Card Games

I found the use of playing cards in Act Four very telling. Succeeding at a game of cards generally involves two components—the luck of the draw and the skills of the player of the game. This dichotomy seems to be something that can be applied to the Tyrone family, as we, or even the family members themselves, wonder if their difficult lot in life is simply destiny being fulfilled, or if their past choices, often dwelled upon by the characters, have made all the difference.

In other words, where does the fault lie? Is hardship really avoidable? This sort of a question comes about as Tyrone and Edmund talk. Edmund ruminates on life’s craziness, and in Tyrone’s response, it is clear that he believes that it is a matter of choice, as he quotes, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underlings.”

This question of choice relates to other themes in the play, such as addiction. Can Mary be held accountable for succumbing, once again, to her addiction? Is it a matter of willpower—a choice she is making? Or is it a destiny she became locked into long ago?

At the beginning of Act Four, James (Tyrone) is pictured shuffling and reshuffling cards. To me, this is a sort of attempt by him to ask for a different lot in life—to see if he can get a better hand, because the one he has been dealt is devastating.

--Francesca