Seven hundred and fifty acres of preserved greenery in the heart of New York, Central Park has long been a haven for those wishing to escape vibrant life in Manhattan is arguably one of the most famous parks in the world, enjoyed by millions of people every year. In his two-part epic about the 1980s HIV-AIDS epidemic that swept many gay communities across the United States and its effects, Angels in America, playwright Tony Kushner anchors much of the thematic elements of the story in the park and, in doing so, uses Central Park as a stark reminder of how close the AIDS epidemic was to the citizens. The characters spend various scenes walking through famous and recognizable landmarks in Central Park, including an area known as the Ramble and the Bethesda Fountain. Thus, Central Park in the play Angels in America represents not only a place where characters can face difficult news and take a momentary leave from their busy lives, but also a place to build relationships between characters and, all like the biblical fountain of Bethesda, of healing and rejuvenation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayPerhaps the most plot-forward role that Central Park plays in the story is the way it acts as an area where connections between characters are made. At the heart of the story about how the HIV-AIDS epidemic greatly affects several seemingly distant people is a complex nexus of relationships between the characters, some already formed before the narrative begins and others over the course of the story. story, demonstrates the profound implications. of the public health crisis. Central Park is a place where these seemingly distant characters interact and where much of their relationship-building takes place. We are first introduced to Central Park in Act Two, Scene 4, when Louis visits “the walk in Central Park” (55). Probably to relieve the significant stress of Prior's infection and constant illness, Louis visits the Ramble, implied to be a place where gay men find sexual encounters, and meets a character known only as Man in the Ramble. Louis and this mysterious Ramble-man have protected sex in this wooded part of Central Park. The hidden identity of Louis's partner, taken in the context of his location in the park, represents a degree of anonymity that can be associated with the era. Additionally, the fact that HIV-AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease suggests that the HIV virus was probably transmitted within the park. The proof is when Louis, during sexual intercourse with the Man, asks, after the condom has potentially broken, that the man infect him. Second, the Ramble's reputation as a place where gay men seek sex is further corroborated when we learn that Joe, another gay character, himself frequented the Ramble. The use of Central Park as a place where gay men can search for sexual partners serves as the first textual anchor for Central Park and sets the tone for future character connections that will take place in the park. Although brief, this relationship, facilitated by the existence of Central Park, serves to greatly reveal Louis' character and his mechanisms for coping with his lover's illness. The second relationship formed in the park was between Louis and Joe after Joe followed Louis to the Park. In this scene, Louis, sitting “on a bench in Central Park”(121), is approached by Joe, and Louis asks “do you know the story of Lazarus?” (121, Louis) and whether or not Joe believes the biblical story in which Jesus breathed life into Lazarus and “brought him back from the dead” (121, Joe). Throughout this encounter, the ultra-religious Joe's beliefs are challenged as he stretches beyond his comfort zone to form a budding relationship with Louis. For example, Joe asks Louis "can I please just touch you... uh, here" (123, Joe) and, after touching Louis' face, declares "I'm going to hell for doing that" (123, Joe). Next, Louis reveals his weariness with the "Republican stuff" (123, Louis) in Joe's beliefs, representing his insecurity to a group of people vocally denouncing his sexual orientation, while also revealing deep conflicting emotions with Joe and ultimately strengthening their relationship. Following this, Louis invites Joe “home with [him]” (123, Louis), further deepening their relationship. Here, Central Park helps shape Louis and Joe's relationship and pushes them both beyond their respective comfort zones: Joe's religious aversion to same-sex relationships and Louis' weariness of Republicans . Unbeknownst to Louis and Joe who are absorbed in their dialogue, Prior, alone in his apartment, is tormented by America's Angel because "the Great Work is beginning" (125, Angel). Thus, in this scene, Central Park also represents a place where Louis is sheltered from the reality of Prior's suffering and the distress of his torment by the Angel. Another important character encounter that takes place in Central Park is the resumption of Louis and Prior's relationship much later in the story. After realizing he wants to see Prior, Louis decides to meet a recalcitrant and hostile Prior in the neutral zone of a Central Park bench, propelling Central Park into the role of mediator between the warring Prior and Louis. Throughout their meeting “to try to reach a resolution” (217, Louis), Louis maintains that he is internally distressed because he was never given the chance to “find [his] place” (218 , Louis). However, Prior insists that he “sees no bruises” (217, Prior) and that “[he] wants to see blood” (220, Prior). His desire to see visual examples of Louis' suffering is revealed "because [he] can't believe that [Louis] even [has] blood until [Louis] shows [him]" ( 220, Prior). In this scene, Central Park becomes a neutral zone where Prior and Louis can rekindle the relationship they had. The next day, a similar scene unfolds between Louis and Belize at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. Seeing Louis "sitting on the edge of the fountain" (227), Belize enters and begins their conversation with a comment regarding the angel Bethesda on the fountain Louis is sitting on. By asking what the Angel commemorates, Belize reminds Louis of Prior and his affection for obscure history and sets an emotional tone for the rest of the conversation. Belize goes on to reveal that “Before and I went to the courthouse. He eliminated [Joe]” (227, Belize). Believing that their research is only aimed at extracting pain from him, Louis declares "you had no right to do that" (227, Louis) and they have "extracted every last drop of, of schadenfreude" (228 , Louis). Belize reveals the reason for his confrontation with Louis by stating that Louis dating Joe "is an all-time high: sharing his wet, dirty bed with Roy Cohn's booty" (228, Belize). Belize's warning, phrased as being disappointed in Louis, is met with Louis' disbelief; he states “Not…Roy Cohn.” Joe wouldn't do it... Not Roy Cohn. He's like the pole star of evil.