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CEORCE MURCHISON
aoBo
MOVINC MEN
ACT ONE
Scene l. Friday rnoming.
S?ne lI. The followins mornins.
ACT TWO
Sc"ne I. Later, lhe same day.
Scen€ II Friday night, a few veeks later.
Scene IIl. Moving day, one week )ater.
ACT THREE
ACT I
Tle youNcER ltrtrs roon $,ould be a.omfottable and well<nlercd
rcom if it wele not fot a nunbet of indestructible q)nttadictions to this state of beiic.
Its finishinss arc \bical and undistinsuished and then bnmary fedt6. non) is that
they ha)e cbarb had to ,xccommodate the li'ine of too nnny people fot too many
va^-and |he\ drc tfud. Still, i,e can $p" th.tt ol son" tine. a time prcbobh no
Ionlet rcnemhercd b\ the lamty \exce,t pe dps fot \^\ \)thelunBhinesofth^
tuon eete actu.llly selectea \rith carc ana low and ewn hoPe and brcught to this
dbatment dnd aftanEed eith taste dnd ptide.
-
'that wo\ d tanl tme aea. Now th? on a loved patten of the couch upholster'l
529
5t0
has to f+ht to shov itself from unler acra of crocheted doities and co\ch cowrs
rihich themsel'es frn<ity cone lo be norc inpotant than the upholst.ty. And
ha1)e
herc a table or a chan hds heen mored to diseuie the Nom places in the .dtpet; btt
the catpet has fouEht back hy shopine its veariness, with deessins lnifotmity,
elsewhere on its surface.
Weatiness has, in fact, won in this room. E erythine has been folishe<i,
*dshed. sat on, lsed, sctubbed too often. All pretenses hut lirin' itself h.Ire lons
sin@ ,anished fiom the wry atnosphere of this rcon.
Mareow, d se.tion af this rcom, fot it is nor rcalb a rcon unto itself, thot+h
thelandlord'sleasevouldmakeitseenso,slopeshackw.ldtobrc.rideasna kitchen
arcd, wherc the fdnily fieparcs the mettls thdt dre eaten in the lieine roon brcper,
which must .1.sa sene as dining room. The single window that hds been prcfided fot
these "tvo" roons is locatel in this kitchen drca. The sole natu l lieht the fanilr
nay enior in th. coutse ofa day ls on/) that which fshts its way thtoush this little
At left, a doot leads to d he&oom which is sh.1rcd hy Mr.M,r and her daushter ,
BENEaTHA. Af risrt, oppdtte, is d second rcon (which in the besinnine of the life of
this dpanment was probably a breakfnst rcon) which senes as a hedrcon fot
w^L'rER dnd nis ufe, Rurfi.
IAt Rise: It is notnins datk in the li,)ins nom. tR^vts is dsleep on the
make dovn bedat centet. An alarm docksaunisfromwithinthe bedloon
dt ght, and bresently \\)rB enteft fiom that mn dnd closes the door
behind her. She crosses sleepib towad the windotr. As she passes het
sleeping son she reaches dovn and shakes hin a little. At the Nindow
rukes the shade and a dusky Southside motnine li*ht comu in feebly. She 'he
l:ilk a pot vith vatet and puts it on to boil. She cd s to the bot, belveen
in a slishtly nufred wice.
'dwns,RtnH is about thnr. We cdn s.e that sh. w1s d pletty gd, evn
exceptiond y so, but no1'/ it is app&ent that life has heen little that she
expected, and disappointnent has abeddy begun to hans in het face. ln .j
fe'" wat, beforcthnty fiee ewn, she pill be known anone het peoble as a
"settled Namdn."
She uosses to he/ son and Eiws him a sood, fnal, rcusinl shake.l
nurr: Come on now, boy, it s seven thirlyl [Her son sitl up at last, in a stupor of
s/eepta€ss.ll say hunf up, TravislYou ain'i the only p€rson in thc world sot to
use a barhroonl [Tfie crild, a st rdy,h.lndsome little boy often or eleren,drags
himselfout ofthe bed and almos.t blindly takes his towek dnd "today's clothes"
fion (lrawen and d closet dnd soes out to the bathnom, which is in an oLtside
hall and ,hich is sharcd by dnothet fani, or fdnilies on the same foor. |0ra
crcsses ta the be&aon aoat nt tight and opens it and calk in to het hurband)
Walte. Leel . . . It's after seven tbirty! Lemme see you do some waking up
in tbere nowl btre lrdtlsl You better set up from there, manl It's afier seven
thtrty I tell you. [sherdils dsdin. ] All risbt, youjustsoahead and laythere and
next thins you kDow Trsvis bc finished and Mr. fohnson'll be in there and
you ll be fusins and cussing round hcre like a mad manl Andbe late tool [Sir"
i,aits, at the end of pltience.l Walter Lee-it's lime for you to set up!
lshe \rdits dnothet second and then statts to eo into the bedroom, bft is
t3r
dDDdedtly.oti\h.d that het hu.band ha. he,us to ect up She 6top\. pull'
Ihe d@t to. ond retutns to the kikhen drca She \ ipPs tu facc ha t
noist cloth and runs het fngeft throueh het sle.piishqeled hair in a
%in efoft and ties an a\rcn arcund het housecoat. The bedrcon door at
right opens and het husband stan16 in the dooNat in hi| pdiands,vhich
aie runpled and nismated. He vounsnan in his middle
is a ledn, intense
thnies, inclined to qtick nenous mol'enents and etrdtic sp@ch habits
and alwdys ;n his roice there is d qualitv of indictnent l
wtrn: Is he out yet?
nvrH: Whal vou mean orl? He aiD't hardly sot in there good vet.
ur-renr lwandarine in, ttill morc o/iented Io sleep t/ran to a ne$' dayl Well' what
was you doing all that yellins for if I can't cven set in Il'erc vet? lstoppine nna
tliaftinsl Check coming today?
norr: They said Satur&y and thh isiust Friday aDd I hopestoGodvou ain'igoing
to gei up here 6rst thing this morning lnd siart talldns to me 'bout no
money-'causc I 'boul don't want to bear il
w^LrER: Something the matte. with you tbis morning?
Rurri: No I'm just sleepy as ihe dcvil. What kind of esss vou wantT
wrr-rnr: Not scrambled. Ir\)n stais to scrdnble eses lPaper come? IRU'IH poDfs
imbatient\ to the rclled lp Tibrne on the table, dnd he eets it dnd spiads it
oui .Ind rcads the /ront dg".l Set ofi another bomb vesterdav
',asuely
rLlrn Imawmun ndtfferenc?lD,J they?
u rr r: /oo*,ne upl Whar'. rhe mJte, $rh \ou:
Rurrr Ai;1 nothi.g thc Inatiel with me. And don't keep asking me tbat this
urrnr: Ain'r nobodybo ihering yor.lreading the ne$ of the .Jav absentb asain)
Sav Colonel Mccornick is sick.
nurt. l;ft"rtinq tea-ba t tri?..'rl l.heno$IPoo.rhing
u \t p: and tookrns a{ h/r wa,, hl Oh me lH? \us $hdi L rhrr
"ishnc
boy doing in thebathroom all thistime? He just 'd,ts
going to have to sled getting
upearliei I can't be being late to work on account of hiln fooling around in
wa,.rDR: lust for a second-stirring them esgs.It's gone now iust for a second it
was -
looked reai young again. [ti"n, dn]l lt's gone now you look ti]e
-you
younelfagain. -
RUrH: Man, if you don't shut up and leave me alone.
${LlrR: [oo&r ng oul ro rft€ (ir?ei d8dt, Firs hingamanoughllolea'n in litehnor
lo male love to nu colored \aoman {rat thinq rn lhe morning \ouall\omeevil
peoplc at eight o clock rn the morning.
tR\vtsdppea\ tn th? ha doon ar . almost fullt dre*ed ond quite vide
awake now, his toi,els dnd ,aianas acrcs his shouLiets. He opens the
. door and signals for his fathet to make the bathrcom in a hufty.)
'tF.^vls: [watchine the bathroon] Daddy, come onl
l\\i eets his bathrcom utensils and flieN out to the bathtuom.)
nvra: Sit down ^LTER
and have your breakfasr, Travis.
rRAVrs: Mama, this is Frid.y. kbrfrllll Checl coming tomorow, hub?
Rr rH: \ou sel \our mrnd oft money and eJr your b,e,kir(t.
r R^J ,: kdr,nsl Thi, ir rhe morning we supposed ro b';ns lhe 6fh cent. i" \cho"t.
RUTH: Well, I ain t sot no 6fiy cents thh morning.
rn,rvrs: Teacher say we have lo.
RUrn: I don't care what lercher say. I ain'l gol it. Eat your brsltfast, Tr:vis.
rRAMs: I d,l eatins.
RUrH: Hush up now and just e.il
[The boy gh'es her an exaspqated look fot hq tdck d underctandins, dnd
eats su(lsinsly .)
r$vx: You think Grandmama would havc it?
RUrH: Nol And I want you to stop asking you. grandmother for moncy, you hca.
rlAvrs: loutrds"d] Ga.aleee! I don't ask her, sh€ iust simme it som€limes!
Rurnr Travis Willard Younser-l goi too much on me this morning to be . . .
[The boy hushes abtuptly. They arc both quiet and tense for se1Jerc|
arcund the boy to .dtch the rialent rcys ftom his $,ife's eyes and draws his
head ba.k as if shot.)
wALrrR: You better get down now and get to school, man.
rnr,vrs: [at t&e door] O.K. cood-bye. [H? e'ifs.i
wALtEN: lnfier hi,ln, pointinewith ptidelThat's ry boy.lshe looks at hin is diseust
dnd tutns back to frer ,,orl.l You know what I was rbinking 'bout in the
bathroom this morning?
w^-'"',""
R: lrct ninPimbatt",i/t Don I call ilihJl See lhere rhJt iu'r goe' ro 'lo$
Lt'.i..'i',"a.r.iand,bour rhe qorld Babv don notirns nappen fur
r
"^'.'^, ft',' " i,.:*h' '. $,ons $rrh rnc.olorcJ uonan rn'hi' uorld
... Don t understan<l about b;ldins then men up and maltins em feel lile
thev,^T.body Lrl" lhey crn Jo 'orelh,ng
t' n, diily, but o hu a, f h.re ar culored mcn u hu do thing'
t
the Southside. She pdsses thrcush the rcom withoutlnkine at eithet RuaH
ot w and Eoes to the outside doot dnA boks, a little blindb , out to the
^LaER
botht"nm. She \c?s that ha. been lost lo the lohneons. She do.es lhp
doot wth d teep, wneeance and crc'se' to lhe t.jble and sitsdonn a Iitrle
defeated.)
WALTER: You should sel up earlier.
{\. \1H^: Utu fa,? in het hdnd\. She r st t frphtinp the uqe to po back to bed.
Rcalh would rou.uggc" aawn'U h.r" s rtr" prper:
\\1
lpushine the papet dctoss the tahle to her as he studies her atnost ctini,
^LrEe:
ca y., as thouEh he has never seen h6 beforel \ on ahonible-tooting chick at
this hotrr
BENEATHA: [drt]l cood morning, everybody.
$ \LrER: heD'?l"s^l How is school com,nB?
Br\ruH\: tn the \dn" spnttLovell. Lor"ty. {nd tou kno$. brologl i, the
s eate\t.'lookin! up at hinl I dn,e(red \umething,hdt looked tike l ou ye*o
WALTER: I just wondercd ifyou've made up yoDr mind and everythjns.
BENE{H^: lEainine in shd+ness an l impatience) And what did I answer yesrerday
moming-and the day before that?
RD tH: the nonins boad,like soneone disintercsr?d dnd oldl Don't be so nasty,
-Wom
Bennie.
BENE^THA| ['rtl ro Ia rror["4 And the day before rbat and the day betorc rhatr
w^L'tER: ldefenstueul 1'm interested in you. Something wrons wirb that? Ain t
many gnh who decide-
werren: and seNerrH,\: Itn urconl-"to be a doctor."
Isiten@.)
w,{LTrn: Have we figured out yer jusi exactly how much mcdical schoot is goins to
RUrr': Walter Lee, why don't yoD le.ve that gjrlalone and get our ofhere to worl(?
B, \r A rll\: [?nh to ifr? bdrhroon and banas on the duorl Come ou. nr rherc,
"n
[She com4 back inra the tuon.]
tr
"1" R: iooh,s d, hrs vsi?r rnrpntlv \ ou know the ch.cl. n comrns tomurrow.
