Characters Discussed
Chance Wayne
Chance Wayne, a handsome would-be actor who did not “make it” in Hollywood and is now a gigolo. He has maneuvered his traveling companion, Princess Kosmonopolis, to visit his birthplace, St. Cloud, a small town on the Gulf of Mexico. His plan is to get the princess, who is really a faded film star, Alexandra Del Lago, to help him and Heavenly Finley, the youthful sweetheart he had deserted, begin careers in the motion picture industry. During their short stay, however, he learns that Heavenly has had a hysterectomy, because of his having given her a venereal disease, and that her father, Boss Finley, and her brother, Tom Junior, are waiting to castrate Chance if he ever shows his face in St. Cloud again. As the play ends, Chance recognizes that his youth has passed, that his dreams of stardom and Heavenly will never materialize, and that he must wait for the inevitable with what the playwright calls “deathbed dignity.”
Princess Kosmonopolis
Princess Kosmonopolis, also known as Alexandra Del Lago, a film star traveling incognito after fleeing from a preview showing of her “comeback” film. She uses every service and distraction Chance offers, from oxygen, pills, liquor, and hashish to sex. She cannot forget, however, what she believes to be her failed attempt to return to motion pictures as a middle-aged woman. Toward the end of the play, she learns that her film is a success, and she offers to take Chance with her on the return trip to Hollywood, but he declines. She, too, has lost the “sweet bird of youth,” but time has allowed her a slight reprieve.
Boss Finley
Boss Finley, the father of Heavenly and Tom Junior, a caricature of a “redneck” pre-civil rights politician. His concern for his daughter stems from his fear of what gossip about her will do to his election campaign. He has bullied his son into complete compliance; even his mistress, Miss Lucy, has neither respect nor love for him. As Heavenly reminds him, it was he who drove the young, clean Chance away years ago because he wanted his daughter to marry an older man from whom he hoped to profit. His character becomes clear when he tells his daughter how he had bought her mother a diamond clip as she lay dying—to prove to her that she was going to recover—and then had gotten a refund before the funeral.
Miss Lucy
Miss Lucy, Boss Finley’s mistress for years. She is disloyal to him, secretly encouraging the Heckler, who has interrupted Finley’s youth rallies before, by asking questions about Heavenly’s operation. She tries unsuccessfully to urge Chance to escape his fated castration by leaving with the princess while he has the opportunity.
Aunt Nonnie
Aunt Nonnie, the sister of Heavenly’s dead mother, dependent on Boss, who had a part in the original love affair between Chance and Heavenly. Now she reminds Chance that time has passed for Heavenly, too, and that nothing can come of his “plans” for them to win a Youth Search in Hollywood. She warns him to leave St. Cloud while he can.
Heavenly Finley
Heavenly Finley, Chance’s sweetheart, who blames her father for much of what has happened to her. She does, however, appear at his side in “virginal white” at his television rally and has agreed to marry Dr. George Scudder, although she threatens going into a convent. She is a very weak person whose only chance for happiness ended when she was not allowed to marry her young lover.
Tom Finley, Jr.
Tom Finley, Jr., Heavenly’s brother, a wild young man whose...
(This entire section contains 752 words.)
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indiscretions have been paid for by his father.
Dr. George Scudder
Dr. George Scudder, the chief surgeon at St. Cloud Hospital, which was put up by Boss Finley. He operated on Heavenly and will marry her, but he wants nothing to do with plans for the castration, even though he agrees in principle that it is deserved.
Hatcher
Hatcher, the assistant manager of the Royal Palms Hotel, who tries without success to get the princess to leave St. Cloud.
The Heckler
The Heckler, who has taken a number of beatings but continues to appear whenever Boss Finley holds a rally.
Scotty
Scotty and
Bud
Bud, former friends of Chance. They participate with Tom Junior in the final coup de grâce at the end of the play.
Stuff
Stuff, a bartender in the hotel who remembers Chance from the old days and hates him.
Characters
Bud
Bud, a native of St. Cloud, once shared a friendly relationship with Chance.
However, when Bud and his friends encounter Chance in the hotel cocktail
lounge, Bud behaves quite cruelly. Like many others, he is skeptical of
Chance's claims about himself. By the play's conclusion, Bud assists Tom Junior
in the implied castration of Chance.
Charles
Charles serves as a servant in the Finley household.
Alexandra del Lago
Refer to Princess Kosmonopolis.
Heavenly Finley
Heavenly Finley, the daughter of Boss Finley and sister to Tom Junior, is the
object of Chance Wayne's obsession. Their romantic relationship ended after she
contracted a sexually transmitted disease from him, which, untreated, led to a
hysterectomy at a young age. Heavenly still harbors resentment towards her
father for preventing her from marrying Chance before he became corrupted.
Despite her struggles, Chance continues to see Heavenly as a symbol of his lost
youth—a past he yearns to reclaim but never does.
Tom Finley, Junior
Tom Junior, the son of Boss Finley and brother to Heavenly, follows in his
father's political footsteps. Although he lacks his father's power, he has
organized the Youth for Boss Finley club and acts in various ways to support
his father's interests. Tom Junior spearheads efforts to drive Chance Wayne out
of town. Given free rein by his father, Tom Junior plans to castrate Chance as
revenge if he refuses to leave. By the play's end, this outcome seems imminent
as Chance remains defiant.
