After the Fall: Analysis of Major Characters
"After the Fall: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complexities of Quentin, a lawyer grappling with the weight of his past and the impact of his relationships. Central to the narrative is Quentin's introspection regarding his two failed marriages and his sense of culpability for the suffering of those close to him. His fiancée, Holga, who has her own traumatic background from World War II, serves as a stabilizing force, helping Quentin confront his guilt and insecurities. The character of Louise, Quentin's first wife, embodies his emotional detachment and the communication barriers that contributed to their estrangement. In contrast, Maggie, his second wife and a talented recording artist, reflects the tumultuous nature of Quentin's affections and support, culminating in tragedy as her self-doubt leads to her suicide. Supporting characters such as Felice, Quentin's devoted client, and his friends Lou and Mickey further illustrate the themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the moral dilemmas faced in a politically charged environment. The interplay of these characters reveals the intricate web of personal and historical influences that shape Quentin's journey toward self-awareness.
After the Fall: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Arthur Miller
First published: 1964
Genre: Play
Locale: New York City
Plot: Expressionism
Time: The 1950's
Quentin, a lawyer who agonizes over his past—the failure of his two marriages, unhappy childhood experiences, the political witch-hunts in the 1950's, and the extent to which he bears personal responsibility for what happened to his close friends and his two wives. Quentin views these past events from the perspective of the present. He has met Holga, with whom he has fallen in love. She is European and brings with her a sense of the European past, including that of World War II, of mass destruction and the concentration camps. Quentin reacts to this grim history in terms of his own life, questioning his motives; his selfishness; his rejection of his first wife, Louise; and his inability to help his tormented second wife, Maggie. Although Quentin is not able to resolve all the conflicts within himself, with Holga's help he does come to understand better his own implication in the sufferings of others.
Holga, Quentin's fiancée, who helps him come to terms with his guilt over his previous marriages. Having suffered greatly herself during the war, she has had to deal with the issues of responsibility that Quentin addresses. Her calm, abiding presence throughout the play bespeaks a sensibility that has grown with experience and is able to accept the worst that Quentin can confess about his own character.
Louise, Quentin's first wife, who has been his mainstay for many years. In several flashback scenes, Quentin explores his estrangement from her. She is unable to understand Quentin's dissatisfaction with his own life and with their marriage. Her main complaint is that Quentin does not really talk to her, that he does not know how to interact with women, and that their growing separation is largely a matter of his inability to share himself with others.
Maggie, Quentin's second wife, a beautiful, sensuous woman who becomes a major recording star. When she first meets him, however, she lacks confidence and responds warmly to his encouragement and sensitivity. He makes her feel like a whole human being. At the same time, her exuberant spirit makes him, for a time, a much warmer and more giving person. As Maggie tears herself apart, a victim of self-doubt, she begins to view Quentin as a burden in her life, as someone who has used her. Although he tries to help her, he also withdraws from her as she becomes hysterical. She eventually commits suicide.
Felice, one of Quentin's devoted clients, who appears as almost a fantasy figure. She worships Quentin and does not see the cold side of him that makes Maggie turn against him.
Mother, who dominates Quentin's family in the childhood flashback scenes. When Quentin's father loses his money in the stock market crash of 1929, she turns against him, blaming him for the family's troubles. She recurs on stage as a figure in Quentin's mind, a part of his remembrance of his difficult childhood, playing the part of the accusing woman, which reminds him of his first wife, Louise.
Lou, one of Quentin's lawyer friends whose career is ruined by his testimony before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. His radical political background has put him in a vulnerable position, especially because he admits that he lied in one of his books about life in Soviet Russia. He has asked Quentin to defend him; Quentin takes on the task with mixed feelings, worried about his reputation and concerned that his heart is no longer in defending his colleagues.
Mickey, one of Quentin's lawyer friends who has saved Lou once before, when his academic career was threatened by charges that he had been a subversive. Mickey devastates Quentin when he admits that he is going to “name names,” that is, tell the House committee about his friends who were active in radical politics.