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This story cleverly uses the story of Oedipus, but beyond that, I wonder if the story is that believable. I have heard terrible stories of abuse to slaves, but not from the women of the house. Not that it couldn't have happened, but I find it unrealistic that Amalia's husband would leave Amalia to care for the plantation, apparently so upset at her infidelity. And he also goes crazy and looks at the stars and moon phases all the time. Which is weird. But overall I thought the fact it was in the
My friend suggested we go see a staged reading of this play, and that's how I first stumbled along this work. Rita Dove came to the showing, and I wanted to do my research before I met her. I read her collection, Thomas and Beulah, before the showing, and while it was an enjoyable read, I didn't love it. I went to the showing with an open mind, and I loved the play. It was so powerful, especially the second act when everything churns and comes together like a tornado. The writing itself was lyri...
This play written by former U.S. Poet Laureate, Rita Dove, is superbly written and should be read by anyone interested in pursuing excellence in playwriting....
"They couldn't break his spirit, so they broke his heart."
Superb writing. It is the Oedipus story transposed to an American plantation. The idea is surprisingly effective. The language is poetic and lively. Really well done.
Let me begin by saying this particular review is for both the original version of The Darker Face of the Earth published in 1994 and the completely revised version that was published in 1996. These two stories are very different, but they’re both amazing reads. In fact, I think I got even more from the story by reading both versions—drastically alternate endings and all—than I originally had from just reading the 1996 version suggested by my professor. Read the full review here
Praise to abolitionThis joyous workNo one has written this beforeLOVE❤
4.5/5*
Tragedy in the grandest way.
Rita DoveΦBK, Miami University, 1973AuthorFrom the publisher: The Darker Face of the Earth, a play by the poet laureate of the United States, creates a human drama of classical proportions. Behind the facade of antebellum Southern plantation life unfolds a mysterious tale of interracial love and strife, guilt and suffering, as both slave and master struggle against a fate that threatens to eclipse them altogether.
The Darker Face of the Earth was extremely well written, disturbing, and haunting!
Oedipus Rex set in pre-Civil War, plantation South Carolina...in play form.
This was a really enjoyable read once you got a little way into the play. I found it fairly predictable but I imagine it would probably be performed very well on stage. I found the characters hard to separate and kept getting them muddled up but this soon disappeared and you were left with very detailed characters that you could imagine thoroughly.
This is an intriguing play, telling the story of a southern plantation in the 1840s. (Starting with a prologue in the 1820s.) It nicely plays with/suggests a classic Greek play which I won’t mention to prevent being a spoiler alert. The play tells an interesting story, and I enjoyed the flights of verse. I wish, though, it had a bit more character development. To me, they ended up more as types than individuals. Things are hinted at, but never really mined or brought forward. Overall though a ve...
i haven’t stopped thinking abt this play’s usage of “sometimes i feel like a motherless child” since i read it. wow
A very interesting retelling of Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrranus, set in antebellum South Carolina. Worth reading just to see how malleable and interesting Greek tragedy can be when put into a more modern setting. I felt that many of the characters wound up lacking satisfying resolution, but the main thrust of the play was very engaging and worth a viewing or reading.
Interesting verse play - a retelling of the Oedipus story but in the context of a slave revolt.
for CLAS 280
I read this play only for several day (not to mention that I was forced by deadline to do so). Honestly, I never read Oedipus mythology. But this play kinda lead my way to make myself read that Oedipus thing later on.If I had a chance to pick a role that defines myself, then it'll be Hector who lives in a swamp far from the plantation. This play was about that forbidden love between different races from generation to generation, how colored people were being slave, and whites were being so mean
A great play. Definitely read Oedipus Rex before or while reading this play, since Darker Face of the Earth is basically an Oedipus complex.