BENE^rHA: Itunng ofl ltm with a shaenes all hd ownl Thar money bclonss to
Mama, Walte., and ir's for h€rto decide howshe wanrs to use it. I don,t c;e if
\hewdnl. ru bu\ r hou\p or J ro(let.hipor iu.t n'.I I up,onrewhere.rnJ to"k
al It I he6. Nnt ou6-i"rs
WALTER: [];il?/tlNow ain't that finetYou justgot yourmother's inter€st at heart.
a,rl )"u- sui' \ ou .uch a nrce girl-but il Vama got rhat moner rhe un
al.a\\ rile d fek thouund and help you rhro,,sh ,ch"ot rou- .Jn r ,he.
eenFrrrr,\: I brve never asked anyone around here to do anything for nel
${ lR: Nu: {nd thelne ber*een a.linglnd p\lrcceptrns $her, rhe rime..ome,
i, bis and $ ide-arn't itl
sENEADA: I{,it, furrlWhar do'you wanrftom me, Brorhe.-thar I quit schoolor
just drop dead, whichl
wALrEr: I doD't want noihing but for you to stop acting holy 'round here. Me and
Ruth done made some sacrifices for you- why can'tyou do somctbinsforthe
f,milw?
A Rdisin in the Sun 537
wrua: IJn-hunh?
539
nothing ofpacling up their suitcases and pilingon one ofthem bi8 steamships
and swooshl-they gone, child.
MAMA| Sonething always told me I wasn't no rich white woman.
RUrH: Well-what are you going io do with it them?
MAM^: I ain't rightly decid ed. [Thinkins- She speaks nol' lt]it, enpirdsi' ] Some ofit
got to be put away for Beneatba and he! schoolin'-and ain'tnotbing goins to
touch that part ofit. Notbins.lshe ;.aits sewftl seconds,nfinEtondkenp het
mind dhout something, and looks dt AsrH d little tentatiwly beforc goine on.)
Been thinlins that we rnaybe could meet the notes on a little old two sto'y
somewherc, with a yard where Travn couldplay in the summertime, if we use
part of the insurance fol a downpayment and everybody kind of pitcb in l
could naybe iak€ on a liltle day worl again, few days a week-
lstuiyine het nothet in law futtiwly and con@ntfttins on het ioninS, anx'
^!1H: iaus to encowage without seening to.l Well, Lord knows, we've put enoush
rent into this here rat kap to pay for four houses by now .
M^vA: [Iooking up at the vot ls ' tat trcb" and then lookins arornd and leaning back
and silhins-in a suddenly reflectire mood l"Rat traP"-yes, thai's aI it
is. lsmil/ns] I rem€mber iust os well as the day me and Big Walter moved in
hcre. Hadn'tbeen mariedbut two weeki and wasn't planning on livinc herc
no more than a year. [S/re shakes her head at the dissobed dream ) we was
going to set away,little by little, don'l youlnow,:ndbuy a little place out in
Morgan Park. We had even picked out thc house. [chscklins d little) Looks
risht dumpy today. But Lord, cbild, you should tnow all the dreams I bad
'bout buying ihat bouse and fixing it up and malins ntc a litlle garden in thc
back- [Sne odils dnd siops sniling.]And didn't none ofit happen ldropp;rg
het hands in a futite sesturcl
Nt)'t : [keebs het head down, ;on ing] Yes, life can be a balrel of disapPoinhnents,
u,rv,r Honey, Big Waltcr would come in here some nighis bacl then and slump
down on thst couch there and jusi look at the rus, and look at mc and look,t
tbe rue and then bacl at me and I'd know he was down then . really
d,own- Iafpr a second very long and thoughtful pause; she is seeinc back to
times that only she c,1n seel And then, t,ord, whcn I lost that baby little
Claude- I ?lmosi thougbt I was going to lose Big Walter too. Oh, that man
grieved hisseJfl He was one man to love his children.
RUrH: Ain'l nothin' can tear at you like losin' your baby.
u,rr',r; I gues that's horvcome that man finallyworkedhsselfto dcath lik€ he done
Lik; hc was fightins his ownwar with this here world that took his baby fron
him.
rurg: Hc was surea 6ne man, all risht. I always lilcd Mr. Younger'
MAMA: Crazy'boui his childrenl Cod knows there was plenty wrons with Waltel
Younger hard headed, mcan, kind of wild with women plenly wmng
with him. But bc sure loved hn children. Always wanied them to have
sometbing-be somcthing. That's wherc Brolhet gets all his notions, I
reclon. BisWalt€r usedlosay, be dget rightwet in the eycs sornelimes, lean
his head back wiih the water standing in his eyes and say, "Seen like Cod
didn't see fit lo giv€ the black man nothing but drcarns He did give us
-but
childrentomaletbemdreanssecmworlhwhile." [Sl?smi/€s.] Hecouldtalk
like that, don't you know.
541
M^M^: [to chdnEe the subiect] Who you goins out with tonor.ow nisht?
BL\E^rH{ lv,i/l d^pbdrure Ceorse MuRhnon assin
MAMA: lrledsedl Oh-you setting a liitle sweet on bim?
RUTH: iou 4k me, this chiid ain;t sweet on nobody but herself- [under6reatl]
Expres herselfl
lThet laueh.l
srrrerrr,{: Ob I lile Ceorge all right, Mama. I mean I li}e him enoush to go out
with him and stuf, but-
RUTH: [/or ds l'nentj] what does dnd srufmean?
neuerrm: Mind your own business.
MAMA: Stop pickins at her now, Ruth. [d t/iorglt@l pause. and then a suspiciots
suddin'look al her daushtet ds she twns in het chai fot enphasisl\Nhetdo.s ;t
rnu,rru,r: [uearily] Oh, I iust mean I couldn't evel r€ally be serious about George
He's-he's so shallow.
nurs: Shallow-what do you mean he s shallow? He's Ricil
vruc Hush, Ruth.
arrrime: I know he's ricb. He lnows he s rich. too
RUrH: Well-ivhat other qualities a rnan gol lo have to s.tisfy vou, little girl?
8ENEATHAT You wouldn't even begin to unde6tand. Anybody who married Walter
could not posibly understand.
MAMA: [o!f/dged] What kind ofway is ihat io talk about your brother?
BENE,\rHA: Brotber is a flip-let's face it.
uevr.: [to nurn, nelplesl]l what s a flip?
xuru: lslad t.t add kindlinsl She s saying he s crazy
strNEArHAr Not crazy. Brother isn't r€ally crazy yet he-het an elaborate neu-
nnrnersr: Oh. Mama The Murcbisons a.e bonest to-God-real'live rich colored
-
people, and the only people in thc world who are more snobbnh than rich
whiie people are rich co)ored people.l thought everybodylnew that.l've m€l
Ma. Murchison. Shei a scene!
vrue: You musl nol dislike people'cause lhey wcll otr, honey.
BENEATH^: Whynot? It makes iust as rnuch sense as disliling people'cause lheyare
poor, and lots ofpeople do that.
xltrt: lawisdom-of theagis nanner. To uerulwell, she'll set over some ofthis -
BENE^rHA: Get over it? What are you ialking about, Ruth? Listen,l'm going to be a
doctor. I'm not wonied about wbo I'rn going to marry yet-if I ever sei
MAM^ dnd RUrH: rl
MAMA: NOW, BENNiE_
BF.NEATHA: oh, I probably will ... bur 6rst I'm goins to be a doctor, and ceorse,
forone, still thinl$ that's pretty tunny. I.oDldn't be botbered with that.I am
going to be a doctor and everybody around here better undentand thatl
M^MA: [&indryl 'Coufte you soins to be a docto., honcy, Cod willins.
BENE^'I'HA: [drilr] God hasn't sor a lhins to do witb it.
MAMA: Beneatha tbat iust ivasn t necessary.
BENF.ATHA: Wcll-netrher h Cod. I eet sick of he,rins .boLrt Cod.
MAMA: Benealhal
8ENEArHA: I m€an itll'm just tired of hearins about Codali the time. Wh3thas He
got to do with snything? Do€s he pay tuition?
MAM^: You 'bout lo get you! fresh little jaw slappedl
RUrH: Thafs iust what shc needs, all rishtl
BENE^.IB^: WhyT Why can't I say what I wanr to around here like ev€4,body eh€?
MAMA: It don't sound nicc for a young girl to say things like that you wasn't
brousht up that way. Me and your father went to trouble to set you and
Brother to churcb every Sunday.
rererrur: Mama, you don't understand. It's all a mafter ofideas, and Cod is jusl
one idea I don't accepl. It's not irnportant. I am notgoing out and be immoral
or commit crimes because I don'tbelieve in God.l don'ieven thinkabout it.
It's jusl lhat I get tired of Him getting credit for allthe things tbe human race
achieves through its own siubborn eFort. Ther€ simply is no blasied Cod-
there is only man :nd it n he who makes miracles!
IMAM^ dDsorb' this speech, studies het dnuEhtet dnd rhes slov, and
cro,ses ro BT,NEATHA dnd ild ps het povdfully auos the face. Aftet , therc
is only ilene and the daushter drops her eyes from her nothet's face, and
M^M^ is ))ety td beforc het.
tt,uu: Now you say after ne, in my mother's house there is still Cod. lfll"re;s d
long pause and NuE{ur starcs at the floor wo:dlessb. M^MA tepeah the
pbase ldith prccision and cool emotion.l ln my morheis house there is still
Cod.
rweeru: In my rnother s bouse there is still God.
lA lons paure.l
MAM^: lwdlkine d' )ar fiom BENEATSA, too dirturbed fot ttiunphant posturc. Slop-
pinE dnd tmins bdck to het dasehtet)Therc arc sone ideas we ain'r soins to
have in tbh house. Not long as I am at the head olthh family.
BE\EArH^: Yes, Ma'am.
IM^M^ vdtks o t of the loom.l
Ial'r'iost sentlr, fith brofounA untlerstandingl You ihink you a woman,
"uaH.Benni€-but you still a little girJ. What you did was childish-so you sot
treated like a child.
EENE^rsA: I see. [quietry]l ako se€ that everybodythinks il'sall.ishtfo! Mam. iobe
a lyrant. Eut all ihe tyranny in the world will never put a Cod in the beavensl
lshe picks up het books and soes out.)
RUrH: koes lo MAMA'S doorl She said she was sorry.
M^M^. lconins out, goine to het pldnt) They kishtens Ine, Rurh. My children.
nuru: You got good childr€n, Lena. They jusr a litde offsonerimes-but they're
544
M^MA] [Iookin! at het plant dnd spinkline a little i,ater on if] They spnited all .icht,
ny children. Cot to adrnit th€y sot spidt-Bennie and Walter. Lil(e this little
old plant that ain't never had enough sunshine or nothing-and look at
it...
lshe has her back to wn, who has had to stop itoning and lean dgainst
sonethine dnd put the back of her hand to her forehead )
Rt)'t t [tyinetokeepM^Mironnoticins)Yor . ioves lhat little old
tbing, don't you? . . .
ruue: Well, I always wanted me a sarden lite I us€d to see sometimes at the back of
the houses down home. This plant is close as I ever got to baving one lsi?
looks out of the window as she rcpldcec the ,ldnt.) LoA, ain't nolhins as dreary
as ih€ view from this window on a dreary day, is there? Whyain't you singing
this morning, Ruth? Sing that "No WaysTned." Thal song ahvays lifts me uP
so- [Sft? turns df ldst fo see that \rrs hds slipped quietly into.' chat, in a
stdte of semiconsciousness.l Ruth! Ruth honey-whatt the matter with
you... Ruthl
M^M^: Lool out there, gid, before you be spilling some ofthat stutron that childl
rRAvrs: lteds;ry] That s risht-lool out nowl
IHe exits.l
BENE^rHA: [driry] I can't imasine that it would hud him-
has never hud the
BENEATH^: It's iust that people ask such crazy thinss. A11 anyone seems to know
ahout when it comes to Africa is Tarzan
vru.r: -
[indtgnantly] Why should I ]now anything about AfricaT
Why d" yo" give non€y at church for thc missionary work?
".""^r"^,
rir,rrtr: Well, that s to help save people.
eoNe,{rur: You rnean save them from /realireaisn-
v^ur: tunnocentlvl Yes.
*^,..'^, I m afrad rho need more ral\Jlion from lhe Brili.h,nd the French
la.:lru conu in fonornly and PuUs ofhet coat nh deiection Thev both
tutn to look at het.)
RUrH: [disrtiledry] Well, I guess ftom allthe happy faces evervbodv knows.
