Roy Cohn: Difference between revisions

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 ==Commentary==
-One of the main characters in ''Angels in America'', Roy Cohn, exhibits Hubris[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/]" in its greatest form. By definition, hubris referred in Ancient Greece to a reckless disregard for the rights of another person resulting in some kind of social degradation for the victim.
+One of the main characters in ''Angels in America'', Roy Cohn, exhibits [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ hubris]. From the Greek, <i>[[hubris]]</i> is usually defined as excessive pride and often refers to a reckless disregard for the rights of another person resulting in some kind of social degradation for the victim.
-Hubris is a common theme in Greek tragedies and mythology, whose stories often featured characters displaying hubris and subsequently being punished for it. In Greek law, it most often refers to violent outrage wreaked by the powerful upon the weak. Cohn uses his position and "clout" to get ahead.
-When confronted by his doctor, Henry, he explains his role as he saw it:
+Hubris is a common theme in Greek [[tragedy|tragedies]] and [[myth|mythology]], whose stories often featured characters displaying ''hubris'' and subsequently being punished for it. In Greek law, it most often refers to violent outrage wreaked by the powerful upon the weak. Cohn uses his position and "clout" to get ahead.
-''"...Now to someone who does not understand this, homosexual is what I am because I have sex with men . . . Homosexuals are not men that sleep with other men . . . Homosexuals...have zero clout...I have clout" (Kushner 51).''
+When confronted by his doctor, Henry, he explains his role as he saw it: "Now to someone who does not understand this, homosexual is what I am because I have sex with men . . . Homosexuals are not men that sleep with other men . . . Homosexuals...have zero clout...I have clout" (Kushner 51). From this perspective, Cohn not only dominates those around him, but he dominates the society in which he lives. He has the power to make and break the reputations of those around him.
+Roy shows no compassion to anyone throughout the screenplay, even when he is on his death-bed.  His cold-heartedness and manipulative ways help make him an easy target for hatred.  However Roy was doing what he felt had to do in order to succeed, in order to accomplish his goals, in order to get what he wanted.  It is for this reason that Roy Cohn is the most symbolic character in this play, for what he epitomizes - America, the capitalist land of the social cheeseburger.
-From this perspective, we see that Cohn not only dominates those around him, but he dominates the society in which he lives. He has the power to make and break the reputations of those around him.
+Image:http://www.hbo.com/films/angelsinamerica/img/photos/photo_roys_closer.jpg
-Roy is the most frowned upon character in the screenplay and the character we all love to hate.  Roy shows no compassion to anyone throughout the screenplay, even when he is on his death-bed.  His cold-heartedness and manipulative ways help make him an easy target for hatred.  However Roy was doing what he felt had to do in order to succeed, in order to accomplish his goals, in order to get what he wanted.  It is for this reason that Roy Cohn is the most symbolic character in this play, for what he epitomizes - America, the capitalist land of the social cheeseburger.
-http://www.hbo.com/films/angelsinamerica/img/photos/photo_roys_closer.jpg
-One of the great comparisons of Cohn is to Oedipus in Oedipus the King [http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/myth.htm"]written by Sophocles [http://galenet.galegroup.com.ezproxy.maconstate.edu/servlet/LitRC?vrsn=3&OP=contains&locID=maco12153&srchtp=athr&ca=1&c=1&ste=6&tab=1&tbst=arp&ai=U13003395&n=10&docNum=H1200007651&ST=Sophocles&bConts=278191]. Oedipus for example, feigns compassion and understanding with his people suffering from the plague in order to maintain his political position. When he is addressing the crowd, he makes his own suffering seem far greater than any other:
-''"Well I know you are sick to death, all of you, but sick as you are, not one is sick as I. Your pain strikes each of you alone, each in the confines of himself, no other. But my spirit grieves for the city, for myself and all of you." (Line 75-76)''
-He believes that his triumphs exceed any of those made by his counter parts. This behavior is key to hubris; his arrogance allows him to believe that he is greater than any God.
+Cohn might be compared to [[Oedipus Rex|Oedipus]]. Oedipus for example, feigns compassion and understanding with his people suffering from the plague in order to maintain his political position. When he is addressing the crowd, he makes his own suffering seem far greater than any other: "Well I know you are sick to death, all of you, but sick as you are, not one is sick as I. Your pain strikes each of you alone, each in the confines of himself, no other. But my spirit grieves for the city, for myself and all of you" (ll. 75-76). Oedipus believes that his triumphs exceed any of those made by his counter parts. This behavior is key to hubris; his arrogance allows him to believe that he is greater than any God.
 Cohn has similar moments of superiority and feigned compassion. When discussing his clout, Cohn brags that he can reach the first lady in five minutes if necessary, showing his affluence and span of his reputation. Sometime after finding out that he has AIDS, Cohn goes to a bar to pick up a man with the intent of sex. This reckless behavior shows his disregard for others, putting his sexual needs above anyone else shows his selfish spirit. He had no regard for others, as long as he is able to use them.