Equus begins to mock alan to the point that the boy

Equus begins to "mock" Alan to the point that the boy is in both physical and mental distress at
the idea that he has failed his god. At the very climax of the scene, Alan retaliates to Equus's
taunts by stabbing out the eyes of each horse. Following this, Alan is immediately seized with
Latifi 4

guilt, "yelling in hysteria as he collapses on the ground—stabbing at his own eyes with the
invisible pick" (106) and begging Equus to "find" him and "kill" him. The scene ends, Dysart
soothing Alan with the promise of "no more bad dreams [or] awful nights" (107). This scene also
demonstrates the power Equus now assumes over Dysart. When Alan falls asleep, Dysart says
that Equus "won't really go that easily," suggesting that Alan's account moved Dysart so much
that the psychiatrist himself can no longer deny the powerful effects of the passion of Equus. In
freeing Alan from the power of Equus, Dysart surrenders himself in exchange for the boy's peace
of mind.
Equus is a play that challenges conventional views of religion, suggesting that passion is
what drives people to behave the way they do within a system of beliefs. Shaffer successfully
redefines religious fanaticism and forces the reader to consider that while the practices of
religion itself may come across as questionable or even ridiculous, it is the passion behind the
practice that drives those who follow it. Shaffer suggests that a life that lacks passion is banal,
and Dysart's metamorphosis effectively illustrates this idea. Alan initially comes across as
borderline psychopath, but as Dysart discovers, there is more to the story than what is
immediately understood by Alan's parents. Shaffer suggests that religion, at its very root, is
grounded in an innate human desire to be passionate about something other than just oneself. He
transforms Dysart from a psychiatrist leading an "average" life to a friend who sacrifices himself
so that Alan can live free of guilt. Alan finds refuge in Equus based on the fact he has nothing
else to live for at that point in his life, and when Equus overpowers Alan, Alan retaliates the only
way he knows how. Shaffer demonstrates through this that acts of passion should be explored
rather than feared, and when Dysart surrenders himself to Equus on Alan's behalf, he is truly able
to experience what it means to make a decision that extends beyond oneself.
Latifi 5

Works Cited
Shaffer, Peter. Equus . Penguin Books, 2006.
Latifi 6