BENTATHA, YOU DTeENANIT
v"vr tordl'a'.mircv,l'urehop.rl.slillleoldqrll T'a\isoughllohr\ea'i'le
[trurrnA and nora gile het a hopeless look fd this srandmotherlv
enthusiasn.l
nnxuru,,L: How far along are you?
RUrH: Two montbs.
seNr,\rri,\: Did you rnean to? I mean did you plan it or was it an accid€nt?
MAMA: What do you know about planning or not plsnning?
rme,rrr:r: Oh, Mama.
rurn: [wearily] Shei twenly yea6 old, Lena
BENEATHA: Did you plan it, Ruih?
nrrs; Mind your own busines.
BENEAIHA: lt is my busines-where is he going to liv€, on tbe r@P lT&eru;s
silence following the rcna* as the thrce women rcdct to the sense of it l
Gce-ididn't;ean that, Ruth, bonest. Gee, I don't feel like that al.ll.l-l
think it is wonderful.
rurrr: [dullr] wonderful.
rnNr,rrne: Yes-really.
M^MA: [ooltns dt RUrH rronied] Docror say everything soins lo be all rigbt?
nura: [/ar away] Ys-sh€ says everyihing is soing to be fine . .
M^M^: [inmedidteU susbicious] "She"-What doctor you went to7
Ia.irtr folds @et,ne& hwtetia.l
M^MA lwoft;edl, horcinEorer rurul Ruth honey the matter with vou
-
-what's
'tnwnhas her fists clanched on het thishs and is fshtinehad to suqf]rcss
a suean that seems to be nsins in her.l
uFNE^rHA: Wbat's the natter with her. Mama?
uwt lworkinghet fnsus in aun's shoulder to relax /rerl Sbe be all right. wonen
gits .igt'i d"presiea sometimes when they g€t her wav [speakine softlv,
up"aly , ,oplatyl No" vo" just relax. Thati risht .
. just lean back, don't
thinl 'bout nothing at all . . . nothing at aJJ
nurn: I'm all right-
tThe slassy-eyed look nelts and then she collapset into a ft of hea'v
sobbing. The be rin$.1
awe,rrx,r: Oh, my God-that nust be Asasai
MAMA: Ifo RUrHI Cone on now, honey. You need to li€ down and rest awbil€
... th€n have some nice hot food.
547
'chooll . . . tHeldusfi' You came upto me Jnd )uu urd- and I lhouglr
tou were l he ;osl iihle lhins I hrd evehFcn
- )ou said: He inirdlc"
l wanr \ ery much ru lall $irh )ou AboulAfrra You*c.
ler.l Vr. A.aeai-'efiou5
Mr. Asagar, I am loolinc lot my idenhit '
IHe lauehs.l
BENE^rHA: lturniag fo /!t'n,not lauehinglYes-
[Het fdce is quizzicdl, profoundly disturbed )
: lsiill teas;ns andreachine oxt and tdkinEhq face in hishands andtunins
^stc her orofile tohnlWell ...
rl it irue lhat lbi' is nol su muLh a pr"6l< ola
Holiv*ood queen a' perhap\ d queen of \ile a nocl disnisal ol the
in,ottance of the questionl But wbat does
-,
'he it matter? Assimilationism is so
popular in your couniry.
nenrei*r: [u/reeling, pasiondteb, sharylyll am not an assimilationistl
$ec : lTie protesi hanss in the rcom fot a nonent dnd AsAc^r st dtes fter, iis
lauehte; fddinE.l S;ch a serios on€. [Tfr"r" ts d pduse.] So-vou like the
robesz Yo" m"st tale excellent care of th€m-they arc from mv sister's
neronal wardrobe.
BLNLrlsc: tv,rfr inr.cdultivl Yuu-vou \enl allrhe "av home to' me'
esecrr: [l,itn cnam] For you- I would do much nore . . . Well, that is wbat I
came for. I nust go.
wrcersr: Will vou call me Mondav?
,rsrc,cr: Yes . . 1 we haue a g.",t ieal to talk about l mean about identitv and
time and all that.
AsAc^r: Yes. AboDt how much time one needs to lnow what one fcels.
seNe,!rH,\: You neveronderstood ihat there is morc than one lind of feeling whicL
can exisi between a man lnd a wornan or, ai least, there should be
man and a worun
lsna&ing ft,s nead nee.ttire! but eently]No. Between a
thire need be only one lind of feeling. I have tbai for
^s,rcAr: vou Now
even . - . right ihis momeDi . . .
snNn,\rHe: I lnow-and by itself-it won't do. I can 6nd that anvrvhere
For a woman il should be enough.
^sAcA,:
seun,qrge: I know-because that's what it says in all the novcls that menwriie. But
it nn't. Go ahead and laugh I'm not interested in beingsomeone's little
epr'ode rn Ame-ica or -bul
lwith lemtnine wngoance -one ol theml As\-ar
hd. butst into ldushtet a4arn Thar'. lunny hcll huhl *
AsAcAr: Itt iusi that every Anerican girl I have known has said that to rne. While
black-in this yoo are all the same. And thc same speech, too!
seNe,{rH,\: laneril}l Yuk, yul<, yukl
rsrc,rr: It s how you can be sure tbat lhe world s most libcrated women are not
liberated at all. You all talk about it too nuchl
IM^M ente3 dnd is imnediately all social chatm becatse of the presence
ofa e^ est.l
seNftrHA: Oh-Mama-lhh is Mr. Asasai.
u,ru,r: Ilow do you do?
\s\, a,: tloq do yor do Mr' \ uunger' Prea'e io.give
rordl polite,€sr ro an p/derl
f"' coming,r 'u"h ,n oulr.geou' hour on a 5alurddy
-.
urur: Well, you aie quite welcome. I just hop€ yoo tndersland that our house
549
don't always loot like ihh. kndfierisll You must come asain. I would love to
hea. all about- [not sure oftfie ndne]-your counlry. I lhink itt so sad the
way our tunerican Negroes don't lnow nothing aboul Africa 'cept Tarzan and
all that. And aI that money they pour inlo these churcbes when th€y ought to
be helping you people ove. there drive out then French and Englishmen
done talen away your land.
[The nother flashes a slishtly suberiot look dt het dauehtet upon comple-
tion of the rccitation.l
tstcN: ltaken aback by this ndden and acrtely unrelated ex,rc$ion of swpdthy)
Yes...yes...
M^\^: lsmilins at hin suddenly and relarins and loo&ing /rin ovarl How many
miles is it from h€re to where you come frorn?
AsAcAr: Manythousands.
MAMA: [loo&tng df nin ds sne uould wALrERl I bet you don't half look after yourelf,
be;ng away from your mana eiiher.l specyoubetter corne ioundhere from
time to time to get yourself decent homecooled meals . . .
.rs.rc,rr: [mored] Thank you. Than] you very much. IThey ne d
quiet, then-l
WeJL . . I murt go. I wilJ call you Monday, Alaiyo.
MAMA: Whal's lhat he call you?
asecrr Oh "Alaiyo." I hope you don't mind. It is whai you would call a nick-
nam€, I thinl. It ;s a Yoruba word. I an a Yoruba.
MAMA: [/oofttng dt BENE^rH^] I I thousht he was from-
funderstdndtns] Nigeria is rny country. Yoruba is my tribal origin-
^s^c^r:
8ENEATHA: You didn't tell us what Alaiyo means . . . for all I lnow, you mieht be
calling me Liitle ldiot or somethins . . .
,rs,rc,rr: Well . . . letmesee . . . I do not know how iust to expla;fl it . . . The
sense of a lhins can be so differ€nt when it changes languages.
nnrw,rrr:r: Youi evading.
No really it is difrcult . . . [tnt'b'g] lt means . . . itmeansonefor
^sacA,i
Whom Bread-Food-ls Not Enoush. [He loo&s dl fter.] Is that all risht?
BENE^rDA: lrnderstdndtns, softlyl Thank you.
MAM\: llaokine fion one to the othet and not undefttandins patt of itl Well
.. - that'snice... You must corne see us again-Mr.-
,s,rc,r: Ah*ay-guy...
u,rur: Yes . . . Do come again.
,rs,rcar: Good bye.
IHe.xits.l
M^MA: ldft€r rim] Lord, ihat s a pretty thing just went out her€l linsifluattng?], lo
Isrdduslre4 Yes,l sucs I see why we done commence lo set so inte.ested in
Africa iound here. Missionaries my aunl lennyl
lS[? ertts.]
gwrrrre: Oh Mama! ...
[She picks ub the Nisetian tuess and holds it up to het in fiont of the
niftot de.rin. She sers the headdress on haphazadly and then notices het
hdit aeain and clutches at it and then rcpldces the headdress and frowns at
henelf. Then she si!ns b wtieele in fiont of the nitm as she thinks a
Nieeti.ln woman nieht. rt^vts entets dnd reea& het.)
ruvrs: You cracling up?
550
-" -
6n" i"rt" n" n"addresg off and tooks at her"ett in the mnu dnd dut.cha
dt ha, hdn aBam and squincheth?t c\?" o" il tningto tna4ne sonetntng
'I hen,'udJnty..he sets her raivoot ond k*chrcfond hwn?dtr ptepa'es
fot eoine out.)
' ,,,i^,i" toi* -ti ttreroon Sh"'re'rinsno$ Tzs' bab\'Iunnc\'dod
"^'^,
,J,'l'i,r,- l.t ro Pled'e ler me ha\; Irrle k rchen clcan"er' I hr h're
^* '
can is empty as Jacob's k€lile
rR^\'rs I iust crme in
Wh're)ousorns?
-^"^ n. ^ -' t"ta. Hee\ir"dnd.hPlaoh\dth"rJdus'ra' uf he\'lel
""'^.^, n., ilii'JU"* or,li, dou.' I o l,ecore d queen
n treatite"" btoze o1 sio'r' NU r oppea' in the belrcon
a""-"Y-l"^i' "
MAMA| Who tolJ vou 1o eel uP?
-','', ,qi"" sirh rne ro h" l)rns in no bedtnr' \ her drd Ben-
"",hi'* "'";'g
Far a' I c"uld male our lo pt k' IH iu\r ioo&\
",".'iir^^ng
nu
n,"eror - F sr
dr lzr I What tim€ tr rl setling to?
\qd rhe mlilnrai e"rng ro rins rhalb"llrhF mornrns iu'rble h'
^"',1"",'""".
.lone eterv lrornrna lor l\e l,\l umptern yeab
|1e*s cleans .on t
comesin with rhP
She r"u lhrl .he don t ha\e ruLh
to r.ll
' "o'r, 'av
-;;;; ';;;;i r-.'J. --" p."pt" t .-ta ndmc 'u' i' rishr 6nedr ldrre'ansi?r
,-riso"' V"'k r"".rn..ielean'er dnun on th' }+ th"re If h' lhar hd d up
i"' r,*h.n clean'ct. I rure don I $dnr to lot8er ro 8er her nuner
r|r: lem -mavbe,hesoman i' iu'r thorronrlean'"r-
-, -" l.l^,"#"i-Vu' h Lakins ooudc. a' she done borru"ed irom ne all
-'
rhe'e r.ar'. .ic could oldone sone inro rhe bali ins bu in*':
trii t"n **a" *,la*lv id'harplv and all tlree drc "tunned'enou\
L"i h 'pne of alt the othq cLnversot on' and dis
"i",t *"
,,.7i",, ^'a'**,n
,6-n". tht; 6 whdt the,' ho\e been wanne fot e*n
rnrvr", w/ro loo*"}lclple.*/v fron hD noth toh8santlnothat P' tHn
"r
the frd to rcne tolt[Q osan]
RUrHr lto rRA!Bl Cei do$n lhem +eps, bo)l
I t?'\B snals to litP and flies out to eet the nail
v'vq: l/ier eyro w;de. fier hand ta h?r brca't Y"ureanrt donerealh '"r'l
nrn u: Izrcrtedl Oh. Mxs Lenal
\\\1": colte.tne h"Fetl Wcll . I dnn r tno\ shJ we Jll 'o e\' ircd aborrt
'round h' ,; io'. U tnown ir \d' comins ror month
"
nL,. s: i h,r .hole lor d,fferenr l'"m hJvinc ir , ome and herns dble ro hold rt rn
' "
hand' . . a orece of pape' wo rh ten lhou' rnd dullJ$
rRa\ F
'our bd.I nto th! rcon Hi hold" rhe eMlope hish above hn head likp a
butst.
i r
httle ddn,er, his {ace rcdtant and he hwarhle'+ H? novstoh^ ennd'
iother vith suriien tow ceremonv an<) ptts the envelope into het hands She
o..ebt\ it, and then nnelv holds ond looks at r/
Com' "1: OPen
ir Lor.l hrve merc\. 1 $,,n U alte Lee"r'here
rn s: Ooen rr. Grandmamai
v\v\: (fdrins dt rl Now lou all be qurer ll ' ru'r a (hecl
RUrH: Open it . .
