Loot: Analysis of Major Characters
"Loot: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into a darkly comic narrative that explores the complexities of morality and human behavior through its main characters. The play revolves around Fay McMahon, a manipulative nurse driven by greed, who has a history of benefiting from the deaths of her wealthy husbands and aims to exploit a recent bank robbery for financial gain. Her employer, McLeavy, embodies the conflict between faith and reality, as he grapples with his role as a devout Catholic father while facing the downfall of his son, Hal, who is tormented by guilt yet engages in illicit activities. Hal's friend, Dennis, represents youthful recklessness and ambition, caught up in a web of deception and moral ambiguity as he tries to navigate his feelings for Fay and the consequences of their actions.
The police inspector, Truscott, adds a layer of intrigue and manipulation, as he employs underhanded tactics to uncover the truth while ultimately betraying those he’s supposed to protect. Each character serves as a reflection of the broader themes of corruption, loyalty, and the pursuit of wealth, making the play a compelling study of human nature and societal values. Through their interactions, the story builds a narrative that questions the lengths individuals will go to for love, money, and redemption.
Loot: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Joe Orton
First published: 1967
Genre: Play
Locale: England
Plot: Absurdist
Time: The 1960's
Fay McMahon, a nurse to Mrs. Mary McLeavy, who died three days before the action of the play. Fay is a femme fatale, a mercenary who will do anything for money. She convinced Mrs. McLeavy to change her will, leaving everything to Fay. Her seven husbands in the past decade all died violently, and she has poisoned her patient. When she learns that Hal and Dennis have robbed a bank, she demands a third of the spoils and decides to marry Dennis now that he is rich.
McLeavy, Fay's employer, a devout Catholic. A self-proclaimed good man, he insists that his wife was precious to him, but he has devoted most of his attention to his roses. He at first refuses to believe that his son is a bank robber, then wants to disown him, and finally is willing to testify against him. He respects authority and tries to cooperate with Truscott's investigation, only to be arrested for making derogatory remarks about the police.
Hal McLeavy, the only child of the McLeavys. Burdened by Catholic guilt, he worries about committing some unforgivable sin yet deflowers virgins and steals from slot machines. He hopes to use the proceeds from the robbery to open an extravagant brothel. His upbringing makes him incapable of lying, and he readily confesses to Fay and Truscott.
Dennis, Hal's young friend, an undertaker's assistant. A ladies' man who has impregnated five young women, he longs for the experience a woman such as Fay can offer. In charge of the funeral, he switches the stolen money and Mrs. McLeavy's body between the coffin and a wardrobe in the McLeavy house. Dennis saves the coffin when a fiery accident occurs on the way to the funeral, and he also eliminates the evidence (the deceased's stomach) of Fay's poisoning.
Truscott, a police inspector. Flamboyant and sneaky, he investigates both the bank robbery and the poisoning while pretending to be from the water board. He assaults Dennis for denying knowledge of the theft and beats Hal for telling the truth. Truscott has followed Fay's crimes for years and traps her into a confession. After tormenting the suspects, he accepts a bribe of 25 percent and arrests McLeavy, the only innocent person around.