Millennium Approaches 1.4

Summary

Louis and Prior, who have been in a committed relationship for four years, are sitting on a bench after the funeral of Louis's grandmother, which Louis had not visited in ten years. Louis has concealed his homosexuality in front of his family. They discuss the funeral and exchange teasing remarks about their cat, Little Sheba, who has run away. Prior suddenly shows Louis a kaposi's sarcoma lesion. Even though Louis gets extremely upset, Prior takes it in a very joking manner; though he fears that Louis will leave him because of his illness. Louis goes to bury his grandmother and Prior asks him if he will come home right after the burial. Louis assures Prior that he will come home after his grandmother’s burial.

Notes

• WASPs (26) - "White Anglo-Saxon Protestants", a term that denotes either an ethnic group, or the culture, customs, and heritage of the Yankee ethnic group in the U.S..
• Shirley Booth (27) - an Academy Award-winning actress who gained enormous success in the 1950 Broadway play (as well, as the 1952 movie adaptation), Come Back, Little Sheba.
• K.S. (27) - Kaposi's Sarcoma, a cancer that afflicts tissues of the bones, muscles, blood vessels, cartilage, etc. Commonly linked to homosexual men with HIV or AIDS.

Study Questions

1. What is the Jewish custom to express love for the dead?
2. How long was Louis's grandmother in the nursing home?
3. Why didn't Louis visit her?
4. What is the cat's name?
5. What does Prior show Louis?
6. What disease does Prior have?
7. How does Louis react?
8. Why does Prior believe the cat ran away?
9. Why hasn't Prior told Louis of his illness until today?

Works Cited

• Kushner, Tony. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 1995.

---

Millennium Approaches Act 1 Scene 5