not want to happen this, his conscience does not permit

him to involve in one more crime. Meanwhile, Marcus Hoff and Simley

Coy are there to sort out the problem. As defamation of Charlie can

indirectly affect the business of ‘Hoff-Fedrated’, they want to save Charlie


111

from defamation. Marcus Hoff has another solution of the problem that,

than to kill Dixie Evans Charlie should marry her. Moreover, he argues

that as Marion is no longer loyal to Charlie, he shouldn’t bother about his

integrity. According to him, he has some recorded evidence of Marion’s

disloyalty. Listening to all this Charlie bursts into anger to slap Hoff. After

an exchange of hot words and threatening Charlie to ruin, Marcus leaves

the place. Charlie, too, mentally and physically tired, goes upstairs to

take bath.

Coincidently, Coy receives news that Dixie Evans has been dashed

by a police car and she is dead. Consequently, with her death, the secret of

Charlie’s involvement in hit-and-run case left buried in her heart. It is a

matter of relief for everybody. Charlie does not know about the death of

Dixie. Coy and Marion both feel relaxed by the news of the death of Dixie

Evans. Coy is now interested in resettling relationship between Charlie and

Hoff. They are engaged in the talk of resettlement of relations already

turned bitter. Meanwhile, Coy notices the dripping of water from

the ceiling.

Marion calls Russel, the butler, to see what has happened. Russel

tries to open the door of bathroom but it is locked from inside and Charlie

is not giving response to any call from outside. Marion realizes something

big and awful incident is happened in her life. She rushes to call Dr. Frary,

their neighbour. Coy and Russel rush to break the door of bathroom.

Charlie has committed suicide. It was the only way for him to escape from


112

the burden he was suffering from. Finally, the ‘success’ story of Charlie

Castle ends with suicide. All through the life, he remained cutting in the

sharp edges of his idea of success and half idealism. The consequences of

the success were too harsh to make him choose the way of tragic death.

Even after the death, Charlie does not get the genuine treatment

from commercialized Hollywood. They want to hide the truth about his

death. They are ready with a press note: “Charles Castle, the renowned star

of film, Hoff-Fedrated pictures died today of a heart attack” (1949:75). But

Hank does not want to get Charlie’s integrity insulted more. Hank, with all

his emotional involvement and determination makes it clear that: “There

will be no lies, no display … I will tell the story. He … killed himself,

because that was the only way he could live … a final act of

faith” (BK 76).

Throughout entire life, Charlie betrayed his idealism. His tragic

suicide proved to be the only faithful act in his life. The curtain falls

covering Marion all shattered of the death of Charlie Castle. Harold Cantor

has rightly assessed the death of Charlie as : “Despite the critical bromide

that Odets is a facile optimist, death is a way of breaking out of the

existential trap”(Cantor 36). By the end of the play, Charlie’s death occurs

as the only way of rescue from the existential trap of the exterior forces

which make individual as well as social life miserable.

The way which Charlie adopts to commit the suicide has spiritual

significance, Harold Cantor interprets the spiritual significance:


113

Spiritually he was dead before his heart stopped beating. Though suicide – whether by police seem cowardly to certain sensibilities; Odets implies it brings a measure of peace and release from the intolerable pain of sell-out … for the sell out, suicide is partially an act of atonement but, more importantly, a form of transcendence (Cantor 72).

However, the real killer is market minded industrial society, soul

destroying materialism and burdens of dreams and expectations of which

people like Charlie of half-idealism and semi-consciousness become

victims. Gabriel Miller holds American business minded mentality

responsible for the tragic death of Charlie Castle. To him:

The loss of Charlie Castle attains the dimension of tragedy because the man has come to recognize the futility of his worldly success as well as his own implication in the sordid business of maintaining it (Miller 92).

Charlie Castle compares himself with Macbeth, as he committed

series of crimes in the way of attainment of success. Of course, he has

attained all that success, he dreamt, but his success is stained with the

bloody shade of crime and betrayal. His self-assessment of the success

compels him to realize the emptiness of it and drags him to only faithful act

in the life, the suicide.

The Hollywood background of the play caused an issue of criticism

for several critics, Daily Mirror reviews the play and the Odets’ approach

towards Hollywood as : “Odets biting the hand that had fed him amply for

many years” (1980: 65). John Mason Brown calls Odets ‘unrealist and

ungrateful’ for illogical extremes about Hollywood. Odets’ frequent


114

justification of his stand about Hollywood and nature of the play appears

an ‘advance apologia’ for John Mason Brown.

Clurman, writing in The New Republic, sketches his observations

about the excesses of The Big Knife.

The lack of coordination between plot and theme in The Big Knife arises from emotional confusion in the author … Odets never tells the truth about Charlie Castle, which is that he loves Hollywood with vicious zest, Odets thinks this love sinful … The self-loathing stems from a desire to punish oneself for one’s sin (Cantor 23).

Keeping aside, subjective context of Odets’ Hollywood concern and

adverse criticism resulting from that one can see, the play is appreciated for

its remarkable treatment of the theme of ‘success’ and degeneration of

American Dream. Variety, a periodical publication appreciates the play as:

“Written with bold strokes of authenticity it combines philosophy with

stark realism to produce a provocative play based on the subject of

‘success’ and moral values” (BK 82).

