Anowa - Phase I

I find it hard to read a play and not visualize the characters and settings in a mental picture. I see the stage described in the beginning, 2 lofts and characters entering and exiting from lower/upper right/left. I think that visualizing the play actually helps to understand it a lot.

Anowa, a beautiful, unique and confused woman who has lived out her young years is now a bit old to marry. The fact that she is unmarried is blamed on her parents by the Old Woman--one of the two components who make up 'The Mouth that eats Salt and Pepper" (bystanders of the story, speaking conversationally to the audience).

The first part of the play reads almost satirically to me. There are several instances in the first phase in which I can visualize a humorous scene:

• When the woman drops all of her stuff
• Anowa's entrance
• Old Man and Old Woman bickering at each other

--Visually these all could be funny.

The underlying theme of this phase is who is at fault for Anowa denying marriage so many times and a character analysis of Anowa.