The Role Of Eternity In Thornton Wilder's Our Town
Each day, babies are born and elders pass away; thus, all contribute to the never-ending cycle of life. Everything on Earth is eternal, for nothing entirely disappears. Eternity is a complex topic, yet it occurs several times in the play, Our Town by Thornton Wilder. The Stage Manager believes eternity is a bridge connecting the unappreciative to the humble, which concurs with the events of the play.
Dictionaries define “eternal” as lasting or existing forever; consequently, it complements the Stage Manager’s definition of “eternal”. Readers observe the Stage Manager’s inital definition of “eternal” by noting the events of Act III. Here, popular characters such as Mrs. Gibbs and Simon Stimson exist, though not in the world of the living; rather, they silently observe mortals from beyond the grave. As they exist, time and events eternally unfold around them. The Stage Manager views “eternity” as something abstract, yet he illustrates it in every single human being. He believes eternity serves as a bridge between unappreciative and humility. The
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By doing so, Thornton Wilder simplifies his play and further develops the Stage Manager’s definition of eternity. The props symbolize the small details of life since their absence does not affect the play, and characters recognize the small details of life after they transition into eternity; therefore, this absence conforms to the Stage Manager’s belief that eternity serves as a bridge between ungrateful and modesty. Audience members observe the missing props in the beginning of the play: “...he stops, setting down his-- imaginary-- black bag, takes off his hat, and rubs his face with fatigue…” (Wilder 24) along with Emily’s realization of smaller details, such as how young her mother is, in Act III, after she passes into eternity. Evidently, the events in the play concur with the Stage Manager’s definition of eternity and the purpose it
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