551
it- [wALrER stdres dt lhem h ftustation dnd sk'ns b speak sQwtul tines.l
And there ain't going lobe no investing in no liquor slores. I don'i airn to have
to speak on lhat again.
IA tons Pauv .l
wrr-rrn: Oh-so you don't aim to have to speak on that again? So /ou have
decided . . . ldumplin| hk pabe$l Well, )ou tel that to ny boy tonishl
when you put hin to sleep on the livins'room couch . . lturnins to utut
and spedkins dircctly to herl Yeah and tell it to ny wife, Mama, tomorow
when she has to go out ofhere to look after somebody else's kids. And tell it to
rn?, Mama, every time we need a new panofcurtains and I have to watch ),ou
go out and work in somebody's kitch€n. Yeah, you tell me thenl
lwALrER srarts out.l
RUrH: Where you going?
WALTER: I'm going outl
MAMA: I'm lookins at you. You a good-looling boy. You got 3 job, a nice wife, a 6ne
boy and
w,rr.rrn: A job. Uoofrs at herlMama, ajob? I open and close car doors allday long.l
drive a lnan around in his limousine and I say, "Yes,sir; no sir;verygood, sir;
shall I take the Driv€, sir?" Mama, that ain't no kind of iob . . tbat ain'i
nothins at all. lv"ry grietiy] Mana,I don'tknowifl can ma]e you understand.
MAMA: Und€rsiand what, baby?
WALTER: [q!ierh] Someiimes it s li]e I can see the tuture slletched oui in {.oni of
me- just plain as day. The tuture, Mama. Hanging over there at the edge of
my days. lust ffiiting for me-a big, looming blanl sPace of nort1iflg.
-tuU
lust waitine fol me. lpdusel Mama-sonetimes when I'n downtown and I
pass thcm cool, quiellooking restauranis wh€re them white boys are sitting
back and talking 'bout thinss . . . sitting there turning deals worth millions
of dollan . . . soneiimes I see suys don't look nuch older than ore-
Mavr: Son-how come you ialk so nuch'bout money?
w^Lr1p.. Ivith innense pdssioal Because it is life, Mamal
MAM^: kuietryl Oh I'ery q tstlyl So now itt l;fe. Money is lir€ Once upon a
lime freedom used to be life-now it s noney. I gues the world really do
change .. .
u,ru,r: When the world gets ugly enough-a woman will do anytbing for her
family. The batt that's abeadr lirine.
WALTER: You don't know Ruth, Mama, if you think she would do that.
[\r't1 apens the be&oom doot and stands therc d little linp.]
p.J|{: lbedtenl Yes I would too, walter. Ipdusl I gave her a five-doJlar down
[Therc is a total silence ds the man starcs at his wife and the mothet stnrcs
at het son.)
MAMA: [przseatr] Well [dgntlr] Well son, I'm waitins to hear you say some-
thing. . . I'm waiting to hear how you be your faihels son. Be the nan h€
ws . . . Ipduvl Your wife say she going to destroy your child. And I'm
waitingto hear you talk lile him andsayx€apeoplewho sive children life, noi
who destroys tbem- lsfis rises.l I'm waitinslo see you stand up andlook like
your daddy and say we donc give up one baby to poverty and lhat we ,in'i
going to give up nary anoiher one . . . I'm waiting.
ueur; Ifyou a son ofmine,letl herl [mrrrn luns, loo ks at het and can sar nothine.
She continues, bitte y.lvou . . . you are a disgrace to your father's mem-
ory- Somebodv g€t me my hat.
ACT 1I
[At tise: RU'1H is nonfiry asain. She hds the rcdio eoins. Prcsentry BE-
wernt's bedroon door opens and awu's mouth falls and she puts down
the non in fascination.
RUrH: What have we got on tonightl
Ffnr.,$n femersins srandly fron the dooway so thdt \)e can see het thoalshly
rcbed in the costune Asagai ,.ougtrl.l You are looking at what a well dresed
Nigerian woman wears lshe parades for nur+ ha han nnPletely hidden
by the heatkbess: she is coquettishb fannine heBelf with .1n omdte otiental
fdn, mistakenly morc like Buttetflr than ant NiE tidn tndt ev"r ds.l Isn't ii
beanliftl? [She prcnenades to the rudio and, with dn aftogant floutish, turns
of the sood loud blues that is playing.l Enorgh ol this a$imilationist iunkl
faura follows her with her evs as she eoes to the phonogaph nnd puts on a
rccod and tutns .tnd waits ceremoniously fot the muric to came 4 . Then, vith
d s,loul-l o coMocoslAYr
[\v| iumps. The BUsi @m6 up, a lowly Nieetian mdod1. nn"-aru,r
Iistens, enr.lptured, het eyes far away "bach to the pdst." She beeins to
ddnce . RUTH is dunfowded.l -
RUrHi What kind ofdance is that?
srrrerse: A foll( dance.
rurr: [Peal Bailey] what kind of folLs do that, honey?
BENEATHA: It s frorn Nigeria.lt s a dance ofwelcome.
RUrH: Who you welcoming?
srrrrrsr: The nen back io the vilhse.
RrIrH: Where thev been?
tt5
BtrNEATHA| How should I lnow-out hunling or something. Anyway, they are
comins bacl now .. .
...
Ai ydi yde
Ayehaye-alundi...
Iw cones in dutins thk befondnce: he has obriously been drink'
He ledns deainst the door heavily and watches his sistet, dt f\t i)ith
ine.^t.aER
disllste.Then his el"s look off "bdck ta the p.[st" as he lifts both hi't
fists to the rcof, scrcamincl
wtrrt: YEAH . . . AND ETHIOPIA STRETCH FORTH HER HANDS
ACAINI . , .
Rt)rH: [&ily,lookins at him] Yes-and Africr sure is claimins her own tonisbt.
l
lshe giws them bath up an statts nonins asain )
wAr.rER: [d in a drunhen, dramatic shout) Shul up! .
. ]'rn dissins them
drums... th€m drums move mel ...[He mdke' hiswearinevq to his
wife\ face and leans in ctose to het.) h ny heatt of heatts IHe thumps his
cftesl.l-l am much waniorl
-
N\r'tH lwitho t eten lookins upl In your heart of healts lou are much drunka.d
wtlf,rN [conine a at fron het and st,1ftins to \.,andet arcund the rcom, shosting]
Me and lorno . . . flntently, in his sister's fdce. She has sto,ped aancinE to
watch him in this unknowa noodl Thatt my man, Kenyatta lshoutine and
tiumptns fiis c&srfl FLAMINC SPEARI HOT DAMNI [He r suddenll in
possession of dn inaeindty speat and actiwly speating enemies all oter the
room.l OCOMOCOSIAY . . . 1'HE LION IS WAKINC . OWI
MOWEHI IH" pulls tt, ft open and ledps up on d tdble and eestues with
,n
his spear.The hell rings. nrrl soes to dn wer.)
*^*ru^' tto encouraee \/\L|aN, thorcuehly caueht up eith this side of hin)
OCOMOCOSIAY. FLAMINC SPEARI
\t^L'tER IOn the table. f eone. his eyes purc glas sheets. He sees what we
caniot, th.1t he is a'ett
bddet of his people, a srcat chief, a descendant af Chaka,
and thdt the haw to marcir /ras cone.l Lhten, my black brothen
snNr,\rrr: OCoMOGOSIAYI
Do you hear the walers rushing against the shores oftbe coastlands
saNnrrqr: OCOMOGOSIAYI
-
wAr-rER: Do you hear the screeching of the cocks in yonder hills beyond where
-
the chiefs meet in council for the corning ofthe mighty war-
gerrrrrtr: OCOMOCOSIAYI
w^LrER: you hcar thc beatins oltbe wings ofthe bnds flying low over the
-Do and lhe loq placer of"u, land-
mo,,nrJin.
IRUrH opan, tfie d@r. cEoRcE MURcHrsoN enters.l
snNrrru: OCOMOGOSIAYI
waLrER: Doyou hear ihe sinsinsofthewomen, singing the warsongsofour iathers
556 Lonaine Hdnsbeny
to tbe babies in the greai houses ... singing the sweet war songs? OH, DO
YOU HEAR. MY BLACK BROTHERSI
BENE^'|H^: [conpletelr sone] we hear you, Flaming Spear-
WALTER: Telling us to prepare for the sreatness of th€ time- lfo cEoRcE] Black
Brotherl
[He ertends his hand for the fiatemal dasp.)
ceoncr: Blacl Brother, helll
NvtH. Ihavine had enoush, dnd embdnassed fot the fdnilll Beneatha, you got
company s'hat's the matter with you? Waiter Lee Younger, get down ofr
that table and stop a€ting like a fool . . .
Iw
^L'|ER
com^ dolrn ofthe table suddenly a
nakes a quich exit to the
bdtboon.l
RUTH: He s had a little to drinl . . . I don't know what her exc'rse is.
croncn: [to orNr,rrn,r] Lool honey, we're going fo thetheake-we're noi goingto
be in it . . . so go change, huh?
RUrH: You expect this boy to go out with you looling like that?
BENEATHA: Uoolins dt cEoRcEl That s up to Ceorse. Ithe's ashamed ofhis heritase
cEorcE: Oh, don'tbe so proud ofyoursell Bennie just because you look eccen-
hic. -
BENE^rH^: How can something thai's natural be eccentric?
cEoRcE: That\ what beins ecc€ntric means-being nat'rral. Get d.e$ed.
BENEATHAT I don't like that, Ceorse.
RUrH: Why must you and yourbrothe. mak€ ?n argument out ofeverythingpeople
sav?
BENEATH^: Bec.use I bate assimilaiionist Negroesl
RUTH: Wili somebody please tell ne what asimila*hoever neanst
cEoRcE: Oh, it's just a college girl's way ofcalling people Uncle Toms-bui that
isn't what it means at all.
nurn: Well. what does it mean?
BENEATHA: krfiins cEoRc E off and starins at him as sir? /epltes ro RU rHI It means
someon€ who h willins to give up his own cuiture and subrnergc himself
completeiy in the dominant, and in this case, oppr€ssi'€ culturel
cEoRcE: Oh, dear, dear, dearl Here we sol A lectu.e on the Africrn pastl On olr
Cr€.| West Atrican Heritagel In one second we will hear all aboul th€ grcat
Ashanti empires; the great Songhay civilizations; and the greal sculptur€ ol
Benin-and lhen some poetry in thc Bantu-and thc whole monologue will
end with thc wod hetitaee! [narliry] Lett tace it, baby, your heritage is
nothing bui a buncb of rasgedy assed spiriluals and some srass huts!
BENEATHA: Grass iutsr [FJJ1]d cro*6 to het and forcibly busheN het toead the
bedroon.l See there . . . youare standing there in yoursplendid ignorance
talling about p€opl€ who were the first to smelt iroD on the f:ce of the earthl
IRU TH is pushinE het ttuouEi, t[? dool. ] The Ashanti were performing surgical
opcrations vhen tbe English-[RU. ]pu s thedootto, fiti
BENEATHAoa rhe
other side, and sniles eruciousry dt cEoRcE. BEND^. I^ opens the doot and
shouts the enl of th. sentence delianlly at cEo\cEl-wcre still tartooing
thems€lves rvith blue dragons . . . lshe soes back inside.)
RUrH: Have a seat, Geors e. lThey both sit. RvrH folds het hands fiimly on het L'p,
A Rdtsin itr tls Sun t57
to operate. I nean he ihinks bis, you know whal I m€an,l rnean fora ion",
you knowT But I thinl he's lind of running out of ideas now. I'd like to talk to
him. List€n, man, I gol sone plans tbat could turn ihh cily upsid€ down. I
mean I thinl like he does. Big. Investbig, ganble big, heJJ,loselig ifyou have
to, you know what I mean. Itt hard to finda man on this whote Southside who
understands my lind of thinking-you dis? [He scrurini.z?s MURcnrsoN
asain, dnnks his beet, squints his eyet and leans in close, confdential, nan to
mdn.lM€ andyouought to sit down and talk sometimes, man. Man,I got me
someideas...
cEoRcE: [wiftr 6oredom] Yeah som€times we'll have io do that, Walter.
w^LrER: [unde$tandinethe indifferene, ana ofended] Yeah well,wbenyouset
the time, man. I know you a busy little boy.
nurr: Walter, please
\t^LtEF.. Ibitteiy, huttl I know ain'i nothins in this wodd as busy as you colored
college boys with your fraternity pins and white sho€s . . .
