Summary

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Beginning
Edson's play Wit opens with the protagonist, Vivian Bearing, entering an empty stage, pushing an IV pole. She is dressed in two hospital gowns (one facing forward, the other backward) and a baseball cap. She appears thin, barefoot, and bald. She turns to the audience and addresses them directly, initially with a feigned sense of cheerfulness, then reverting to her usual formal demeanor. Her first line is, "Hi. How are you feeling today?" This line will be echoed throughout the play by different characters, often highlighting the play’s underlying theme—that despite these words being spoken, the speakers are indifferent to the response.

Within the first few minutes, the entire premise of the drama unfolds before the audience. They discover who Bearing is, learn about her life’s work, and are made aware that she will succumb to ovarian cancer within the play’s two-hour duration. Bearing sets the stage for the play’s ironic tone and the obvious theatrical devices, such as breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience.

Dr. Harvey Kelekian then enters in a flashback scene where Bearing is first informed of her cancer diagnosis. Kelekian delivers the news in highly technical terms and a detached tone. Bearing, in turn, critiques his vocabulary, revealing her tendency to retreat into intellect to avoid confronting her emotions. Kelekian continues to explain the medical aspects of her condition, while Bearing vocalizes her thought process, deciding she must read up on cancer and compile a bibliography, much like she would for a literary research project.

Kelekian and Bearing then converse directly. Kelekian states, "The tumor is spreading very quickly, and this treatment is very aggressive. So far, so good?" This remark displays his insensitivity toward Bearing’s emotional state. He delivers devastating news, then follows it with a cliché, seemingly oblivious to its impact.

Bearing takes pride in her resilience and her relentless quest for knowledge. "I am tough," she asserts, "Never one to turn from a challenge." She then explains to the audience that these traits led her to study John Donne. At this point, E. M. Ashford, Bearing’s former professor and mentor, enters in another flashback. A brief exchange between Bearing and Ashford introduces the audience to one of Donne’s central themes—death.

Susie Monahan, a nurse, and Jason Posner, a clinical fellow, are then introduced. These two characters will play significant roles in Bearing’s interactions throughout the rest of the play. Susie represents the compassionate aspect of Bearing’s medical care, while Jason embodies the clinical and detached side.

Middle
Bearing endures the intense chemical treatments for her cancer and feels their harsh effects. She mentions that she is learning to endure suffering. Despite her increasing pain, Bearing continues to shield herself with her sharp wit. She observes her own condition as if she were analyzing a poem. "It is just like a graduate seminar," she remarks during a humiliating, prolonged examination by a group of interns. "Once I did the teaching," she reflects, "now I am taught."

Through these examinations, the audience sees Jason's precise and calculated nature. His intellect and ambition are on par with Bearing's. Bearing even feels a sense of pride in Jason's meticulousness. "I taught him, you know," she recalls, noting that Jason was once a student in her literature class. However, at the end of the examination, Jason needs to be reminded to treat Bearing as a human being.

Following this exam, Bearing recalls a memory from when she was five years old. She shares a brief conversation with her father, showcasing her early love for language. Bearing hopes to use language to stay objective...

(This entire section contains 851 words.)

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throughout her hospital ordeal.

End
The heavy chemical treatments have taken a severe toll on Bearing. Susie, understanding Bearing's pain, suggests to Jason that the dosage be reduced. Jason refuses. From this point until the play's conclusion, Susie assumes a more prominent role. She informs Bearing of her rights, including the choice of whether to be resuscitated if her heart stops. Bearing realizes the irony that she will die from the treatment, not the disease.

Even as her body fails, Bearing's wit remains sharp. In a final moment of imagination, she envisions a classroom full of students. She draws strength from her passion for challenging her students with John Donne's poetry. Her imaginary lecture is interrupted by Susie, who tells her that more medical tests are needed.

From this moment, Bearing's physical decline accelerates. However, her emotions begin to surface. She admits to feeling scared, finding solace only in human kindness and empathy. She seeks comfort from Jason, but he cannot provide it. Only Susie manages to ease Bearing's fears.

In the play's final moments, Susie battles Jason for Bearing's right to die with dignity. In these last seconds, Bearing realizes that life demands more than intellect and wit; it also requires human kindness. Bearing shows that she has found her soul by letting go of Donne, language, and intellect. She slowly rises from the hospital bed, removes her baseball cap and hospital gown, and walks naked toward the light.

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Themes