Boss Tom J. Finley
Boss Finley, a prominent political figure in St. Cloud, is the father of Tom
Junior and Heavenly. He is a harsh and domineering man, furious at Chance's
return to town. Years ago, Finley prevented Chance from marrying Heavenly, a
decision that influenced Chance's subsequent choices and indirectly led to
Heavenly's illness. Though protective of his daughter, Finley has also
attempted to marry her off to several older men. He relishes wielding power
over others.
Fly
Fly, an African-American waiter at the hotel, serves coffee and Bromo to Chance
at the start of Sweet Bird of Youth. Chance promises Fly a generous tip
because Fly remembers him from better days. In act 2, scene 2, Fly delivers a
message to Chance, who only gives it a quick glance.
Dan Hatcher
Dan Hatcher, the assistant manager of the Royal Palms Hotel in St. Cloud,
Florida, oversees the stay of Princess Kosmonopolis and Chance Wayne, as well
as the venue for Boss Finley's political rally. Hatcher informs George Scudder
of Chance's check-in at the hotel and collaborates with the Finley family to
expel Chance from both the hotel and the town.
The Heckler
The Heckler is a hillbilly who attends Boss Finley’s political rallies to
expose his hypocrisy by asking pointed questions. Miss Lucy helps him gain
entry into a rally at the Royal Palms Hotel. During the event, he inquires
about the operation that Heavenly Finley underwent. After posing his question,
he is beaten up.
Princess Kosmonopolis
Princess Kosmonopolis is the alias of Alexandra del Lago, a middle-aged actress
and a central character in the play. She feels ashamed of her life as an aging
starlet and is embarrassed by her latest work. At the play’s start, the
Princess does not recognize Chance or know where they are.
Gradually, the Princess recalls that Chance is her driver and gigolo. She fears being alone but understands that while Chance has been caring for her, he expects something in return. Chance desires a studio contract, a way to get Heavenly out of town, and material symbols of success to flaunt to the locals. Although the Princess temporarily provides the first and last, it does not alter Chance’s fate.
The Princess attempts to help Chance leave town, but he refuses to go. Like Chance, she fears aging and the passage of time, yet she is more realistic about her situation than Chance is about his.
Miss Lucy
Miss Lucy is Boss Finley’s mistress and resides in a hotel room paid for by
him. Finley’s control over her is crucial to him. When he discovers she has
said he is too old for sex, he snaps a jewelry box on her fingers, causing
injury. In retaliation, Miss Lucy helps The Heckler gain access to the rally.
While she wishes to harm Boss Finley, she is uneasy about The Heckler’s implied
attack on Heavenly. Miss Lucy is among those advising Chance to leave town,
even offering him a ride to the airport.
Aunt Nonnie
Aunt Nonnie, the sister of Chance Wayne’s deceased mother, now seems to work or
live with the Finleys. She facilitated the past relationship between Heavenly
and Chance, which Boss Finley resents. Nonnie urges Chance to leave town and
pleads with Boss Finley and Tom Junior to avoid violence against him. She
recognizes that Chance’s obsessions with Heavenly and acting stem from a futile
desire to return to his pure youthful state.
Scotty
Scotty is a local from St. Cloud who used to be friendly with Chance. When
Scotty and his friends encounter Chance in the hotel cocktail lounge, Scotty is
rather cold and skeptical of Chance’s claims about himself. In the play’s
conclusion, Scotty assists Tom Junior with Chance’s implied castration.
George Scudder
George Scudder is a physician in St. Cloud and serves as the chief of staff at
the local hospital. He performed the surgery on Heavenly after her sexually
transmitted disease became severe. Scudder is also rumored to be Heavenly
Finley’s future husband. Although he owes much to the Finley family, it is
Scudder who approaches Chance at the start of the play to understand his
intentions and warn him about impending trouble. Scudder informs Chance that
his mother has passed away and that Heavenly has faced significant difficulties
since Chance last saw her. Scudder had previously attempted to contact Chance
regarding both issues, but Chance was unreachable. When Tom Junior tries to
involve Scudder in his plans for revenge against Chance, Scudder refuses
because it could jeopardize his career.
Stuff
Stuff is the bartender at the Royal Palms Hotel’s cocktail lounge. He has only
recently taken this job, having previously worked as a soda jerk at a
drugstore. While Stuff once admired Chance, he is now a member of the Youth for
Boss Finley club. It is Stuff who informs Tom Junior about Miss Lucy’s comments
regarding Boss Finley’s inability to have sex. This information causes trouble
for Finley’s mistress and leads to Finley seeking revenge.
Chance Wayne
Chance Wayne is one of the main characters in the play. He has returned to his
hometown of St. Cloud to visit his mother and to take his girlfriend, Heavenly,
to Hollywood. Chance arrives under challenging circumstances. Now twenty-nine
years old, his primary occupation is as a gigolo. When Chance first left St.
Cloud, it was to pursue a career in acting. Although he had some opportunities,
he failed to capitalize on them. Instead, Chance found more success in romantic
entanglements with wealthy New York socialites, a lifestyle he returned to
after serving in the Navy and recovering from a breakdown.
Due to Chance’s elusive lifestyle, he was unaware that his mother had died and that Heavenly had suffered a devastating loss from a sexually transmitted disease he had given her during a previous visit. Although Chance still loves Heavenly, he is oblivious to the impact his actions have had on her and the community.
Chance has also returned to St. Cloud to prove to everyone that he is a success. While he is obsessed with reclaiming his fading youth, he also shows some compassion for the Princess. In the end, despite numerous warnings that he will be harmed (castrated) if he stays, Chance refuses to leave town.
