Millennium Approaches 1.9

Summary

The scene opens with Roy and Henry, his doctor, in Henry's office. Dr. Henry informs Roy that his lesions, throat problem, and swollen glands are all related to Kaposi's sarcomas, meaning that Roy has AIDs. Roy accuses Henry of implying that he is either a drug addict, which must not be the case since there are no "tracks," or a homosexual, since the syndrome mostly afflicts them. Roy then threatens Henry by saying that if Henry does call him a homosexual, he will "destroy" Henry's medical career (50).

Henry does not directly call Roy homosexual but instead says that Roy has slept with many men. Roy then goes off on a rant, saying that Henry is too "hung up on words, on labels" (51). Roy admits to having sex with men, but still insists that he is not homosexual since he has "clout." He then says that he does not have AIDs, he has liver cancer, since "AIDs is what homosexuals have" (52). Henry then says that he cannot get Roy any medication since the new drug AZT has a two-year waiting list.

Study Questions

1. What illness is Roy diagnosed with?
2. How does Roy threaten Dr. Henry?
3. For what else has Dr. Henry treated Roy?
4. How does Roy define the term "homosexual"?
5. Why does Roy not consider himself a homosexual?
6. Who does Roy claim he could get on the phone in under five minutes?
7. What does Roy call his illness?
8. What is the name of the new wait-listed drug that could treat Roy?

Works Cited

• Kushner, Tony. Angels in America. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 1995.