"Two on the swing": a summary and analysis of W. Gibson's work

Now extremely popular is William Gibson - the founder of such a literary trend as cyberpunk. He has a namesake - William Gibson, a playwright-long-liver (when he died, he was in his 95th year). So, this article is not about the first Gibson, but the second one. In the focus of attention - "Two on a swing" (a summary of the play).

Jerry and Gitel

Jerry is a young man tall, handsome. He is 33-34 years old. In New York, he recently. I came from Omaha, which is in Nebraska. He divorced his wife there, gave up his prestigious practice as a lawyer, and moved to another city to forget the bitterness of loss. His new wife (Tess) has a new fiancé. This fact makes Jerry suffer even more. Yesterday he was at his only friend in New York - Oscar. Friend Jerry was having a party. On it our hero saw Gitel Mosque.

Gitel - a young girl, swarthy and not very pretty. Rather, it has a peculiar appearance, an amateur. But her body is like a dancer's. She, in fact, is. She also has a stomach ulcer.

It is noteworthy that at the beginning of the play, none of the heroes has money. Jerry recently arrived and has not yet found work. In addition, to practice in another state, you need to pass the exam. And Gitel, in principle, is not too successful in the search for a highly paid job, i.e., she is busy, but she is sorely lacking in money. This is an important moment for understanding the play "Two on a swing." The brief content of the heroes' outer and inner world is exactly this.

Love for three

The story begins in September and lasts about 8 months. Everything starts with the fact that Jerry dials the Gitel number and on various pretexts suggests to visit her. As you might guess, he is very lonely. And he believes that only women's society can save him from loneliness.

Heroes sometimes lead boring, and sometimes witty conversations, but the goal for them is to show the goods to the person, i.e. To appear before the other person in the most favorable light. At the same time, Gitel behaves independently and freely, and Jerry as if begging her for intimacy. The girl tells him that she would not have slept with him on the first evening, even if he was Jesus Christ.

There is still some time in the conversations of the heroes. Jerry leaves the girl and walks around the night city. One way or another, the hero returns to his home. It's very late (or very early), and despite this, he calls Gitel. She does not immediately pick up the phone, but still answers him. In the process of exchanging tricks and courtesies of heroes on the phone between them there is contact and sympathy. This tie at William Gibson's play "Two on a swing." The summary, without stopping, rushes forward to the apogee of the narrative.

In the next action, a slightly different picture of what is happening: Jerry and Gitel formed a couple, live with him. Both heroes found work, of course, not the limit of dreams, but still. Gitel prepares dinner and literally begs Jerry to talk with his ex-wife (although legally they have not divorced), who calls him from Nebraska. The phone periodically makes sounds, but Jerry deliberately ignores it, then does not stand up and picks up the phone. This is his wife from Omaha. He gesticulates with her for a long time, then in despair yells: "Stop holding my heart with my hand!" Gitel seems to be electrocuted, and she asks: "And I do not hold your hand !?" This is an extremely emotional moment in the play "Two on the swing ". The summary also gives some idea of the explosion of feelings that occurred between the characters. Jerry and Gitel quarrel, then reconcile, but their union has already cracked and began to disperse at the seams.

Events develop further. Jerry doubts whether he should settle in New York. Therefore, he is not in a hurry to take the exam by law, which gives a license to practice in this state. Gitel starts to get nervous. And for this there are grounds: for long-distance calls, a lot of money goes away every month. She shows her beloved legitimate claims. He honestly says that he does not know what to do: either stay here (in New York), or return to Omaha, where there are established labor connections, where everything is simple and understandable. Gitel becomes clear that he still loves his wife. In the midst of a quarrel, she has an ulcer. This allows her to win some more time and delay the parting with her beloved.

Of course, sometimes the exalted dialogues of heroes may a little irritate the reader with their emotionality, but one can not but admit that masterfully shows the gradual collapse of the relationship, William Gibson. "Two on a swing" in this respect is a wonderful play.

Time runs, forgetting about the brakes. Next picture: caring Jerry and sick Gitel. He still stayed. And moreover, he will soon get the right of legal practice in this state. Thus, he shows the girl with whom she lives, that they have everything seriously and for a long time. But Gitel still doubts, she thinks Jerry is with her only because she's sick, and he needs her. Jerry has some kind of undefined complexes or he's just a very conscientious person.

In the next picture, the characters are already going to move from Jerry's home to Gitel's apartment. The heroine tells her lover that it's time to make the final choice and, perhaps, to marry her, to rent a common apartment. Jerry does not react to it. And then Gitel finds a letter that Jerry, according to the date, received a few months ago, and it turns out that he and his ex-wife divorced legally. Gitel arranges another (last) scandal.

The play "Two on a swing" by the author (Gibson William) ends with a telephone conversation between the heroes, in which they are peaceful, even with some piercing tenderness, say goodbye to each other. Jerry returns to his wife.

Ideological content of the play "Two on a swing"

Created by William Gibson "Two on a swing." The discussion of the heroes of their relationships occupies a central place in the work. But their conversations among themselves can not hide the fact that W. Gibson's play, first of all, about loneliness. The heroes were lonely and unhappy when they met, so they remain in the final of the play. Nothing changes, and there is no hope of salvation. Even Jerry, who returns to his wife, is likely to pass all the same misfortune and again will be in New York or another city in the US. It will again lead to the search for comfort.

The meaning of the name of the play

All because the conversations of the characters are like a swing - something up, then down. Their relationship arises, as if from the air, from nothing. This is especially noticeable in the first dialogues. The characters do not know what to tell them, so they talk about everything in the world, if only to continue this waggling - then up and down. There are only two of them in the play.