Insights into "Crimes of the Heart" Play by Beth Henley

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Delve into the world of "Crimes of the Heart" by Beth Henley, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in the mid-20th century. Follow the intertwined lives of the Magrath sisters - Lenny, Babe, and Meg - as they navigate love, loss, and the complexities of family relationships. Explore themes of unfulfilled desires, sisterly bonds, and the quest for happiness against the backdrop of the Southern culture expectations.

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Crimes of the Heart By Beth Henley Selena Jimenez Leigh proctor

Publication Crimes of the Heart was published in 1978. The play won a Pulitzer award in 1981 for Drama. It then was nominated in 1986 for Tony Award.

Setting Crimes of the Heart takes place in Hazlehurst, Mississippi during the mid-20th century. The entirely of the play takes place in the house; specifically the kitchen. The setting relates to the publication because they both were in the mid-20th century. The setting is significant because it occurs in the south where woman were still thought to be quiet and dainty. They were expected to be married and modest.

Unknown Words Bazaar- A market with rows of booths and stands of goods Jag- a small load Perjury- The offense of willfully telling an untruth in a court after having taken an oath or affirmation. Vendetta- A blood feud in which the family of a murdered person seeks vengeance on the murderer or murderer s family.

Significance of the Title Each of the sisters have done their hearts wrong by not going after the things they wanted in life. Lenny wants love but her own insecurities keep pushing away people. Babe did her heart wrong by marrying someone she didn't really love. Meg ignores everything going on and would rather stay in her own world where she doesn't have to acknowledge reality.

Quotes Lenny: Oh, I don t care what you believe! It s so easy for you- you always have men falling in love with you! But I have this underdeveloped ovary and I can t have children and my hair is falling out in the comb- so what man can love me?! What man s gonna love me? This quote represents the common thread between the sisters which is that they want something but there is always something keeping them from achieving their aspirations/goals.

Quotes Babe: Mama. I know why she hung that cat along with her It s cause she was afraid of dying all alone. The significance of this quote is to show how important it is to have someone you love by your side and represents the kind of love the sisters have for each other.

Characters Lenny- The oldest sister. She was left to take care of their grandfather and never got a chance to make something of her life. Meg- The middle sister. She left Hazelhurst to move to Hollywood and tried to start a music career. Unfortunately, she comes out unsuccessful. Babe- The youngest of the three sisters. She shot her husband Zachary after she had an affair with a fifteen-year-old boy named Willie Jay. Barnett- A young lawyer who is working on Babe s case and has a personal vendetta against Zachary. Chick- The three sisters twenty-nine-year-old cousin. She is described as being brash and energetic.

Conflicts A conflict in the play is the sisters trying to rekindle the love they had for each other and mend broken bonds. At the same time the sisters work on their own problems together. Protagonist: The three sisters Antagonist: Themselves and Zachary

Themes A theme from the play is that we keep ourselves from getting what we want. This is a theme because each of the sisters have something they want in their lives but their own fears and expectations are keeping them from the thing they want.

Summary The play Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley is a story about three sisters who come together after the youngest, Babe, shoots her husband. They then go on a journey of self discovery as they struggle with their past, present, and future together. The rising action is when their Grandfather suffers a stroke and they reconcile. The climax is when Babe tries to kill herself and then makes the revelation about her own mother's suicide.

Personal Reaction At first I didn t like it very much the dialogue was weird but the more a read and began to understand the characters and story grew on me. It had very relatable characters who had very real motives and realistic problems. The characters were all very different but shared the same sadness and love for each other. It made me think about my siblings who I don t always agree with but I would do anything for them. Personally, I really enjoyed reading this play. I loved how realistic the dialouge was and how easy it was for me to read. I was infactuated on how the play dealt with world wide problems and how the characters were eventually able to come together.

Possible Scenes Pages 50-54: This is the scene where the three sisters discuss their grandfather s stroke however they all end up laughing about it. Pages 60-63: This is the scene where Babe discovers why their mother committed suicide.