RENT is a rock-opera musical written in the 1990s by Jonathan Larson. The show highlights young adults living with disease, poverty, and drug-use during the turn of the century in New York City. Many of the characters featured in RENT are struggling artists, vying for others to listen to their opinion. Many consider the musical to be a modernized version of Puccini’s La bohème, an opera written in the 1800s about struggling young bohemians. In La bohème, one of the characters ultimately dies from tuberculosis, while in RENT many of the characters deal with the implications of HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS, or human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is life-threatening disease that affects millions of people throughout the …show more content…
Contrary to stereotypes, RENT showcases a variety of characters dealing with HIV and AIDS that come from multiple sexual orientations, races, and backgrounds. In RENT, the primary characters inflicted with HIV/AIDS are Collins, Angel, Mimi, and Roger. These characters all have their own unique traits—they do not collectively fit into a single “mold” of HIV/AIDS patients. Collins is a homosexual philosophy professor of African-American descent, while Angel is a multi-cultural drag queen (possibly transgender). Meanwhile, Mimi, a Latina S&M dancer, and Roger, a white musician, are both heterosexual. Larson uses these characterizations to disprove stereotypes and show that HIV/AIDS is a disease that affects a variety of people. Along with the characters’ different backgrounds, they each have different coping methods. According to a research study done by Ashley M. Archiopoli, each of these four characters falls into a “spectrum” on the Lifestyle Integration Continuum. Archiopoli …show more content…
By placing the characters on the spectrum, viewers are better able to understand that AIDS affects a wide variety of people who deal with the diagnosis in a number of ways. Archiopoli considers Mimi, the S&M dancer, un-integrated because she still continues the risky-behaviors that could have contributed to her HIV positive status (75). Angel however, is externally integrated—despite dealing with AIDS herself, she encourages others to become accepting and live life to their fullest (Archiopoli 75). These different perceptions of the disease further prove the diversity within AIDS patients. In addition to the diversity of race, sexuality, gender, and profession, the characters have varying personalities. In fact, these differences in upbringing may account for the characters’ unique perception of the disease. There is no specific type of person who contracts AIDS, and not all AIDS victims are reckless and unthinking. While certainly some patients, such as Mimi, may be immature and irresponsible during coping, others, such as Angel or Collins, are victims of circumstance. With wisdom and maturity, they understand and respect the immensity of the disease and make effort to better themselves and educate others. Larson uses this diversity to counter the belief that AIDS is a “gay disease” or only affects a
HIV/AIDS, or human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is life-threatening disease that affects millions of people throughout the …show more content…
Contrary to stereotypes, RENT showcases a variety of characters dealing with HIV and AIDS that come from multiple sexual orientations, races, and backgrounds. In RENT, the primary characters inflicted with HIV/AIDS are Collins, Angel, Mimi, and Roger. These characters all have their own unique traits—they do not collectively fit into a single “mold” of HIV/AIDS patients. Collins is a homosexual philosophy professor of African-American descent, while Angel is a multi-cultural drag queen (possibly transgender). Meanwhile, Mimi, a Latina S&M dancer, and Roger, a white musician, are both heterosexual. Larson uses these characterizations to disprove stereotypes and show that HIV/AIDS is a disease that affects a variety of people. Along with the characters’ different backgrounds, they each have different coping methods. According to a research study done by Ashley M. Archiopoli, each of these four characters falls into a “spectrum” on the Lifestyle Integration Continuum. Archiopoli …show more content…
By placing the characters on the spectrum, viewers are better able to understand that AIDS affects a wide variety of people who deal with the diagnosis in a number of ways. Archiopoli considers Mimi, the S&M dancer, un-integrated because she still continues the risky-behaviors that could have contributed to her HIV positive status (75). Angel however, is externally integrated—despite dealing with AIDS herself, she encourages others to become accepting and live life to their fullest (Archiopoli 75). These different perceptions of the disease further prove the diversity within AIDS patients. In addition to the diversity of race, sexuality, gender, and profession, the characters have varying personalities. In fact, these differences in upbringing may account for the characters’ unique perception of the disease. There is no specific type of person who contracts AIDS, and not all AIDS victims are reckless and unthinking. While certainly some patients, such as Mimi, may be immature and irresponsible during coping, others, such as Angel or Collins, are victims of circumstance. With wisdom and maturity, they understand and respect the immensity of the disease and make effort to better themselves and educate others. Larson uses this diversity to counter the belief that AIDS is a “gay disease” or only affects a