Now extremely popular William Gibson - the founder of such a literary movement as cyberpunk. He has a namesake - William Gibson, a long-lived playwright (when he died, he was 95 years old). So, this article is not about the first Gibson, but the second. The focus is “Two on a swing” (a summary of the play).
Jerry and Gitel
Jerry is a tall, handsome young man. He is 33–34 years old. He’s recently in New York. He came from Omaha in Nebraska. He divorced his wife there, abandoned the prestigious law practice, and moved to another city in order to forget the bitterness of the loss. His wife (Tess) already has a new bridegroom. This fact makes Jerry suffer even more. Yesterday, he was with his only friend in New York - Oscar. Buddy Jerry was having a party. On it, our hero saw Gitel Mosca.
Gitel - a young girl, dark and not very beautiful. Rather, she has a peculiar appearance, an amateur. But her body is like that of a dancer. She, in fact, is. She also has a stomach ulcer.
It is noteworthy that at the beginning of the play, none of the characters have money. Jerry arrived recently and hasn’t found a job yet. In addition, to practice in another state, you need to pass an exam. And Gitel, in principle, is not very successful in the search for a well- paid job, that is, she is busy, but she is sorely lacking money. This is an important point for understanding the play “Two on a Swing”. A summary of the external and internal world of the heroes is just that.
Love for three
The story begins in September and lasts approximately 8 months. It all starts with the fact that Jerry dials Ghetel's number and, under various pretexts, begs to visit her. As you might guess, he is very lonely. And he believes that only female society can save him from loneliness.
Heroes sometimes lead boring, and sometimes witty conversations, but their goal is to show the goods in person, i.e. appear in front of another person in the most favorable light. At the same time, Githel behaves independently and freely, and Jerry asks for her intimacy. The girl tells him that she would not sleep with him on the very first evening, even if he were Jesus Christ.
Some more time passes in the conversations of the heroes. Jerry leaves the girl and goes strolling around the city at night. One way or another, the hero returns to his home. It is already 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 taunts and courtesies of the characters on the phone, contact and sympathy arise between them. This tie in the play of William Gibson's "Two on a Swing." The summary, without stopping, hurries forward, to the climax of the narrative.
The next action has a slightly different picture of what is happening: Jerry and Githel formed a couple, live with him. Both heroes found a job, of course, not the ultimate dream, but still. The governor prepares dinner and literally begs Jerry to speak with his ex-wife (although they have not yet divorced legally), who calls him from Nebraska. The phone periodically makes sounds, but Jerry intentionally ignores it, then does not hold it and picks up the phone. This is his wife from Omaha. He tidies with her for a long time, then in frustration shouts: “Stop holding my heart with your hand!” Gitel seems to be shocked, and she asks: "And I do not hold your heart in my hand ?!" This is an extremely emotional moment in the play Two on a Swing. The summary also gives some idea of the explosion of feelings that occurred between the characters. Jerry and Githel quarrel, then reconcile, but their union has already cracked and began to disperse at the seams.
Events are developing further. Jerry doubts whether he should settle in New York. Therefore, he is in no hurry to take an exam in law, which gives a license to practice in this state. Gitel begins to get nervous. And there are reasons for this: a lot of money is spent on long-distance calls every month. She presents her lover with legal claims. He honestly says that he does not know what to do: either stay here (in New York), or return to Omaha, where labor relations are established, where everything is simple and clear. Gitel makes it clear that he still loves his wife. In the midst of a quarrel, her ulcer opens. This allows her to win some more time and postpone parting with her beloved.
Of course, sometimes the exalted dialogues of the heroes may annoy the reader a little with their emotionality, but one cannot but admit that masterfully shows the gradual collapse of relations William Gibson. "Two on a swing" in this regard is a wonderful play.
Time is running, forgetting about the brakes. The following picture: caring Jerry and sick Githel. He still stayed. Moreover, he will soon receive the right to practice law in this state. Thus, he shows the girl with whom he lives that they have everything seriously and permanently. But Gitel still doubts, she thinks Jerry is with her only because she is sick, and she needs him. Jerry has some kind of unfinished complexes, or he is just a very conscientious person.
In the next picture, the characters are about to move from Jerry’s home to Githel’s apartment. The heroine tells her lover that it is time to make the final choice and maybe marry her, to rent a shared apartment. Jerry doesn't react to this at all. And then Gitel finds a letter that Jerry, judging by the date, received a few months ago, and it turns out that he and his ex-wife divorced legally. Gitel makes another (last) scandal.
The play “Two on a Swing” by the author (Gibson William) ends with a telephone conversation between the characters in which they peacefully, even with some piercing tenderness, say goodbye to each other. Jerry returns to his wife.
The ideological filling of the play “Two on a Swing”
Created by William Gibson "Two on a Swing." The discussion by the heroes of their relationship occupies a central place in the work. But their conversations among themselves cannot hide the fact that the play by W. Gibson is, first of all, about loneliness. The heroes were lonely and unhappy when they met, and they remain so in the ending of the play. Nothing changes, and there is no hope of salvation. Even Jerry, who returns to his wife, is likely to go through the same circle of misfortune and again find himself in New York or another city in the United States. He will again be led to seek comfort.
The meaning of the name of the play
All because the conversations of the heroes are like a swing - up and down. Their relationship arises, as if from the air, from nothing. This is especially noticeable in the first dialogs. The characters do not know what to tell them, therefore they talk about everything in the world, if only to continue this wiggle - up and down. There are only two in the play.