Whereas The New York Times notices the freshness and dynamism

of the dialogues to hold high the play. In appreciation it writes:

We witness the last few days of Charlie Castle, a top movie star and an idealist whose years of compromise with his beliefs for the sake of a Hollywood career have resulted in the slow destruction of his personality. We see his struggles to escape from the net of insincerity and falsehood in which he has trapped himself, and his ultimate defeat (1949: 82).

William Hawkins advocates the appropriateness the Hollywood

background in his brief article contributed to Critical Essays on Clifford

Odets as :


115

His theme is the worship of Mammon, and his choice of background is Hollywood, which gives him two big advantages. In the first place the motion picture familiarly make the most exaggerated fiscal returns for success of any industry extant. Beyond that, there is no other setting where such a theme could be violently and crawly personal, because nowhere else is individual reputation is so vulnerable an asset. This is the story of Charlie Castle, a top-ranking picture star, disgusted with ordinary work he is doing, irritable, casual about his wife and yet captured by acclaim and wealth (Miller 31).

Whatever criticism Odets receives, his vision and loyalty is crystal

clear. In an extensive interview he reacts: “My problem and business in

the world is to present truth dramatically, appealing and entertainingly.”

And up to certain extent he conquers the ‘problem’ (Miller 67).

The setting, Odets provides to the play, The Big Knife is

thematically significant, and it has close resemblance to Ibsen’s

A Doll’s House (1910) Charlie remains at the centre of the play, onstage

continually until he goes upstair to commit suicide. Other characters enter

and leave as if everyone has access to the world outside except Charlie who

is confined to the Hollywood Castle that his name betokens.

Ibsen’s A Doll’s House shares various motifs with The Big Knife,

such as fatal secrets of the past are exposed, captivity of the protagonists,

quest for escape, entrapment of personal world. Ibsen’s Nora and Odets’

Charlie are confined to their limited world. Nora’s confinement to her

drawing room and Charlie’s continuous stay at his play room symbolizes

their imprisonment to the world which they themselves have created.


116

Odets demonstrates his versatility of technique and an excellence in

thematic concern. The play, The Big Knife though is dealing with

momentary dilemma it reveals a timeless concern with man’s moral

obligations and his capacities to surmount hostile external forces.

D. Venkateswarlu, in his essay, ‘America Gonef: The American

Dream and the Jewish Dilemma’ included in an extensive work, Humanism

and Jewish American Drama, analyses the play The Big Knife, on the

basis of myth of success :

The Big Knife figures in the same category where he talks about the corruption of personality as an inevitable process in the American system. He (Odets) tried to attack the system which glorifies the ‘bitch goddess of success’ and ‘money’, ‘status’, ‘fame’ that contribute to it (1990: 64).

In the journey of attaining material success and translating it into

fame, the character-ethic is subdued. It is an inevitable part of process, the

external forces lead to the ethical downfall of the character. If, still the

conscience is alive, it merely brings the restlessness and repentance.

In this context, Richard M. Huber, registers his opinion :

Success was earned by being a loyal friend, or good husband. It was a reward for performance on the job. It is not the same thing as happiness – which is how you feel. Success was brutally objective and impersonal. It recorded a change in rank, the upgrading of a person in relation to others by the unequal distribution of money and power, prestige and fame. Your success was not simply being rich or famous. It meant attaining riches or achieving fame. You had to know where a man began and where he ended in order to determine how far he had come (1971:1).


117

Of course, Charlie Castle, the protagonist of The Big Knife attained

money, prestige and fame but he no longer remained a good friend and

loyal husband. His life is full of betrayals and sins making the friend

undergo the prosecution and jail and sleeping with his wife, killing a child

in an accident are the evidences of his unethical means of the life.

As far as concerning wherefrom Charlie started his life and where

did he reach to determine his success, it is quite awful journey starting with

fame and status to conclude in tragic suicide.

Like Joe Bonaparte in Golden Boy, Charlie Castle too, failed to

discriminate between success and happiness. Their false belief that money,

fame should give a sense of belonging and an identity has the seed of

disintegration in itself. Their cry for peace of mind and ultimate death are

not surprising events the way which they marched on had the only

destination, the tragic death.


118

WORKS CITED

Miller, Gabriel. Critical Essays on Clifford Odets. Boston : G. K. Hall and

Co., 1991.

Cantor, Harold. Clifford Odets : Playwright-Poet. London : The Scrae-

Crow Press, Inc., 1978.

Miller, Gabriel. Clifford Odets. New York : A Frederic Ungar Book, 1989.

Odets, Clifford. Golden Boy. New York : Random House, 1937.

Mendelsohn, Michael. Clifford Odets : Humane Dramatist. Florida:

Everett/ Edwards, Inc.

Odets, Clifford. The Big Knife. New York : Dramatists Play Service, Inc.,

1949.

Cantor, Harold. Clifford Odets : Playwright-Poet. London : The Scrae-

Crow Press, Inc., 1978.

Venkateswarlu, D. Humanism and Jewish American Drama. New Delhi :

Prestige Books, 1990.

Huber, Richard. American Idea of Success. New York : MacGraw Hill

Book Co., 1971.

� � �


Documents

AMERICAN DREAM IN THE PLAYS OF CLIFFORD ODETSshodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in › bitstream › 10603 › 4054 › 8... · and status as the significant things in the life. Yet they are