(no subject)
Samantha Kinnon
English 2, Fonseca
Mon-Wed 8:00-9:20
May 7, 2007
“Wit”- Vivian Bearing’s Journey to Understand Life
Margaret Edison’s play “Wit,” is one that is clever and unforgettable. We are introduced to Vivian Bearing, a 50 year old English Literature Professor who has dedicated her life to 17th century poet John Donne. However it is when Vivian is diagnosed with a serious type of ovarian cancer that she understands she will be taking the path toward her “last scene.” It is this illness when faced head on, does she learn that for the first time she will need to reach out for dependence in others a concept that is unfamiliar to her. Edison made a point to illustrate Vivian as gradually having to let go of one thing after another, these things were in fact things that she did do to herself and was proud of. Towards the end of the play however Edison, pushes Vivian to let go finally, and drop these things off so she can be “redeemed” and leave in peace. It is clear that Vivian has lived her life not being able to connect to the world, she ignores her emotions as well as those of people around her, and she uses her knowledge as a guide to life. It is when the cancer forces Vivian to look within her own life, does she realize that intelligence is only one characteristic of human life, and she will have to let go of her fears of dependence and human compassion, to understand in her final hours what life is really all about.
When we are first introduced to Vivian we learn that she is in fact a very witty person, she is smart, ironic and quick. She is a strong person, but once hit with cancer she slowly begins to lose the control she once had in the classroom. However we realize that she is someone who has hid her whole life behind her intellect. She has used this as a tool to isolate herself and not feel the need to connect to anyone on a type of emotional level. We notice that this is truly apparent when E.M Ashford, her teacher and mentor, wants to explain to Vivian to look deeper into the meaning of what life is really about through Donne’s work. She tries to make Vivian realize that Donne is not using wit rather it is truth and the idea that he is ultimately trying to explain that life is what people make of it and their responses to it. However Vivian doesn’t understand this idea, “there were students on the lawn talking about nothing, laughing. The insuperable barrier between one thing and another is… just a comma? Simple human truth, uncompromising scholarly standards? They’re connected, I just couldn’t…I went back to the library (Edison 1784).” This is a good example of the fact that Vivian puts up barriers, she doesn’t want to look deeper into this connection, because it scares her to feel co-dependence and emotions. She was proud of her strength, intellect and work ethic, that she divulged her entire life into it that she has overlooked the actual true meaning of what life is really about. She is consumed with her passion that she becomes blind to the real idea of humanity and kindness and endures her entire life without a flinch emotionally or physically. We know this is true because while most would have a friend there to help you through the way or hold your hand, Vivian has no one, she doesn’t think she needs anyone, and when she begins to show signs of weakness by opening up to Susie she punishes herself for it, “That certainly was a maudlin display. Popsicles? Sweetheart? I can’t believe my life has become so…corny (Edison 1808).”
As her Chemotherapy gets tougher we see that Vivian is slowly beginning to open up and free herself and finally let her guard down. It is when she is faced with the idea of death is she really compelled to reflect on her life in a different way. She begins to let all the protection that for so many years was a tool to isolate and distinguish herself, down. She realizes she must do this to finally understand the meaning of life. As her illness progresses, we see that she is no longer a strong headed independent, but instead opens up to Susie and E.M Ashford, we see from the quote “It was late at night, it was the graveyard shift. Susie was on, I could hear her in the hall. I wanted her to come see me. So I had to create a little emergency. Nothing dramatic (Edison 1806)”, that Bearing is slowly pulling away and understands deep down that she may need someone with her. We notice more and more her guard coming down, and the fact the Vivian realizes that she will need humanity and compassion to get through this, this couldn’t be more obvious with her mentor E.M Ashford comes to see her at the hospital and recites a children’s story to her. It is this simple act of kindness and Bearings reaction that shows us a dramatic shift in Vivian’s character.
In Vivian’s final moments, we understand that she had to let go of her safety zone in order to reflect and understand. We learn that Bearing although is dying ironically learns a lesson about living. Intellect had been argued as Vivian’s strength in life but it also is what limited her to living her life fully. She understands this when Ashford lies in her bed and we realize the significance of the statement, “Now is not the time for verbal swordplay, for unlikely flights of imagination and wildly shifting perspectives, for metaphysical conceit, for wit… Now is the time for simplicity. Now is the time for dare I say it, kindness (Edison 1809) .” It is clear that Vivian has finally come down and become vulnerable. She finally realizes what compassion is and what it means to feel a sense of human kindness. During these final moments as Vivian let go, she realized what life is really about. She now understands the most underlying theme of Donne, a concept she thought she knew better then anyone. She realized she learned the most important lesson, and therefore was able to go in peace with herself, learning much about life.
“Wit,” is a rare play that captures a sorrowful idea such as death, and turns it into a valuable realization and learning experience. Vivian Bearing posses the characteristics of many people today, they use their knowledge and intellect as a way to separate themselves from the rest of the world and isolate their emotions and ability to be vulnerable to life experiences. In essence as much as you feel as though you understand the idea of life and death, without actually living your life to the fullest you will never capture this idea, and when you are facing your last moments you will be still searching peace and comfort. “Wit” is both serious yet humorous and is effective in setting up this lesson for the audience to understand through Vivian.
