One of the more exciting (and sometimes exasperating) things about plays as a genre of fiction is the lack of narrative voice.  Outside of stage directions (which we’ll encounter more of later in the semester), the playwright has to rely on a character’s dialogue to convey meaning. It’s therefore up to the reader (or director when the play is staged) to interpret what we’re supposed to think about a given character.  First impressions are important, and one clue towards a better understanding of a character is his or her first lines.

Using a his first lines as a starting point, offer an analysis of a given character in the play.  What do his (or her) opening lines convey about his character (in the sense of those qualities which make up his person)?  What kinds of words or imagery does he use? Does he speak in long, verbose sentences or short, simple ones?  What does this tell us about him?  Pick any character and feel free to track our understanding of him across the early parts of the play.  Again, please include page and line numbers and quote specific language of the play.