RVH: Icoeenne het face vitfi nuniltdfiotrl Oh, Walter Lee
wrrer: I see you all all th€ tirne with ihe boolc tucked under your arms going
to your [Btttsrt A -
a mimic] "clahses." And for whafl whai the he1] you
l*rnins over there? Fillins up your heads-lcountins off on his fnEets],
witb the sociolosy and tbe psychology-but they teaching you how to be a
man? How to iake over and lun th€ wodd? Tbey teaching you how to run a
rubber piantation o'a steel mill? Naw-iusi to tall properand read books and
wear white sboes-
croRcr: Uoo&trg dl fiin
ithAistuste,alittle dbo,)e it alllYouie all wackedup with
bitterness, nan.
- wtr-r r r: lnlcntA. alno.t quieth. betveen t he t eath. elann q dt t he bot. \nd \ ou
&'--i.,".-***rm:"i':.:H'.ti:i:i1i;i:Ji,,"#r$i:"til1il
son'of-a-bitch-you happy? You got it made? Bitte.? Man, I'm a volcano.
BitierT Here I am a giant surrounded by ants! Ants who can't ev€n under
it is the gianl -is talking about.
stand what
RUrH: lpdssionately dnd srddenlyl Oh, Walter-ain't you with nobodyl
WALTER: hio/entl)l Nol 'Cause ain't nobody with mel Not even my own mother!
RUrH: Waller, that's a terrible thing lo sayl
IBENE^rHAertd]',dreNsedfot the ereninein a cocktd arcs dnd edtines.l
cEoRcDr Well-hey,
you lool sreai.
BENEATHA: Let's so, Ceorse. See you all later.
RUrH: Have n nice lime.
cnorce: Thanl<s. Good nisht. [to w^LrER sdrcdsltcdly] cood nisht, Promrtl"us.
lBtrNtrarHA drd ctroRGE 4if.l
WALTER: lto RUrH] who is Prometbeus?
RUrHr I don't know. Don't worry aboui it.
waLaEv. [in fury, pointins d/t"r cEoRcE] See th€re they set to a point where they
can'l insuli you man to nan ihey got io ialk - aboul something ain't nobody
never heard ofl
RUrH: How do you know it was an insult? llo lumol,?t'nl Maybe PromerheL$ is a
nice fellow.
Rdisin in the Sun 559
WALTER: Prometheusl I bei ihcre ain't even no such thingl I bet tbat simple minded
you ibink it got io belile th aI7 IHe k thouehtful, almost as a child would be.l
Ruth, what is it g€ts into people ought io b€ close?
RUrB: I don't know, honey. I think about it a lot.
w,rr-rm: On account of you and me, you mean? The way ihinss are with us. Tbe
way something done corne down between us.
RUrH: Thcre ain't so much between us, Walte. . . . Not s,h€n you come to me
and try to tall to me. Try to be with me . . . a litt]e even.
wALrER: [lotdl non"sb,] Sornetimes . . . sornetines . . . I don't even know how
to try.
N.u1tr: lconing to him, Eently dnd with niscifine, but comins to himl
Honey . . . life don't have to be lile this. I mean sometim€s people can do
thingssothatthingsarebettcr . . . Yourememberhowweusedtotallwhen
Travis was born ... about the way we were goins to live . . . th€ lind of
hk head.l W ell, ili all stading to slip avay from
lshe is stroking
MAM^: tas if she hds head him for the fr$t timel y es. soDT
WALTER: Where did you so this afternoon?
MAMA| I went downtown lo tend to somc busine$ ihat I had to t€nd to.
wAr.rERr What kind ofbusiness?
MAMA; You lnow better than to question me like a child, Brother.
\r^LiE . [tisine and bendingow the table)Whercwere you, Mama? [brinsins ];s
fists dovn and shoutinglMama, you didn't so do something with that insur
ance money, sonething crazy?
lThe frcnt door opens slowly, interruptinehim,dnd rl^v:-sbeek his hea.i
in,Iess than hopefu y.l
rRAvrs: [fo lis mothe4 Mama, I-
RUIH: "Mama I'nothinglYou're going to get itboylCet on in that bedroon and
get yourselfreadyl
TRAVIS: BUt I_
MAMA: Why don't you all never let the child explain hisselt
RUrHr Keep out of it now, Lena.
lM^M^ clanfs het lips toeether, dnd RUrH alban@s toward her son
nenacingly .l
RUrH: A thousand times I have toid you not to go offlike that-
M^M* lholdins out het dns to het ctandsonl Well at least lel me tell him
A Rdistn ttr t&e S n 561
somelhing. I want him lo be the firsi on€ lo hear . . . Com€ here, Travis.
[The boy obeys, eladly.]Travis IShe takes him by the shoulder and looks into
-
fta face.l-you lnow that money rve sot in the mait this morning?
ueur: Well-what you think your grandmama gone and done with that money?
rRAvrs: I don'i know, Grandmama.
M^M^: lbuttin! her frneq on his nose fot enph.lsisl She w€nl out and she boughl
you a housel ITne errlostcn cones fion w^L'rER dt the end of th. a,elation
and he iunts up and tums away fiom all of then in a fulr . M^M^continues, to
rRAvrs.l You glad about the hoDse? It's going tobe yours when youg€tto b€ a
M^MA: Wiehtened dt this tetinsl Well- well itt out there in CJybourne Park
-
t62 Lontine Hansbenr
M^M^: ltaisinghet eyestoneet hisfnallylSoa i just tried io 6nd the niccst place
for the least amount ofmoney for my family.
nut1: lttrins to re$ret fion tle sftocftl Well- well I ain't one never
-'couffe
bcen 'fraid of no cracker, mind you-but-well, Msn't there no other
houses nowher€?
MAMAr Them houses they put up for colored in them areas w?y out all seem to cost
twice as much as other houses. I did the best I could.
nurr: [Struc] senseles ui th the news. in its wious aelres of goodnas and trouble,
sh. sits d mam.nt, her fists btoppin! het chin in thousht, and then she stdfts to
ise, bring her fsts down with igot, the ftdiance sprcadins from cheek to cheek
again.l Welt
welll-All I can say is-if
this is my lime in life-nr
line
to ray good bye [and sha ]uilas .idith momentrm as she statts to cicle the
toon with an exubdnnt. .1lmost tearfslly happy rcledsel-to thesc Cod
damned cracking wallsl [S]e pounds the walls.)-and these marching
roachesl n inaeindry atry of narchins rodc["s.]
[S/ie otp?s dt and this
- d
-
cramped litlle closet which ain't now o. nevcr was no kitchen! . . . th€n l ssy
it loud and good, HalLluid h! and soodbre misety . . . I don't neltet i)ant to
see,aur us' face asahtt IShe larghs ioyously, hatinspractica r (lestroyd the
dfannenL dnd flinss het dms up and letr then cone down happi\, slowly,
rcflecttuely, ow het abdomen, avare fot the flst hme behabs that the life
thercin pulses with harpiness and not desbair.l Lena?
ra*.rt: lnoted, wtchins h"r idpr;aessl Yes, honey?
nurr: Uoolins ofl Is there
is there a whole lot of sunlight?
MAMA: [undentdndtns] Yes, child, there's a whole lot ofsunlishi.
llane paue.l
r.urn fn ecting herself and soins to the aoot of the roon rn.rvrs is in] Well I
suess I betler see 'bout Travis. [to u,rvr] Lord,I sure don't feel li]e -
whippins
nobody todayl
{sie exits.l
t'tlx: [The mother and son dre left .1lone now dnd tlp mothet v)aits a lony time,
considetins deepr, beforc sne spedls.l Son-you-you undersiand what I
done, don't you? [wALrER ;s silent and sullen. ] I I jusi seen my family falling
apait today . . . just falling to picccs -
in front ofmy €yes . . . We couldn'l
ofgone on like we was today. Wc was going backwards 'stead of forwards
lalking'bout kiiting babies and whhing €ach orher was dead . . . When ii -
g€is like that in life-you jusl got lo do something diFerent, push on oui and
do som€thins bisser . . . [Sre dits.] I wish you say somethins, son . . . 1
wxh you'd say how deep inside you you think I done the rigbt thins-
f"\t'^'*':
wALrER: lc/ossing sloDly to hir bedroon doot anafna ytuminEtheleandspeakine
neaswedlrlwhatyon Deed lne to say yor done risht for? vou the head ofthh
family. You run ourlives like you wanl to. Itwasyourmoneyandyoudidwh?t
youwanted wilh it. So what you ne€d for me to say it was all right for? [r;tf"rl),,
to hut het as dee,Iy as he knows is posi6lel So you bulchered up a dream of
-------Rine \ou who Jlwa$ blkine buur vour c}rldreni dreams
MAMAj \ rlter trd- ----
[He iust closes the door behind him. M^M^ sits dlone, thinkine he@ily ]
Tine: Fridat niEht. A fev weeks later . At rise: Packing crctes n.1* the
intention of th. fanib to move. spn rH.{ and crorce cone in, prcsunablv fiom an
cuoncn: O.K. . . . O.K., whatever you say . . [They both sit on th. couch.IIe
] ies to kiss her. She rr,oves away.I Look, we've had a nice evening; Iet's not
spoil it, huh?
' .. .
[He asain tuns her head and fies to nuzzle in nnd she turns awav from
hin, iot with distaste but vith momentary lack of interest; in a moo<l to
pwsue what ther ,/terc talkine about.)
BENtr^rHA: I'm frltng to talk to you.
cnoxcr:: We always talk.
BENEATHA: Yes-and I love to talk.
LtoRct ln'bented,,B\'s I l'nowilandIdonlmrndrt'omPlim(' Isanr
vou ro.rl rl out. \ea Thc moodv 'ruff, I mern l don t lile rt You re a
;ice-l,otrng gnl . . . Jll Th;t all )ou ne.d hune) lorger rhc rrmo-
'
"'e,
Cut. ,'en I s"ine ro go lot rhP rlmo'pner. - lhey re goiFg lo go for
'Dh.re
"hat
rheyt.. Besldd for lh,l. Dop theCarbo ruulrne ltdoe'n\go$rlh
you. As for myscll I want a nice
- kropinsl - simple ltftouslitfu v]
sophisti.ated sil ... not a poet-O.K.7
[She rebuffs hin ogain and he starts to lea'e )
renerrx,r: Wby are you angry?
cEoRcE: Because thh is stupidl I donl go out wilh you to discuss lhe nature of
"qui€l desperation" or to hear all about youl thoughts-b€cause the world
will go on thinking what it thinls resardl€ss
sun,rrrr,r: Then rvhy read book? Why so to scbool?
cEoRcE: [Mtft ddifcial pdtience, countine on his fr11eqs) Iti simple. You read
booi<s-to learn facis to set grades-to pass ihe coursc-io get a degice.
That's all-it has nothing to do witb thoughts
[^ IonE Paw.)
ooNnrrrr I see. [a /onger Pouse as she looks at hir.l.) Good nisht, Ceorse
IcEoRcE lools dt fter d Itrde oddly, and stdtts to extt He meets MAM^
comine in.)
ceoncr: Oh-hello, Ms. Younger.
u,ru,r: Hello, Ceoree, how you fceline?
cEoRGE: Finc-fin€, how are you?
M^M^i Oh, a little tired. You know lhem steps can set you atter a day's work. You all
have a nice time tonight?
564
veva: Well-l gues you better not waste yorr time with no fools.
IBENE^rHA loofts ub at her nother, vatchinE het Put grocenes in the
rcfiiserctot. Finalb sh. Catherc up het thines dnd statts into the be&oon.
At the doot she stols dnd looks bdct at h.t mothet.)
