Amy's View - Character Analysis

Character Analysis

When analyzing characters of a play, they can be looked at in three different ways: literally, functionally, and symbolically. The characters’ literal descriptions are provided above, but we will go into functionality and symbolism below. There are seven general functions that a character can serve within a play: protagonist or agent of action, antagonist, confidant, foil, comic relief, and utilitarian. There are also more specific descriptions of character roles depending on the genre of the play. (See Genre, below.)

Amy serves as the protagonist throughout the play. (In this case, the protagonist is separate from the agent of action, Esme.) Amy is the focus of the play, as the title bears her name and she is constantly trying to just make everything work. All of the major events are centered around her as she works her way through the tangle of relationships with Dominic and her mother. Specific to a tragicomedy, Amy could be considered the innocent victim, making Esme the protagonist. She is sort of taken advantage of by Dominic and her relationship is rejected by her mother – she has done nothing wrong and yet is being abused, attacked, and dismissed at every step.

Esme could also be seen as the protagonist, but she is more accurately the agent of action – the one that sets things rolling and makes things happen. She is the one that tells Dominic of Amy's pregnancy, and she is the one who seems to react to Dominic's one-sided commentary on theatre and media. She also acts as a confidant to Amy, since Amy always seems to be visiting her mother when something in her life has gone wrong and she needs advice and consoling. Specific to tragicomedy, Esme is Amy's teacher, giving her examples of how to live her life and how to give her love.

Dominic is of course the antagonist. He stands in the way of almost everyone in the play. He is not fully committed to Amy, and therefore keeps her from achieving her full potential as a girlfriend/wife/lover/partner or whatever she is striving to be for him. He is certainly a hindrance to Esme, whom he is at constant odds with over the issue of the theater, and he causes additional problems by creating a barrier between Esme and Amy.

Frank could be considered a foil to Esme, since he is rather easy going and doesn’t complain or get worked up easily. This contrasts greatly with Esme's strong emotional response to almost anything. Although she may remain cool, you can see that she is analyzing and calculating to take control of the situation. Frank just sits back and watches the action – often missing something in the conversation, or at least pretending to be uninvolved. Frank could also be considered the buffoon, since he creates an additional obstacle between Amy and Esme by screwing up Esme's finances.

Evelyn is possibly included for an alternative sort of comic relief. Some of her intrusions and comments seem off-hand and irrelevant, drawing attention away from the chaotic turmoil of certain scenes for just a moment – even if they are not necessarily funny by nature.

Toby does not particularly serve any role – he is really just sort of utilitarian. He is included at the end to move the story along, but does not particularly contribute to the meaning of the play.

Symbolically, Amy represents those that provide unconditional love, the optimists who believe that everything will work out, while Esme dismisses her love and refuses to try to understand why she feels so strongly. On a different note, Dominic clearly represents the evolving popular culture and new media, and perhaps even the "Thatcherite greed" of that era in England, while Esme embodies the spirit of the theater and those that cling to the past.