Gem of the Ocean Book

Set in 1904, The Gem of the Ocean is the first play in Wilson's "Century Cycle" (sometimes called "The Pittsburgh Cycle") of ten plays, each set in a different decade of the 20th century. It is a good place to start, for'other than mere chronology'it ably articulates the central themes of the cycle: how freedom is always partial, something continually sought, how both our dreams and our cynicism may hold us back'or spur us on'in our quest for freedom, depending on our knowledge of, and relationship with, the past.

Central to Gem of the Ocean--and the cycle'is the ancient Aunt Esther, a spiritual leader and healer of the black community who is rumored to be 285 years old. Convinced he has killed a man, the young Citizen Barlow ("Citizen" is his given name) seeks the help of Aunt Esther in order to expiate his guilt and guide his decisions. To heal him, she takes him on a hypnotic ritual journey to "The City of Bones", traveling in "The Gem of the Ocean," which is at one and the same time the small boat of his soul and the great boat of his people. Citizen's journey'and what he learns about himself on that journey'constitute the core of the play.

Those who only know Wilson through his great play Fences may be disappointed, for Gem lacks the vivid characters and intense personal drama of that earlier play. It is an older man's play (the ninth of the cycle to be written, although the first in order), reflective and meditative in its language and expressionistic in its dramatic technique. Its characters are often little more than mouths, stereotypes to speak the superb dialogue, and the plot lacks tension and urgency. Still, the climax'the scene of the boat journey itself'is very fine, a marvel of expressionistic theater which brings the play to a satisfying conclusion.

I will end with the voice of Aunt Esther, speaking of the nature of boats (and also hypnotizing Citizen with words in order to prepare him for his journey): You ever seen a boat, Mr. Citizen. A boat is made out of a lot of things. Wood and rope. The sails look like bedsheets blowing in the wind. They make a snap when the winds catch them. Wood and rope and iron. The workmen with their hammers ringing. A boat is something. It takes a lot of men to make a boat. And it takes a lot of men to sail a boat. Them was some brave men. They left their family and didn't know if they was ever gonna see them again. They got on that boat and went out into the world. The world's a dangerous place, Mr. Citizen. It's got all kinds of harms in it. It take God to Master the world. The world is a rough place. But there's gold out there in the world. Them brave men went looking for it. Remember I told you you could take a ride on that boat? The wind catch up in them sails and you be off across the ocean. The wind will take you every which way. You need a strong arm to steer that boat. Don't you feel it, Mr. Citizen? Don't you feel that boat rocking? Just a rocking and a rocking. The wind blowing.