BENEATH^: Mama-
rowed Willy Hads' car and I went for a drive . . iust me and myselfand I
drove and drove . . . Way ort . . . way past South Chicago, and I parked
the carand I sat andlooked at the steel mills all daylons.l iust sat inthecarand
lookedal them big black chimneys forhoun.Then I drovebackand I went to
the Green Hat. fpduse] And Thunday Thursday I bonowed the cal agein
-
and I got in it and I pointed il the othcr way and I drove the other wayfor
hou6-way, way up to Wisconsin, and I lookedatthe farms, O iust drove and
lookedst the farms. Tben I drove back and I w€ntto the Creen Hat. lpdue]
And today-today I didn't get tbe car. Today I iust wa*ed. All over the
Southside. And I looked atthe Nesroes and th€y lootedat me and finally I iust
sat down on the curb at Thniy ninth and South Palkway and I just sat the.e
and watched the Nesroes so by. And then I went to the Green Hat You all
sad? You all d€pressed? And you know wherc I am going risht now-
[n:]]a goes out quickty .]
v,rM,r: Oh, Big Waltcr, is this the harvest ofour days?
w,rrren: You know what 1 like about the Creen Hat? [He tutns the radio on and a
steary , deep blues ,ows into r[.? room.] I li]e this little cat they sot there who
blows a sax . . . He blows. He talks to ne. Hc ain't bui 'bout five feei tall and
het got a conked head and his eyes is always c]osed and hei all music-
M^*,tA Vbiry and Eettins ene pa,erc out of het hdndbagl Walter
w^L rrR: And theret this other guy who plays thc piano . . -
and they gol a sound
I nean lhey c.n work on sonre music . . . Tbey sot thc best liitle combo in
the world in thc Creen Hat . . . You can iusl sit there and drink and listen to
lhem threc men play and you rcalize thal don't nothing maiter wo h a damn,
but iust beins there
wrur: I'vc belped do it to you, haven't I, son? Walter, I been wrong.
wALiER: Naw-youain'i neverb€en wrong abo i nothing. Mama.
M,!M^: Lhlen to me, now. I sav I been wrong, son. That I been doing to you wbat ihe
resi ofihe worldbecn doins io yoD. lsfte stops dnd &e lnks up slowlv at het
and she meets hir etes pleadiagtl.I Walter lvhat you ain't never undcrstood
-
isthat I ain't got nolhing, don't own nothing, ain'tnever reallywantednothing
lhrr uJ\n I for l here trin i n.lhrno a' prc(rou\ lo me I here rin t
nothinsrorlhholdineonro,moner,drermr,nol\rngel\e
'ou. ifil medn' rlir
me;;:i;o,nei;-d?rn6t@
;ikhiahi;l6;ni;piaFiii6i ng. I paid the man rhutl 6re hundred
dollars down on tbe house. That leaves sixty 6ve hundrcd dollars Mondav
morning I want you to tak€ lhis money and lake three thorrsand dollan andput
il in a savingsaccount for Beneathat medical schooling. The rest vou put in a
checling account with your name on it, and from now on any penny that
come out ofit or that so in it is for you to lool after. For you to decide lS/P
&ops het h.'nds d little hel\iessll.l It aifl'l much, but itt all I sot in thc No.ld
and I'm puttins it in youl hands. I'm telling you to be the head ofthis familv
from now on like you supposed to be
w^t rEN. lstarcs at the nonetl You tlust me lil<e that, MamaT
MANjA: I ain't never stop trustins you. Like I ain't n€ver stop loving you.
IS/re goes oui, and w,rr-rrn sit, Iookine at the nonet on the tdble
as the
continues in its idion,he E ts up, dnd, in minEled ioy and despe/a'
'nu'.
tion. bicks ub the noner. At the sdne nonent, rRAvts entea fot bed.l
t66
- Tine: Satutday, no|ine ddt. one week l.|tet. Beforc the cunain tises.
RurH's roice, a sttident, dramatic church alto, cuts throseh the silence.
llt is, tu the da&ness, a ttitnphant surge, 4 penetatine stdtement of
expectation: "Oh,Inrd, I don't feel no ways tned! Chil&en, oh, elotv
hallelujayt"
As the cutt.lin ti$es we see that P.urA is alone in the lsing t'rom,
fnishine up the fdnirys Packine. It is r',orins day She is n tilins crctes
and tring canons. BENEA'iH^ enterc, calrying 4 guitdt case, and vatches
her *uberant sister inlaw .)
RUrH: Hey!
?,ENE$B^: lputtine away the case) Hi.
lpoiitinc a[ a pa"kaenl Honey look in that Package there 'nd see what I
"",H,fund on sale this mornine al the South Center' IRUTH sets uP and mows to
the pack lee dnd &a\\,s out sone cxrfdinsl Lookahere hand turned bemsl
rnurrua: How do you know the window size out there?
-
st t n: who hadn r thoueht o/ rhdl Oh \Vell. lhc) borrnd,o hl'umelhrnC in lhe
-
whole h"u'e {nyhow. rhey wa. loo good a bargain to pr* up nr r r /rer
"iops
head, surldenly rem.mbetins somethine.l Oh, Bennie-l msnt to put a
special note on thai calton ov€rlhere. That's you! mamat good china and she
wants 'em lo be very careful with it-
BEN.^rrrA: I'll do it.
tsegtrld fntls a piece of pdpet and ndfts to drc1" larye letters on it )
nrrn: You know what I'm going to do soon as I set in that new house?
nura: Honey- l'n going to run me a tub of water up to here . . [\Jith her
fnserc ,racticailr up to her noslthl And I'm going to get in ii and I am
going to sii . . . and sit . . . and sit in that hot water and the nrst pe$on
who lnocls to tell me to hurry Dp and cone out-
snNlrrrqe: Gets shot ai sunrise.
s' rs: Iouehtne haOpilyl\ou sriJ rl, nver: ,notnne ho\ largr or rrr rrr is a6-
,ent -; ndedb mokine he note Hone).,hey rin l surng ro lead rhar fi om no
r
eeNer.rH,r: Uargling hersefl I guess I always lhinl things have more cmphash if
ihey are bis, somebow.
xurn llooking up at her and smil;ngl You and your brother seem to have that as a
philosophy of life. Lord, that man-done cbansed so iound here. You
know-you know wbat we did lasi nisht? Me and Walter Lee?
Rors: ls',iline to he3elflw e wcnt 10 th€ movies. [loofri's dt 8ENEATHA io ,"e ilsle
xnderstrndslWe went to the movies. Youknow thc last tim€ me and Walter
went to the novies tog€th€r7
RUrHr Me neither. That's how lons itbcen. fsmilins dsdtn] But we went lasi nisht
The picture wasn't mLrch good, but lhat didn't seem to matter' We went-
and wc beld hands.
senrrrHr: Oh, Lordl
nrns: We held hands-and you lnow what.
nurH: When we come out ofthe show ;t was late and dark and all the stores and
568
tbings was closed up ... and it was kind ofchilly and the.e wasn't many
pcople on the streets ... and we was still holding hands, me and Walter.
enrn,rrnr: You're killing ne.
[\\ enters \aith d larce packaee. IIis hafpiness is deeb h hin; he
^t.rER
cannot keeP sti with his 1nw-found erubuane. He is sineing dnd wie
elins and sn.iP\ine his fneerc. He Puts his pdckdEe in .1 comer and puts a
phonogtuph rccord, which he has iust brotsht in vith him, on the rcard
pldy . As the music comes sp he ddnces o let to \rrtr and ties to eet het
tu Aance \nith him. She Eites in dt last to his raunchincjs and in a lit of
gissling a ol')s herself to be &aun into his nood and tosethet they
deliberately bulesque an old social dance of then youth.l
BE\E^'1H/' [tesardine them a lons tine as ther dance, then drawing in het breath for
a deeply ex.rEsercted conment n)hich she does not paticulaiy nean)'l k
abour oldddddddddd'fashioneddddddd Negroesl
-
w^LrER: [stoppins -
nonenldr']r] What kind ofNegroes?
[He says this in fun. He is not dnEty with het todq, not vith anyone. He
statts to dance \rith his ife asain.)
srxn.{rH,{: Oldjashioned.
w [as he dances witn RUrn] You know, when ihese New Negroes have their
^t.tER
conv€ntion [roinltns dl iis sister]- th?t is soins to be the chanman oftbe
Committe€ on Unending Asilation. Itle soes on ddncins, then stops.) Race,
race, ra.el ... Cnl I do believe you are the first person in the historyoltbe
entirc hurnan racc to succesfully brainwasb yourself. [BENEATHA 6/edls u,
and he goes on dancing. He stobs asain, eniotine his tease.l Damn, even the N
double A C P tales a holiday sometimesl [sererrHe and Rura laqfi. He
dances with R\rrH sone morc and sta s to laugh and stops and pantomimes
someone ow .1n opet<ttinE rdtle.l I c,n iust see that chicl someday looling
down at sone poor cat on an operating table beforc she starts to slice him,
sayins . . . lpulltns i is si eeres back maliciously) " By thc way, what are your
views on cnil righh down there? . . ."
lHe laushs at het asdin and statts to dance haPpilr. The bel! sornds.l
BENEATHA: Sticks and stones may break my bon€s but words will never hurt
lBEt;L^1 H^ Eoes to the door dnd o,ens it as \\,^L1ER and RUTE so on with
the clownins. EENEATHA ;s som"Dldt sutptiseA b see a quiet-lookinC
miA e-dsed vhite man in n business suit hol<ling his hat and a hiefcase
in his hand and consultirtg a snd piece of papet.l
uer: Uh how do you do, miss. I am looking for a M$. [he looks at the slip of
pdper.l Mn. Lena Younc€r?
srNt,rrur: fsnootning het hon with slieht enhatr.l$msntl Oh
yes, that's my
mother. Excuse me. [She closes the tloor and tums to quiet tle othet o.) t
Ruthl Brotherl Soncbody'shtc. fThen she opens the d@t. The mdn casts a
cutious quick elance at a
of then.l Uh
comc in plcasc.
rur: [co rg in] Thank you.
BENEATIIA: My mother isn't herc now. Is it brsiness?
v,r:.: Yes... well. sortot
wutna: freely. the Man of tie HorselHave a seat.I'n Mn. Youngers son.l look
afier most ofber busin€ss matters.
lRuH dd mNEATHA ercft anse anused gtanca.)
569
LNnNtFl: lupset tn sone reasonl Oh no, really. I mean thank you very much, but
rrrnNrn: Yes. Well. I'm going to try to set right to the point. I'm sure we'll all
appreciate that in the long run.
nura: [slitl innocentf] Would you li]e:nother chair you don't look comfortabl€.
-
r,ruoner: lnore /rustrated tfidn dnno],edl Nb, thank you very much. Please. Well
570 Iarraine Hansberry
wi,:.rsa: ldumbfounded,loolirg dt LTNDNERI Is tbis what you came marching all the
way ovcr here to tell us?
r-INroren: Well, now we'vc been having a fine convenation. I hope you'U hear me all
the way lhroush.
A Raisin in the Sun 57t
LTNDNER: lputtins on his slasses and &awins a fom out of th. briefcdsel Ont
association is pr€pa.ed, lhrough the collective eFon of our people, to biry the
house from you at a financial gain to your family.
nura: Lord have mercy, ain't this the livins salll
w^LrER: All isht, you through?
LTNDNER: Well,I want io giv€ you th€ exact terms oflhe fiDancial a.Hngement-
w^LrER: We don't want io bear no exact terms of no a.rangenents- I want to lnow
ifyou got any more to tell us'bout getling together?
LTNDNER: ltdAins ofnts sfdss?s] Well-l don'l suppose that you feel . . .
urrrn: Nevermind how I feel got any more to say'bout how people ought
to sit down and tall to each-you
other? . . - Get out ofmy house, man.
[He tums hk bdck dnA dks to the dw.)
r-nrnNnn: loofring around at the hostile faces and rcdching and assembling his hat
and briefcasel Well-I don't understand wby you people are reacting this
way. What do you ihink you are goins to gainby moving inio a neishborhood
where you just ar€n't wanted and where sone elements well-people can
set awful worled up when lhey feel tbal then whole way oI life and everythins
they've ever worked for is threatened.
WALTER: Get out.
r.rrnrrn: fat tne door, /roldins a sma ca )Wdl-I'm sorry it went like this.
r-rrorrn: [a/mosl sad/y regaldins w^rrER] You just can't force people to change
their hea.h, son.
lHe tutns and put his cad on a table and exits. w tER pushes the doot to
^L
with stineing hated, dnd stdnds lookine at it. RUrH iusl sits and BTNEATHA
iust stands. Ther say nothtns. MAMA dnd rRAv,s enter.l
MAMA: Well-lhis all th€ packing got done since I left oui ofhere lhis mo.nins. I
testify before God lhat my children got all the energy of th€ dead. What time
the moving men due?
esNr,\rHe: Four o'clock. You had a caller, Mama.
lshe is smiline. teasine\ .)
u,ru,r: Sure enough-who?
