A Lesson from Aloes: Analysis of Major Characters
"A Lesson from Aloes" features a nuanced exploration of its major characters against the backdrop of apartheid-era South Africa. Piet Bezuidenhout, a retired Afrikaner farmer turned bus driver, embodies a gentle yet hopeful spirit, cherishing both nature and literature. His recent withdrawal from political activism stems from the oppressive environment that ultimately thwarted his efforts for social change. In stark contrast is Steve Daniels, a Coloured bricklayer and Piet's closest friend, who has just been released from prison. Steve's prior commitment to fighting for justice has been eroded by trauma and humiliation, leaving him bitter and resigned to a future in England, forced to leave his homeland.
Gladys Bezuidenhout, Piet’s wife, grapples with her own psychological struggles following a nervous breakdown and is drawn into the turmoil of her husband's past political engagement. Her feelings of fear and anger culminate in a confrontation with Piet during Steve’s farewell visit, revealing deep-seated tensions and a sense of betrayal. Together, these characters navigate a complex emotional landscape shaped by personal and political disillusionment, highlighting the intricate interplay of hope, despair, and the impact of a repressive societal context on individual lives.
A Lesson from Aloes: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Athol Fugard
First published: 1981
Genre: Play
Locale: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Plot: Representational
Time: 1963
Piet Bezuidenhout (peet be-ZI-dehn-howt), a native Afrikaner (of Dutch descent and white), originally a farmer, later a bus driver, and now in his mid-forties and retired. He lives with his wife, Gladys, in Algoa Park, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. In his quiet life of retirement, Piet takes long walks into the veld to collect and classify aloes—hardy, cactuslike plants that can survive in an arid and hostile environment. Spectacled and studious, gentle, and sensitive, Piet is a lover of words, ready at a moment's notice to recite the works of his favorite English poets. Piet was recently very active in local politics, vigorously opposing the South African policy of apartheid. After police repression destroyed the Liberal Party, however, Piet retired from his political activism. He nevertheless remains a moderately hopeful man, convinced that social injustices can be remedied and that the world can be made a better place.
Steve Daniels, a bricklayer, a mason, a former political activist, and Piet's closest friend in the struggle against apartheid. Forty-two years old and Coloured (of mixed racial blood), Steve has just been released from jail and is no longer willing to fight for social change in South Africa. Deeply humiliated by his arrest and interrogation, as well as still under a banning order that makes it impossible for him and his family to live in South Africa, Steve is now frustrated, defeated, and pessimistic about South African politics. The government is forcing him to leave his homeland, and Steve is bitter about having to move to England. When he arrives at Piet's home for a farewell dinner party, he is initially playful and friendly with his best friend, but ultimately his bitter pessimism clashes with Piet's quiet and restrained hopefulness.
Gladys Bezuidenhout, Piet's wife, born in South Africa of English parents, also in her mid-forties. A recent victim of a nervous breakdown, Gladys is withdrawn, apprehensive, and bitter. She still nurses the indignity she felt when the police raided their house and confiscated her personal diaries and still is traumatized by the electric-shock therapy treatments she received in the hospital. During the period of Piet's activism, Gladys had been indifferent about South African politics. Now, she is angered and frightened by Piet's allusions to the political situation. Steve's farewell visit precipitates another breakdown as she accuses Piet of being the informant who caused Steve's arrest. At the end of the play, she volunteers to return to the asylum for more treatments and rest.