![]() ![]() The rupture is so severe that it ultimately destroys their marriage, with Amir resorting to violence and striking his wife, an act that drew the immediate shock and repudiation from the audience. This representation extends to the characters’ divergent personas-Emily, a calm, articulate individual who argues her point with reason and persuasion, and Amir, a bitter man who can only express his views through volcanic fits of rage. ![]() The rift between Emily and Amir is a snapshot into a broader struggle of competing interpretations of Islam, veering from the moderate that appreciates Islam’s contribution to science and culture, to the more radical, puritan and politicized understanding. Emily’s well-intentioned campaign to have Amir reconcile with his heritage, and her ultimate and spectacular failure, is an intuitive representation of the ongoing struggle between the rational and extreme interpretations of Islam.Įmily’s insistence on portraying Islam as a religion steeped in a history of cultural, scientific and spiritual excellence and innovation is vociferously, and violently, opposed by her husband’s stubborn refusal to see Islam as nothing more than a collection of outdated, “backward” ideas that promote savagery. Indeed, such a portrayal has a resonance in the current pressures experienced by Western Muslims, and aptly captures the struggle of moderate Islam to have its voice heard amid the noise of extremism emanating from both sides. Any attempts to establish a middle ground-fervently, and perhaps naively, pursued by Emily-are snuffed out by the pulling power of the opposing extremes on the spectrum. No taboo remains as the dinner party descends into an explosive argument over Islam, Israel, and 9/11.Īkhtar presents two stark choices many Western Muslims are facing when confronted with the hostility espoused by the likes of Donald Trump: retreat-as portrayed by lead protagonist/character Amir Kapur’s self-loathing, or radicalize as per his nephew, Abe (a selected inconspicuous alternative to his birth name, Hussein Malik). A climax is reached toward the end when Amir and Emily host a dinner party for Isaac and his wife, and Amir’s colleague, Jory. Their tension is exacerbated by Amir’s extremist-leaning young nephew, Abe, and Emily’s Jewish art dealer, Isaac, who serves as a provocateur in drawing out Amir’s deepest and darkest opinions on issues related to political Islam. Each character is deeply entrenched in their respective position-Amir maintaining a hostile, radical view of Islam, while Emily forming a moderate, appreciative stance-and spends a significant portion of the play attempting to convince the other of the ‘true’ Islam. ![]() The play is centered on Amir Kapur, a lapsed Muslim, and his wife, Emily, who battle over their conflicting perceptions of Islam. With a presidential candidate declaring the prohibition of Muslims’ entry into the United States a key policy platform, Disgraced offers a snapshot into the microcosmic impact such policies, and political rhetoric, have on the daily lives of American Muslims. The Pulitzer Prize-winning play, featured by Arena Stage in Washington until May 29, should be commended for its bold attempt to tackle one of the most complex and sensitive issues dominating today’s political discourse: Islam and identity. The intensity of the scenes provoked uncomfortable shuffling in seats, and reduced one audience member to tears. Unsettling is perhaps the word that best describes playwright Ayad Akhtar’s Disgraced. ![]()
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