English 2, Fonseca
Mon-Wed 8:00-9:20
May 7, 2007
“Wit”- Vivian Bearing’s Journey to Understand Life
Margaret Edison’s play “Wit,” is one that is clever and unforgettable. We are introduced to Vivian Bearing, a 50 year old English Literature Professor who has dedicated her life to 17th century poet John Donne. However it is when Vivian is diagnosed with a serious type of ovarian cancer that she understands she will be taking the path toward her “last scene.” It is this illness when faced head on, does she learn that for the first time she will need to reach out for dependence in others a concept that is unfamiliar to her. Edison made a point to illustrate Vivian as gradually having to let go of one thing after another, these things were in fact things that she did do to herself and was proud of. Towards the end of the play however Edison, pushes Vivian to let go finally, and drop these things off so she can be “redeemed” and leave in peace. It is clear that Vivian has lived her life not being able to connect to the world, she ignores her emotions as well as those of people around her, and she uses her knowledge as a guide to life. It is when the cancer forces Vivian to look within her own life, does she realize that intelligence is only one characteristic of human life, and she will have to let go of her fears of dependence and human compassion, to understand in her final hours what life is really all about.
When we are first introduced to Vivian we learn that she is in fact a very witty person, she is smart, ironic and quick. She is a strong person, but once hit with cancer she slowly begins to lose the control she once had in the classroom. However we realize that she is someone who has hid her whole life behind her intellect. She has used this as a tool to isolate herself and not feel the need to connect to anyone on a type of emotional level. We notice that this is truly apparent when E.M Ashford, her teacher and mentor, wants to explain to Vivian to look deeper into the meaning of what life is really about through Donne’s work. She tries to make Vivian realize that Donne is not using wit rather it is truth and the idea that he is ultimately trying to explain that life is what people make of it and their responses to it. However Vivian doesn’t understand this idea, “there were students on the lawn talking about nothing, laughing. The insuperable barrier between one thing and another is… just a comma? Simple human truth, uncompromising scholarly standards? They’re connected, I just couldn’t…I went back to the library (Edison 1784).” This is a good example of the fact that Vivian puts up barriers, she doesn’t want to look deeper into this connection, because it scares her to feel co-dependence and emotions. She was proud of her strength, intellect and work ethic, that she divulged her entire life into it that she has overlooked the actual true meaning of what life is really about. She is consumed with her passion that she becomes blind to the real idea of humanity and kindness and endures her entire life without a flinch emotionally or physically. We know this is true because while most would have a friend there to help you through the way or hold your hand, Vivian has no one, she doesn’t think she needs anyone, and when she begins to show signs of weakness by opening up to Susie she punishes herself for it, “That certainly was a maudlin display. Popsicles? Sweetheart? I can’t believe my life has become so…corny (Edison 1808).”
As her Chemotherapy gets tougher we see that Vivian is slowly beginning to open up and free herself and finally let her guard down. It is when she is faced with the idea of death is she really compelled to reflect on her life in a different way. She begins to let all the protection that for so many years was a tool to isolate and distinguish herself, down. She realizes she must do this to finally understand the meaning of life. As her illness progresses, we see that she is no longer a strong headed independent, but instead opens up to Susie and E.M Ashford, we see from the quote “It was late at night, it was the graveyard shift. Susie was on, I could hear her in the hall. I wanted her to come see me. So I had to create a little emergency. Nothing dramatic (Edison 1806)”, that Bearing is slowly pulling away and understands deep down that she may need someone with her. We notice more and more her guard coming down, and the fact the Vivian realizes that she will need humanity and compassion to get through this, this couldn’t be more obvious with her mentor E.M Ashford comes to see her at the hospital and recites a children’s story to her. It is this simple act of kindness and Bearings reaction that shows us a dramatic shift in Vivian’s character.
In Vivian’s final moments, we understand that she had to let go of her safety zone in order to reflect and understand. We learn that Bearing although is dying ironically learns a lesson about living. Intellect had been argued as Vivian’s strength in life but it also is what limited her to living her life fully. She understands this when Ashford lies in her bed and we realize the significance of the statement, “Now is not the time for verbal swordplay, for unlikely flights of imagination and wildly shifting perspectives, for metaphysical conceit, for wit… Now is the time for simplicity. Now is the time for dare I say it, kindness (Edison 1809) .” It is clear that Vivian has finally come down and become vulnerable. She finally realizes what compassion is and what it means to feel a sense of human kindness. During these final moments as Vivian let go, she realized what life is really about. She now understands the most underlying theme of Donne, a concept she thought she knew better then anyone. She realized she learned the most important lesson, and therefore was able to go in peace with herself, learning much about life.
“Wit,” is a rare play that captures a sorrowful idea such as death, and turns it into a valuable realization and learning experience. Vivian Bearing posses the characteristics of many people today, they use their knowledge and intellect as a way to separate themselves from the rest of the world and isolate their emotions and ability to be vulnerable to life experiences. In essence as much as you feel as though you understand the idea of life and death, without actually living your life to the fullest you will never capture this idea, and when you are facing your last moments you will be still searching peace and comfort. “Wit” is both serious yet humorous and is effective in setting up this lesson for the audience to understand through Vivian.