Blues for Mister Charlie (Masterplots II: African American Literature Series)
At a glance:
- Author: James Baldwin
- First Published: 1964
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Protest drama
- Time of Work: The 1950’s
- Setting: The American South
- Principal Characters: Richard Henry, Lyle Britten, Meridian Henry, Parnell James, Juanita, Papa D
- Genres: Social realism, Drama, Problem play
- Subjects: African Americans, Civil rights, Discrimination, Justice, Values, 1960’s, Racism, Murder or homicide, South or Southerners, Trials
- Locales: South (U.S.)
The Play
Blues for Mister Charlie is based on the case of Emmett Till, a young black man who was murdered in Mississippi in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman. The murderer was subsequently acquitted. The play is cyclical in its structure, opening and ending with the killing of Richard while occasionally utilizing a series of flashbacks to establish the reasons for Richard’s death. This structure allows for a focus on issues such as race, sex, and Christianity.
With Richard’s murder established at the very beginning, the action switches to show...
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See Also:
James Baldwin (Cyclopedia of World Authors)James Baldwin (Censorship)James Baldwin (Dictionary of World Biography)James Baldwin (Sixties in America)James Baldwin (Short Fiction)James Baldwin (Long Fiction)James Baldwin (Identities and Issues)James Baldwin (Drama)
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