The Mountaintop is a famous American play by the renowned playwright Katori Hall. This play is a fictitious depiction of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s last night before he was assassinated in 1968. Katori Hall’s entirely staged the events in the play at Lorraine Motel Room 306. The play has been a major success and has premiered in a number of big theatres and also won some award. To understand the by Katori Hall the following questions should get us started.
Describe the physical world of the play
After Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the famous speech “I have been to the Mountaintop” we see a man who is tired and worn out return to the famous Lorraine Motel Room 306 to have a rest. Here he makes a call to the reception for coffee. In the room, the mood that depicts the physical world- the hotel room is gloomy. Katori Hall brings this out in her opening statement when she describes the room “ Lights up. Night. 3April 1968. Room 306, the Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee. The outside street lights projects the shadows of rain down the pane on the walls. The motel room door creaks open. The rain pours outside. Enter Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tired. Overwrought. Wet. He is hoarse. He stands in the doorway, the red and yellow motel sign casting a glow on to his face. He yells out into the stormy night…He turns on a lamp that instantly illuminates the room. Water stains pockmark the walls. Bright and fading brown sixties décor accent the room. The carpet is the color of bile…”
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The other thing we learn from the play is that time is at frantic and staccato. Despite Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. being the man and face of the protests he is frightened by the constant sounds of thunder from the storm. His conversation with Camae shows that time is at a standstill. In the many instances, despite the visions, King is not ready to accept the fate that awaits him.
Describe the social world of the play
Going by the setting of the play, the social world is most definitely a private sphere. Despite being the mention of a third party, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assistant and friend, Katori Hall all along her plays helps us understand about her two main characters King and Camae. From the conversation there is a power relationship between the two. What started off as a flirtatious attempt by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Camae turns out to be something greater to the point that King is able to share out some of his secrets and concerns with Camae.
With the huge following King commands, he has expert power. His great public speaking abilities and great summons coupled up with quotes such as “I AM A MAN” is what helps him have lots of influence to people in their plights. Camae on the other does not have any power, however her role towards influencing King’s power is quite evident. As his maid, she helps him clean up his mess and also gives him some sober advice. For instance, at the near end of the play, Camae is able to convince King that despite being the vision carrier and reaching the Mountain Top, it was time for him to pass over the mantle to the next person. She convinces him that there would never be another King and he probably is the fastest runner there ever will be in the race.
What changes in this world?
A lot changes in the play. Katori Hall starts the play with King as the main figure behind the great movement of making America great. He is greatly disturbed by how the great country is going to hell for failing to take care its own whereby there are lots of poor people suffering in abject poverty whereas the rich continue growing rich. It is for this reason that King decides to join the peaceful walk of the laborers despite having a court order not to. In the first scenes of the play King is concerned whether he is good enough and goes ahead to ask for Camae opinion of what she would have said if she wore his shoe.
At the near end, after enough convincing from Camae we see King’s ideologies change. Finally he is able to acknowledge the fact that it is time to pass over the mantle. Despite being the best, King acknowledges that the fight has to be worn by embracing a new tactic and hence his welcoming hand to the people. This invitation is also like a forecast of his death and end of his time on earth.
What changes in you?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a very important figure to the freedom rights movement in America. Reading through the Mountain top play, a lot of emotional responses run trough me. First there is fear. This is from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s opening concerns. Yes America is great however through its ignorance to take and care of its own, it is going to hell.
The new idea I picked from the play is that, women play a very important role to any man’s success. Despite Camae being King’s maid and at her first day on duty, she was able to influence King’s decision of passing over the mantel. This helped in ushering in a new era in King’s freedom movement. Were it not for her, probably King wouldn’t have seen this perspective.
