The Layering of Narrative in Blood Relations by Sharon Pollock
Blood Relations by Sharon Pollock opens in a present-day setting with two characters and a simple narrative. The simplicity of the story quickly changes into a complex, layered story which bounces back and forth between present day set in 1902, the day of Lizzie Borden’s trial in 1893, and the “dream- thesis” in 1892. Blood Relations is written using various layers of narrative which keeps the reader engaged with the constantly changing setting of the play. By shifting between characters and times, the reader gets a feel for the chaotic atmosphere of the original event. The complexity of the layers of the play is reflective of the complexity of the murder mystery being recounted. …show more content…
The play jumps from the time proper in 1902, to the time of the trial in 1893, to the day of the murder in 1892. The trial and the day of the murder are being recounted from memory, which, like the story itself, has many gaps. The breaks in the story elevate the reader’s sense of confusion but keeps the reader engaged and interested. As the reader continues through the story guided by the dialogue between Lizzie Borden and her actress friend, there is a feel for how the actress experiences the …show more content…
Lizzie and the actress decide to re-enact the day of the murder for which Lizzie has been tried and acquitted. To reflect the chaos of the account Pollock has Lizzie play the role of her maid, Bridget, while the actress, who has no knowledge of true outcome, plays the role of Lizzie Borden. The ignorance that the actress has to the actual event replicates the ignorance the reader experiences. Pollock then adds characters whom are completely imaginary to further develop the elaborate layers of the narrative. In mixing up the roles that the characters play, Pollock captures the disarray of the event. The confusion of the characters urges the reader to second guess which character made which statement or played which action; this fits seamlessly into the confusion of a murder
Blood Relations by Sharon Pollock opens in a present-day setting with two characters and a simple narrative. The simplicity of the story quickly changes into a complex, layered story which bounces back and forth between present day set in 1902, the day of Lizzie Borden’s trial in 1893, and the “dream- thesis” in 1892. Blood Relations is written using various layers of narrative which keeps the reader engaged with the constantly changing setting of the play. By shifting between characters and times, the reader gets a feel for the chaotic atmosphere of the original event. The complexity of the layers of the play is reflective of the complexity of the murder mystery being recounted. …show more content…
The play jumps from the time proper in 1902, to the time of the trial in 1893, to the day of the murder in 1892. The trial and the day of the murder are being recounted from memory, which, like the story itself, has many gaps. The breaks in the story elevate the reader’s sense of confusion but keeps the reader engaged and interested. As the reader continues through the story guided by the dialogue between Lizzie Borden and her actress friend, there is a feel for how the actress experiences the …show more content…
Lizzie and the actress decide to re-enact the day of the murder for which Lizzie has been tried and acquitted. To reflect the chaos of the account Pollock has Lizzie play the role of her maid, Bridget, while the actress, who has no knowledge of true outcome, plays the role of Lizzie Borden. The ignorance that the actress has to the actual event replicates the ignorance the reader experiences. Pollock then adds characters whom are completely imaginary to further develop the elaborate layers of the narrative. In mixing up the roles that the characters play, Pollock captures the disarray of the event. The confusion of the characters urges the reader to second guess which character made which statement or played which action; this fits seamlessly into the confusion of a murder