on their shoulders. As the drama progresses, the reader is informed that the prejudice and intolerability lay close to these characters because of the lives they have lived – they were and are closely involved with “the Gay period” (1086) of life that was not fully accepted in 1987 when this play was written. Marion, who has just lost her ex-husband to an AIDS related illness, is living with guilt because she feels she was “fulfilling…every life fantasy” (1088) when, in reality, she was not. Her deceased ex-husband, Collin, was “living a lie” (1088) – while living a heterosexual life with her, he was “fulfilling [his] every life fantasy” by living a secret homosexual life with his lover, Arthur. During this secret rendezvous, he contracted the AIDS virus. When Marion found out about this secret life of Collin, she herself fell into the world of prejudice and intolerability by not accepting his decision. She began to point fingers at the gay community, which led to dissension between Collin’s lover and herself. By pointing fingers, Marion causes much stress between Arthur and Collin, Collin and herself, and Arthur and herself. This is evident throughout the play and through the many arguments that happen between Arthur and Marion. Their arguments, which are over petty things, are more about reality of life than about the petty things themselves. Ludwig, 3Marion wants a great deal of Collin’s possessions, when in reality what she really wants is to keep them from Arthur. Arthur realizes this and refuses to allow her to take them. He, in return, forms arguments supporting his reasons why she should not have them and why he should. Marion also demonstrates her ignorance by stereotyping and classifying a specific group of people. Although she realizes that Arthur and Collin are both real people, she thinks, in her mind, that they are just imaginary. ...