P[vn/Tu* ther arns folAed saucilyl The Welcoming Connittee.
fwiren and xlrn sissle)
MAMA: [irno.enrb,] wbo?
srxna'rH]\: The Welcoming Committee. They said iheyie sure going to be glad to
see you when you get ther€.
wAl-rnn: [derilirfily] Yeah, they said they can't hardly w3ii to see your fac€.
|aushterl
M^M{ [sensine then fdcetiousness] Whatt the matter witb you all?
WALTER: Ain t Dothing tbe matler wilh us. We iust tellins you 'bout tbe gentleman
whocameto see you this afternoon. From theClybourne Parklmprovement
\ure lin the sane nood as BENE^rHA dnd wALrERl To welcome you, honey.
wALrERr H€ said they can't hardly wait. He said the one thing they don't bave, that
they iust d)ins to have out there is a 6nefamily ofcoloredpeople! [to RUrHdnd
BENEATHAI Ain't that rightl
RUrH dnd TENEATHA: [moclingly] Yeahl He left his card in case-
IThey indicdte the ca , and M^M^ picks it up dnd thtu s it on the
floor underctdnding dnd looking of as she draws het chab up to the
-
table on vhich she has put het plant nnd sone stickt and some mrd.)
M^M^: Father, sive us streneth.lknowinsry dnd r'/h Aout ftrl Did h€ threaten us?
-
eoNe,{rH,{: Oh-Mama-they don't do it like that any more. He talled Brother
hood. He mid everybody oushttolearn how to sit down and hate cach other
with good Chr;tian fellowship.
[She and w^L.tER shake hands b ndicule the renark.l
MAMA: [sad/y] Lord, protect us . . .
RUrs: You should hear the money thos€ folls raised to buy the house frorn us. All we
paid and then some.
BENEATHA: Whal they thinl we going to doeat 'ern?
aurn: No, honey, marry 'em.
u\\^: lshattne h.r head) Lord. L"rd. Lord . . .
RUrH: Well*that's the way the crackers crumble.loke.
BENE^rs^: lldug,;ngl), noticing .[,hat her mother is doinsl Mama, what are you
doing?
M^MA: Fixing my plant so it won't get hurt none on the way.
rerreraa: Mama, you going to take t[dt to the new house?
ur-rer: [to nuru, ulro is canying the bor actoss to thern] I don't loow, you think
we ought to give her that . . . Seems to me she ain't been very appreciative
wAr.rER: Ma!, what you telling me about all this for? Te1) me what happened
inSpring6eld...
Spring6eld.
llike d dead voman) What was supposed io happen in Sprinsfield?
llo ft"4 This deal that me and Walter went into with Willy-Me and Willy
lvas soins to go down to Springfield and spread some money 'round so's we
... That'swhtw€were
'voDldn'thavetowaitsolongfortheliquorlicence
eoine to do. Everybody said thal was lhe way you bad to do, you undersland,
Mhs RuthT
wArrER: Man what bappened down there?
Bouo la pitiful man, ned tedrsl I'm trying to tcll you, Walter.
werre* [screaning at him suddenly] THEN TELL ME, GODDAM-
MIT . . . WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?
goeo: Man ... I didn't go to no Springfield, yesterday.
w[rljj lhalte.C, Iife hangins in the monent) Why Dor?
BoBo. bt indine ow hin help/esslyl I'm sony, Walter . . . [Only w,{,rrn's sobs
rcply. BoBo puts on his hdr.l I had my life staled on tbe this deal, too . . .
[He arits.]
vavr: [to wrrror] Son [She soes to hin, bends down to him. t.tlks to his bent
-
Aead.l Son . . . Is it gone? Son, I save you sixty five hundred dollas. Is it
gone? All of ii? Beneaiha's money too?
wll,"rna lliftins his head sioll,fl Mama . . . I never . . . went to the bank at
all ...
\ot nean . . . your sister's schoo] moDey
M^M^. [not wantins to beliere him)
... loo... WallFrl ...
)ouu.edlhrr
ur|rrr: Y,*-i ... {llofir ... lr,allsone...
llrr1 stands vith hel fdce cowpn vith het hands;
lTherc is total ,ilence.
F[ua}Tn^ leans forlomly against d va , fneeine a piece d red ribbon
fion the mothei s eift. M^M^ stops and looks dt het son vithout recosni-
tian and then. quite Nithout thinking about it, stans to beat hirl. sense'
lessly in the face. *rr/Ju^ Boes to then to sto, it.)
IM^MA,fops dnd lools dt toth d her children and ises stowly andwanders
Msueu, aimlnsly a1"ar fion them.)
MAMA: Iseen... him... nigbt aft€r nisht . . . comein... and look ai
thatrug... and then look al me . . . the red showing in his eyes . . .
the veins movins in his head ... I seen him grow thin and old before he was
foriy . . . worlins andworkingand worling likc sornebody's old hone . . .
ki]ling himseli . . . and you-you sive it all away in a day . . .
snrnArsr: Mama
u,rur: Oh,God . . .lshelooksuptoHin lLookdown here-andshowme rhe
strength-
eerrarHt Mama-
M^M^: lfoldiss orerl Strength ...
BENEATTA: Ipld,nti,elyl Mana ...
MAMA: Strengthl
ACT III
At cuttain, therc is d sullen lieht d eloon in the liring rcon, sray lieht not
unlike that vhich beean the frst sene d Act One. At W we cnn see w
his /@n, dlone with hinself. He is strctched out on the bed, his shfi out ^LlERwithin
and apen,
his dtns undet his heaa. He does not smoke, he does not cry out, he merc, lies therc,
loohins up at the ceiline, nuch as if he were alone in the world.
ln the li,,ins rcom BENE^THA sits at the table, still sunounded bthe now
almost ominous Packinc crutes. She sits lookine off. We feel that this is a mood struck
petha,s dn how before, and it lin9es nov, fuof th. empty sotnd d prcfound
dis.ippointment. We see on a line fron her brother's be&@n the sdneness of theit
dttitudes . Presently the be r/ngs dnd BENEATHA riser lrithout ambition ot intercst in
dnsrering. lt is AsAcA,, smiline brcadly, sti&ng into the rcom ith eneryy and
hdppr .xp@tdtion and com)ercdtion.
577
AsAcAr: I came over . . . I had some free tine. I thoDght I might help with the
packing. Ah, I lik€ th€ look ofpacling crates!A housebold in preparation fora
joom€yl Itd€presses som€ peopl€ . . . butfor me . . . it isanotherfeeling.
Somethins full of the flow of lif€, do you undersland? Movencnt, prog-
ress . . . It males me think ofAfrica.
AsAcar: Wh,r kind of a mood is this? Have I told you how deeply you nove me?
e rr rrrr He gare auay the money. A.Jgai . . .
!s.{cN: Who gave away what rnoney?
BENr^rH^: The insurance money. My brother gave it away.
Cave ii away?
^s^cAl:
BENEATfiA: Hc made an investmenil Wilh a man even Travis wouldn'l have irusted.
AsAcAr: And it's gone?
BENE^rH^: That that was what one penon could do for anoth€r, 6x him up-sew
up the problem, makehim allrightagain. That was the most marvelous lhing
in ihe world . . . I wanted to do lhat- I always thousht it was the one concrete
thins in the wodd that a human being could do. Fix up thesick, you know-
and make them who)e again. This was lruly being Cod . . .
As^c^r: You wanted to be Cod?
EtrNE^rH^: No I wanted lo cure. It used to be so important to me. I wanted to
cure. It Dsed to matter. I used to care. I mean about people and how then
bodieshun. . .
N.IER nses, eoes to the doot of his run and is ahout to open it, then
[w
and stdnds listenins, lednins on the doot ianb.l
stops
BENEAIH^: Because it doesn'l se€m deep enough, close enough to what ails
mankind-I mean this thins of sewing up bodies or adninistering drugs.
Don't you undestand? It was a child's reaction ro rhe wodd. I thought thar
t78 Lotraine Hansber4
docton had the secret to all tbe burts That's lhe way a child sees
things-orun idealist.
Children see thinss very well sometimes-and idealists even betler.
^sAcA,:
BENEATsA: I lnow that s what you think. Because yoa are stillwhere I left oF-you
still care. This is what you see for th€ world, for Africa. You with tbe dreams of
the futur€ will patch up all Africa you are goins to cure the Great Sore of
colonialism with lndependence
the sarneas before only now they will be black and do it in the narne ofthe
-
new Independence-You cannot answer that.
lshoutine ow het) I lr,e the ans' et! Ipaue) ln my villase at home ii is ihe
^sAcN:
exceptional man wbo can even read a newspaper . . . or who ever s""s a
bool alall.I wi]l so homeand mucb ofwhat I will have to say will seem strange
to the people of my village . . . But I will teach and work and things will
happen, slowly and swiftly. At times it will seern that notbins chanses at
all . . . and then again . . . the sudden dramatic events which mak€ hh-
tory l€ap into the future. And then quiet again. Retrogresion even. Guns,
murder, revolution.And I even will havemomentswhen I wonder iflhe quiet
was not better than all lhat death and haued. But I will lool about my vilage at
the iliteracy and disease and ignorance and I will not wonder long. And
perhaps . . . perhaps I will be a great nan . . . I mean perhaps I will bold
on to tbe srbstance of truth and find my way always with tbe risht
course . . . and perhaps for it I will be butchered in my bed some night by
the seryants of empire . . .
BENE^TH^: TIr mdltrl
asrc,rr: ... or perhaps I shall live to be a very old rnan, respected and esieemed in
my n€w nation . . . And perhaps I sball hold otrc€ and this is what I'm trying
to i€ll you, Alaiyo; perhaps the things I believe now for my country will be
wrons and outmoded, and I will noi undersbnd ,nd do terribl€ thingstohave
things ny way or merely to leep my power. Don'tyou see that there will be
young men and women, not British soldiers tben, but ny own black country-
rnen . . . io step out of ihe sbadows sone evening and slit my then us€less
thro3t? Don't you see they bave always been tbere . . . thal they always will
be. And that such a thing as my own death will be an advance? Tbey ivho
might kill me even ... actually replenish m€!
nrrnarna: Oh, Asagai, I know all that.
AsAcar: Coodi Then stop moaning and groaning and tell me what you plan to do.
sr:{rlru,{: Do?
I have a bit ofa suggestion.
^sAcAr:
as^cN [tather quietly fu htn]That when it is all over-that you come hom€ wilh
teach you th€ old songs and the ways ofour people and, in tim€, we will
pretend that- [rer] softryl-you bave only been away for a day-
[She tur's het back to him, thinkins. He swings het dtound and tdkes het
full in hk ams in a lons enbruce which ptoceeds to bassion.l
Pf'rtnst: lpulline atvay) Youte gefiing me all mixcd up -
BENr^rH^: Too many things-too many lhings h3ve happened today. I must sit
down and lhinl. I donl know what I ieel about anythins risht this ninuie
IShe prcnPt\ sits down ,Lnd ptops her chin on het fist.)
,rs,rcrr: ktranasdl All rigbt, I shall l€ave you. No-don't gct up ltorching her,
ssntiy, sreetryl lust sit awhile and think . . Ncver be afraid to sit arvhile and
think. [He eoes to the door and looks at her.] How often I have looked at you
and said, "Ah so this n what the New World hath finally s{oughl . "
lIIe s{irs. BENtrArHA s;fs on alone. Presently wetr5f.enterc fiom h;s rcon
and statts to tummaee Ihtough things, fe",erishly lookins fot sonethinE
She loohs ub and tums in het teat.l
mrtrrx^: [iri$ingly] Yes justlook at what the New Wolldhath wroughll .
lust lookl [S/re gestures wil,r bitrer disgust.] Th€re he isl Monsieu le petit
6ourgeois no;-himselfl There he is Symbol ofa Rising Class! Enkepre-
-
ncurl Titan of thc systemt [waLtER ignorcs hu completelf dnd continues
ftanticdlU dnd Aestructi|ely lookins for something and huAine thines to floot
and ka ns thines out of theit pl\ce in his search. BENE^rs^ isnores the
eccenticity of hi actions .1nd soes on with the nonowue oti'slll l Did you
dream of yacbts on Lale Michigao, Brotber? Did you see yourself on rhat
Crest Day sittins downatthe ConferenceTable, sunoundedby allthe mighty
bald headedmen in Anerica? All halted, wailing, breathless, waiting for your
pronouncemcnts on indusily? Waitins foI you-Chanman of ibe Board?
iwrirrn fnds v/rat /re is looking for-a sna piece of ehite Papet and
psshes it in his pocket and puts on his coat asd tushes out f ithaut ewt hd,'ins
looked at her . She shouts after htin.l I look at you and I see the final triumph of
stupidity in the worldl
lThe door slams and she rcturns to iust sittinl again. F.r1\ cones
quicklv
out ofMAMAt roon.l
RUrH: Who was that?
snrserur: Youthusband.
nurr: Where did he go?
grrurrrr,r: Who lnows maybe be has an appointment at U S Stccl.
