The phrase “A Gay Fantasia on National Themes” suggests off the bat that there is going to be some significant twist, whether it is controversial, comical, stereotypical, or otherwise, intertwined with the prominent issues of the day. I found myself immediately drawn to the words above the title, and then looking for the ‘gay fantasia’ and the ‘national themes’ separately. The themes identified themselves quickly, as religion, era politics and AIDS in the earlier stages of the epidemic when “nobody knows what causes it” and “nobody knows how to cure it” (42). The ‘gay fantasia’ part comes, well, obviously from the mostly homosexual characters and the presence of a celestial character, but also from the fact that the characters are viewing these issues from interestingly relevant perspectives.
We are introduced to a latently homosexual Mormon, someone who has “fought, with everything I have, to kill it” (40). Joe Pitt is someone who has always tried to do what is right, marrying Harper because it was what was expected of him despite never having any sexual desires towards her. The simple fact that he refers to Harper as “buddy”, rather that ‘sweetie’ or ‘baby’ or any number of affectionate terms and gives her “buddy kisses” (18) shows that the marriage they share is one built not on passionate love, but on companionship and what at one point must have been comfort. Joe genuinely believes that Harper, and also God, will forgive and accept him as long as his “behavior is what I know it has to be. Decent” (40). Though his homosexual urges conflict with his strict religion, Joe has done his best to reconcile them and live a life he is content with.
Joe Pitt’s point of view is interesting because he is someone confined within a belief system that his very nature contradicts. And although it is unfortunate that stereotypical views must factor in to analysis of the play, it is necessary. The truth is that many of us who identify ourselves with a particular group tend to form quick and often negative opinions about a group who challenges our own. The political atmosphere is probably the best example of this, with the parties being divided by nothing more than where they stand on certain issues.
Because political opinions are so publicly known, Roy Cohn appears to be a walking contradiction, a wheeling and dealing Reaganite “who fucks around with guys” (46). Roy is so defined by his politics that he does not consider himself to be a homosexual, just because “I bring the guy I’m screwing to the White House…and President Reagan shakes his hand” (46). Because he denies rather than suppresses his desires, we cannot make any notes on how Roy ‘deals’ with this aspect of his life. However, we can observe the irony of meeting a gay Republican, regardless of whether or not Roy would accept or conform to such a label.
Most of Kushner’s characters, but Roy and Joe in particular, offer fresh if not contradictory views on the “national themes” of their time, whether it be Yuppie politics or the infancy of the AIDS devastation. It is interesting that the only two gay characters to stifle or ignore their nature carry the most representation of the “gay fantasia” Kushner strives to orchestrate, but admirable in that although they may not wholly accept their personal truths, the audience gets to see their secrets.
