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“The Bible say”: August Wilson’s Scriptural Improvisation

Authors

Patrick Maley

Abstract

An improvisatory, human-centered religiosity runs throughout August Wilson’s American Century Cycle. Spiritual elements like biblical references, performative spiritual rites, blood memory of Africa, and blues metaphysics help Wilson’s characters work toward the goals of fostering community and finding joy to express in their songs. Within this swirl of amalgamated religious conditions, the Bible is a constant presence: 33 of the Cycle’s 77 characters reference it. But its role is just as amalgamated and unfixed as the force of religion. Thus, the Bible offers a valuable case study of the human-centered religiosity operating in Wilson’s work. The assortment of roles that the Bible plays and functions that it performs in the Cycle emphasize the agency and responsibility that Wilson’s humans and communities bear for their own spiritual journeys. The Bible is a resource with which they might fruitfully engage, but it is by no means an answer key. Instead, as Jacob wrestles God in Genesis, Wilson requires that his characters grapple with spiritual forces in an attempt to harmonize in such a way that supports individual and communal efforts to develop identity, dignity, and happiness. The work of the Bible in Wilson suggests that spirituality can contribute productively to journeys toward individual and communal becoming in the Cycle, but humans must labor to integrate that spirituality effectively into everyday life. The task of individuals and communities in Wilson’s world is to develop the creative agency necessary to operate harmoniously within both a complex spiritual realm and a demanding human world.

Comparative Drama is carried by JSTOR and Project MUSE.

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