Rt)rHt [anxio sly, \rith ftisftI"n?d eteE You didn't say nothins bad to him, did vou?
rern,rru: Bad? Say anytbing bad to him? No-l told him hc {as a sweetboy and
lull ofdrcams and everything is shictly peachy keen, as the ofay kids sayl
IM^MA ente6 ftom het bedtoon She is lost,')asue,tryinEto catch lnU,to
make some *nv of her forner command of the world, but it sti eludes
her . A sense of waste oremhelms hd sait; d neassrc of apology tides on
her shouldere. She soeli to het plant, Nhich hds rcnained on the table,
looks at it, picks it up anA takes it to the window sill antl sits it oubAe, .tnd
she stai1j ant looks at it d lons monent 'Ihen she clases the windov,
staishtens het bo., vith .ffot and tuns 6ound to het chituen.)
u,rlle: Well-ain't it a mess in here, thoueh? ld /dlse cheerfuln*s,abeeinnineof
5Br
so stntngl l suess we all h€tler stop moping around and get sone wo.k done.
All this unpacking and everything we sot to do. {RUrH /d kes her head slowly in
rcsfon* to the sense of the line; anl nzNe** in similar mannet t]aJns .re/y
slovly to lcok dt her mother.l One ofyou all better call the movins people and
tell 'em not to cone.
RUrH: Tell em not to come?
u,rv,r: Of course, baby. Ain't no ne€d in 'em coming all the way here and having to
so bacl. They charse for that Ioo. [She sits do1nn, fnEeft to het brcw, think-
ing.l Lord, ev€r since I was a little sirl, I always remembes people saying,
"Lena-L€na Egsl€slon, you aims too hish all th€ tine. You needs to slow
down and see life a little rnore like it is. Jusr slow down some." Thatt rvhat
they always used to say down hone-"Lord, thai Lcna Essleston is a high,
minded thing. She'll get her due one dayl"
RUrs: No, Lena . . .
MAMA: Me and Bis Walter just didn t nev€r learD rishi.
RUTH: Lena, nol We sorta go. Bennie-tell her . . . IShe rises and crosses to
BENEATHA l,ttil i"r drms outNtretcled. EENE^rH^ doesn'f r"spond.l T€ll her rve
can slill move .. . the not€s ain't bui a hundred and twentv five a month.
'.
We sol four s,o$n peopl€ in the house-we cdn \ro'1, . .
MAM^: [io i?rsef] lust aimed too hish ali ihe time-
RUr}x [tutnine and soins to M^M^ fast the vods powins out vlith uteenq and
desperationl Lena-I'll worl . . . I'll work tw€nly hours a day in all lhe
kitchens in Chicago . . . I'll strap my baby on my back if I have to and scrub
all the foors in America and wash all tbe sheets in America if I have to-bul
we got to move . . . We got to get oul ofhere . . .
IMAM^ reaches out absently and batr Rt'tq's hdnd.)
M^M^: No- l see things diFerently now. Been thinldns'bout som€ ofthe lhinsswe
could do to 6x thn pla€€ up sone. I seen a second hand bureau over on
Maxwell Strcet just the other day that could fit risht hete. IShe points to whete
the new futnitwe nisht so. auru wan(lers away from /ier.l would need
somc ncrv handles on it and then a li l€ varnish and tben it look lile som€,
tbing brand-new. And we can put up them new curtains in the
kitchen ... Why thk place be loohns fine. Cheer us all up so thar w€ folset
trouble ev€r came . . . [to nuru] And you could get some nice screens to
put up in your room round thc baby's ba$inet . . . [She looks at both of
then, pleddinEly.) Som€limcs you jusl got io know when to give up some
thinss . . . and hold on lo i!h!t you got.
[wALrER ente\ flon the outside,Iaokine spent and leanins asinst the
doot, hir coat hansinE fion him.l
v,rur; Where you been, son?
werrer; [rreatfting &ard] Made a call.
MAMA: To who, sonT
WALTER: To The Man.
M^M^: What man, baby?
w^L r ERr The Man, M:ma. DoD t you know who The Man h?
WALTER: Th e Mdr. Like the guys in the streets say-The Man. Captain Bos
Midub Chariey ... Old Capiain Please Mr. Bosman . . .
582
s...orgi, Oh. Codt WheI€ is lhe bottoml Where is the real h.,nestlo Godbottom
so he can't go any further.
wALr rR: See thal's the old stun YoD and that boy that was here today You a1l
-
want everybody to carry flagandaspearand sing some marching songs, hub?
'
You waDn. spend your life looking into things and tryingto find thc righi and
lhe wrong part, huh? Yeah. You know whatt going to haPpen to tbal boy
somedry be'll6nd hirnselfsittins in a dunseon,locked in forever-and lhe
takers will havc the kcyl Forget it, babyl Tbere ain'i no causcs-there ain't
notbing but taking in tbis world, and he who rakes most is smadest and it
donl make a damn bit ofdiFerence /rov.
MAMA: YoD naking som€lhing inside mc cry, son. Somc awfulpain inside me
w^LrER: Don't cry, Mama. Unde6tand. That white man is soins to walk in tbat
door able to write checks for nore money than we ever bad lt's impoltant to
him and I'm soins to help him . . . I m going to pul on the show, Mama.
urvr: Son-l come from fivc generations of people who was slaves and shate'
croppers-but ain't nobody in my family
t83
w,rr-rnn: [coming lo [er] I'm going to f€el 6ne, Mama. Im soins to lool that
son-of'a'bitch in the €yes and say-vk falks.)-and say, "All right, Mr.
Lindner le falters eren morc.l-thal s your neighborhoodout therc. You
-v
gol the right loleep itlike youwant. Yougot the dshtto have itlikc youwant.
Iusl write tbe checl and-the house is yours." And, and I am going to
say lHiswice dlmost brca&s.l And you you peopleiustpui lhe money in
my hand and you won t have to live next to this bunch ofstinking niggersl
. . . [He sttdiehtens up and nores away from his nother,walking around the
rcom.l Maybe maybe I'll just get down on my blacl knees . . . [IIe does
-
so; rurr and rnxNrr and v hin in fiozen horror.l Captain, Mistub,
B6sman. lHe statts ctyins.l ^M^vdtch
A-hce-hee'heel [wtinejne his hands in pto
found, aneuished nnitationl Yasssssuh! Creat White Fathe., just si' u$en de
money, io' God s sale, and w€'s ain't gwine come out deh and dirty up yo'
whiie folks neisbborhood . . .
IHe brcaks down con,letelr. then eets up and soes into the bedrann.)
*ffi
BENEATH^: That n not a man. That is nothine but a toothless rat.
J:i#trff:"J?;i,"f;:;
supposed to be my beginnins again. You-whai supposed lobe myharyest.
[to oorE^rn.r] You-you moumins your brotber?
BENEATHA: Het no brotber of mine.
MAMA: Wbat you say?
BENE^I H^i I said that individual in ihai room is no brother of rnine.
u,lua: That's what I thoughtyousaid. Youfeeling like youb€lierthan h€ istoday?
IBENEATH^doss not dnsrsr.lYes? Wbat you tell him a minute aso? That he
wasn't a man? Yes? You sive him up {o. rne? You done wrote his epitapb
too-like the rest ofthe world? Well, who give you the privilege?
nnre,rrn,r: Be on my side fo. oncel You saw what he iust did, Mamal You saw
him on his knees. Wasn't it yor who laugbtme to despise any man
-down
who wouid do that. Do whst hei eoine to do.
584
MAMA: Yes-l taught you that. Me and your daddy. But I thought I taught you
something €ke too . . . I thought I taught you to love him-
BENEATHA: Love him? There is nothins left to lov€.
u,rur: There is always sonething left to love. And ifyou ain't learned that, you ain't
learned nothins. lloakine dt hetl Ha:,,e yor cried for that boy today? I don't
mean for yourself and for the family'cause we lost the money.l mean for bin;
what he been tbrough andwhat it done tohirn. Child,wh€n do you lhinkis the
time to love somebody the most;when they donegoodand made things easy
for everybody? Well then, you ain't through learning because ihat ain't lhe
iime at all.lt's when he's at his lowest and can t believe in bissself'cause th€
world done wbippedhim so. When you starh measurins somebody, measure
h;m risht, child, measure him right. Mal<e sure you donc taken into account
what hills and valleys he come lhrough before he got to wherev€r he is.
lrRAvrs Dursts tnfo t[? room dt the end of the speech, learing the door
open.l
rR^vrs: Cr:ndmama-lhe movins men are downslaiB! The truck just pulled up.
xrtuA fturning and lookins dl li ] Are they, baby? Tbey downnairs?
lsle s;sfis dnd ''ls. LINDNER d,pean in the .loo.,rar. He peeB in and
knocks liehtly, to eain attention, dnd comes in. All tun to look at hin )
rnoxnz lhat and briefcase in nandl Uh hello . . . lxura crosses nechanically
-
to the bedrcom doot and opens it and lets it sfine ap.n freely antl towly as the
liehts cone up on,! vithin, still in hb codt, sitting dt the fui cotnet ofthe
roon. He looks ub ^LrEn
and oul firousli lie roon ro I-INDNER.I
bigsest dinner we ever ate tonieht . .. Ben€aiha, what's lhe matter with
lhcm
'lo.hngi Pull lhem lhing. up. grrl ..
I'the family stans h fle ort as two norine men appellt and b.ein to cafty
out the hed'iet Pieces of fimitwe, bumpins into the fami, as thet mow
about.l
rrrrera.r: Mama, Asagai asked me to narry him today and go to Africa
urux: fin the niddle of het eettine-rcady dct^)ir] He didT You ain't old enough to
many nobody lseeins the mo..]ne men liftine one of het chans plecatiotsly]
-
Darling, thatain't nobale ofcotton, pJease handle it so we can sit in it again.I
had thal chair twenty'Eve years . . .
IThe no|ers sieh with exasbefttion dnd so on vith thet 'notk.l
rrnrerar: fg;lts y and unteasonabl, ttyineto fitlsue the @nw ation)To eo Io
A6ica. \4amd-be a Jo(r"r in Atritr .. .
M^MA: ldisrrdcred] Yes, baby-
WALTER: Africal Whai he want you to so to Africa fol?
BENEATHA: To practice there . . .
w,rr-rrn: G , if you don't get all tbem silly id€as out your beadl You better marry
yourself a man with some loot . . .
oererrre: [angrily, precis ely as in the frst rcene of the pld),I What have you got to
do with who I narryl
werrer: Plenty. Now I think George Murchison-
lHe and BENE^'IH^ so out yelline at edch otlw ,isorouslx BENEATHA is
heatd sarins that she would not ndrrl' cEoRcE MuRcursor if ne wae
Adan and she were be, etc. The anset is loud and rcdl till theit raices
dininish. RU tH stands at the door and turns to ntw and sniles know-
inety.)
utux lfxing her hat at ldstl Yeah-they something all right, rny children . . .
nurg: Yeah-they're sometbing. Let's so, Lena-
M^M^: Irtallins, staltine to look around the housel Y es I'm co4!!g. Ruth
-
M^M^t Iquietb, wondn to womanl He Gnally come into hislmanhood todayldidn't
he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain . . .
Rl:rH [bitinE her lip test het own ptide explode in fioat o/ MAM^] Y6, Lena.
[w^LrERt rcic" cdrs for them raucously.l
ueue: [waring RUTH out tdEuelrl All right, honey-go on down. I be down
dnectly.
IRJTH hesitates, then exits. MAM^ stdnds, at last alon in the lirine rcom,
her plant on the table before het as the lights statt to come down. She looks
around at all the palls and ceilings and sud(lenly, despite herself, wh;le
the children ca below, a steat hed,inEthine rises in her and the p tshet
fst to het nouth, takes a frndl despetute look, bulls het codt abo t he/,
pats het hat and eoes out. The lilhts dim dot''n. The doot obens and sh.
cones back in, erubs het pldnt, and soes fot the ldst tine.l