The Normal Heart

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The Normal Heart is a play written by Larry Kramer, dealing with the rise of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City from 1981-1984, through the eyes of Ned Weeks, the gay Jewish founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group. It was one of the first plays to deal with the issue.

The Normal Heart was first performed at The Public Theater in 1985, produced by Joseph Papp, and has since gone on to be produced internationally.

[edit] Plot

Arthur Kramer, Larry Kramer's brother.
Arthur Kramer, Larry Kramer's brother.

The story of the play closely follows Kramer's life, with Ned Weeks representing Kramer during the period in 1981 and 1982 when he co-founded the Gay Men's Health Crisis. Other characters represent his brother Arthur Kramer and his other close associates.

[edit] Literary significance and criticism

Humorist Calvin Trillin, a friend of both Larry and Arthur, once called The Normal Heart "the play about the building of [Arthur's] house."

David Halperin has dismissed Ned Weeks for surrendering to 'gay chauvinism' and 'homosexual essentialism' through 'various strategies of elitism and exclusion' upon making a list of many renowned homosexuals[1].

In 2000, The Royal National Theatre named it one of the 100 greatest plays of the 20th century.

[edit] References

  1. ^ David M. Halperin, How to Do the History of Homosexuality, University of Chicago Press, 2004, p. 16
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