Homosexuality In Tony Kushner's Angels In America

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Why do gays travel to such extremities to live in a society where they live in denial about their sexuality? Angels in America, a play by Tony Kushner, represents the the crude awakening of the reality homosexuals had to face. This play not only represents the deteriorating disease of AIDS, but it is also a dramatic play that critically gives an answer to thousands of Americans who lived a cruel reality. A reality in which they questioned the difficulty in living in a society that particularity objected to the views of homosexuality. Kushner displays his views towards two characters who struggle facing inner anguish and public torment. Sadly, being homosexual in America, especially during the 1980s where “gay-bashing” is prime, is a society…show more content…
He constantly lies to his wife about where he is and what he is doing. Unfortunately, his marriage is crumbling down quickly through lack of communication and intimacy. Though these factors are not only the causes of his deteriorating relationship, his secrecy of his homosexuality becomes a problem. His wife confronts him with wanting to know the truth, he responds, “Does it make any difference? That I might be one thing deep within, no matter how wrong or ugly that thing is, so long as I have fought, with everything I have to kill it...Im a shell”(46). It can be very uneasy to tell someone the truth, especially a loved one, after they have been lying to them for years. Joe shows his inner anguish to do the right thing by keeping his secret because he knows it will hurt his wife. He is fearful towards his wife's reaction and struggles with admitting the truth thus relieving himself. Knowing that he was gay ever since he was little, he refuses to succumb to the truth because of his religious background. Mormonism strictly disbelieves in the gay community deriving Joe being reluctant of “coming out of the closet”. He dares not to go against the views of Mormonism. He concludes, “As long as my behavior is what I know has to be. Decent. Correct. That alone in the eyes of God”(46). Joe knows that if he were to ever come publicly known for being a homosexual that he will be rejected from the Mormon community, his mother, and his

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