The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer
"The Normal Heart" by Larry Kramer is a powerful and poignant play that explores the early years of the AIDS epidemic in New York City, first produced in 1985. The narrative centers on Ned Weeks, a passionate gay activist who becomes increasingly frustrated with the lack of attention and action from both the government and the media regarding the crisis affecting the gay community. Through his interactions with Dr. Emma Brookner, who treats affected individuals, and his romantic relationship with reporter Felix Turner, the play highlights both the personal and collective struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community during this tumultuous time.
As Ned leads an organization aimed at addressing the health crisis, the play delves into themes of love, acceptance, and the challenges of activism, including ego clashes and internal conflicts. The emotional depth is underscored by Ned's desire for familial acceptance, particularly from his brother Ben, and the heart-wrenching impact of loss as Felix succumbs to the disease. Kramer's work serves not only as a dramatic exploration of a devastating public health crisis but also as a significant piece of political rhetoric that raises awareness and fosters understanding of the AIDS epidemic. Through its unflinching portrayal of the era, "The Normal Heart" remains a vital contribution to the conversation on health, identity, and the imperative of advocacy in the face of adversity.
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Subject Terms
The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer
First produced: 1985
First published: 1985
The Work
Larry Kramer’s landmark play, The Normal Heart, chronicles major events in the early years of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic in New York City. The play’s 1985 production at the Public Theatre riveted the attention of diverse audiences to the devastation of the new disease. As an instrument of political rhetoric and as a classically structured drama, The Normal Heart has power to move emotions and change minds.
In the summer of 1981, Ned Weeks visits Dr. Emma Brookner, who is treating virtually all the gay men in New York afflicted with rare, immune system-related diseases. Brookner has heard of Ned—and his “big mouth.” She is looking for a gay man to lead in this new crisis; she urges him to express his anger toward those in power who are apathetic and to convince gay men to stop engaging in sexual activity. She believes the disease is spread through sex.
Ned begins to act, exploring the failure of The New York Times to cover the epidemic adequately. In so doing, he meets a gay reporter, Felix Turner, to whom he is immediately attracted. A key relationship in the play is between Ned and his brother Ben, a lawyer. Although Ned is impatient with his brother’s reluctance to help the organization Ned has formed in response to the epidemic, it is clear that what Ned wants most from Ben is unconditional acceptance and love.
As Ned and Felix grow closer, Ned’s organization of gay men confronting the health crisis struggles with an unresponsive mayor’s staff on the outside, while battling ego clashes and differences in style within. Bruce Niles, a banker, attractive and cautious, is elected president of the group instead of Ned. Ned’s anger—and his commitment—increase dramatically when Felix becomes ill. Although the organization wins some victories in terms of fundraising and media exposure, Ned and Bruce fight continually; Ned is finally removed from the board of directors.
In the play’s poignant finale, Ned and Felix are married by Dr. Brookner in the hospital. Felix dies, and Ned remembers he meant to tell his lover about a recent trip to Yale, where he met many young gay people at a dance “just across the campus from that tiny freshman room where I wanted to kill myself because I thought I was the only gay man in the world.” Kramer’s play was one of the first in what has been an eloquent response from the artists of the theater to AIDS. As a result of Kramer’s anger, daring, and artistry, this disease is better understood.
Bibliography
Gilbey, Liz. “Being What We Are.” Plays International 9, no. 2 (October, 1993): 14-15. Discusses The Destiny of Me (1992), Kramer’s sequel to The Normal Heart. In The Destiny of Me, Ned Weeks (also the main character in The Normal Heart) reflects on his life and family.
Maggenti, Maria. “AIDS Movies: A Swelling Chorus.” Interview 23, no. 4 (April, 1993): 112. A brief but pointed interview with Kramer in which he talks about the problems he had getting The Normal Heart produced. For an early review of The Normal Heart, see The New York Times Book Review, January 4, 1979.
Shnayerson, Michael. “Kramer vs. Kramer.” Vanity Fair 55, no. 10 (October, 1992): 228+. An in-depth portrait of Kramer and his work. Discusses Kramer’s relationship to his family and friends, and to the organizations that he founded (Gay Men’s Health Crisis and ACT UP).
Winokur, L. A. “An Interview with Larry Kramer.” The Progressive 58, no. 6 (June, 1994): 32-35. An interview with Kramer in which he criticizes The New York Times coverage of AIDS and speaks about Barbara Streisand’s film version of The Normal Heart.
Zonana, Victor. “Larry Kramer.” The Advocate 617 (December 1, 1992): 40-48. Extensive interview with Kramer about cultural, political, and medical establishments in the United States. Mentions both The Normal Heart and its sequel, The Destiny of Me. The second part of the interview, focusing more on personal issues in Kramer’s life, such as his own health since being diagnosed as HIV-positive, was published in the December 15, 1992, issue of The Advocate.