A Study of Angels in America in the Light of Hubert Zapf's Theory of Cultural Ecology

The present article studies Tony Kushner’s Angels in America in the light of Hubert Zapf’s theory of “literature as cultural ecology” and demonstrates how as a result of the interactions between the three major discourses of the drama, namely cultural-critical metadiscourse, imaginative counterdiscourse and the reintegrative interdiscourse, a new discourse is created which constitutes the play’s latent and profound ideas and viewpoints. In this research, Angels in America is analyzed on two levels: superficially, the article examines the strategies employed by the play to confront the cultural, social, economic, and political crises of the American society during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. In this respect, it is argued that drawing attention to the aforesaid problems and bringing them to light are the principal techniques the play utilizes in order to promote the general public’s level of awareness towards such concerns, and as a method for their elimination in the near future. At a deeper level, it is explained that the peaceful and consensual gathering of a small community at the end of the play indicates the emergence of a new cultural and social discourse; one which is expressive of humanitarian values and ideals. Hence, it is concluded that Angels in America in addition to expressing concern about the problems of modern American society, through the propagation of human virtues, looks forward to a time when all people regardless of their ethnicity, race, color, religion and politics can live in peace and harmony with one another and the physical environment.