Osage County and Pawhuska Oklahoma is a real place that is located on the Kansas border. It was settled in 1871 by the Osage tribe when they fled Kansas. Osage is the largest county in Oklahoma and is the Gateway to Tall Grass Prairie land. The American settlers were mainly German, English and Irish. To learn more about Pawhuska click below www.wildwesttour.com/communities/pawhuska.htm -
Mission Table is a round sturdy hand crafted table with a religious background. When the Spanish Monks encountered the Native Americans and began spreading the word of the Catholic Church. Missions were formed and needed furniture. The art forms heritage is strongly rooted in America and is commonly found in country homes.
Rotary Dial Telephone is a manual phone that was phased out is the 1970’s. This is important because the last time any updates were done to the house was in 1972. You can see images of a rotary dial on the following link. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_dial
Wurlitzer Electric Piano was popular during the 60’s and most popular during the 70’s much like Beverly Weston’s career. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_piano
Monevata is Indian and means “young bird” in English. This is important because this Johnnas last name who is the house keeper. That Beverly hired just before his disappearance to care for his wife. ( Prologue, page 12)
Shotgun is referred to by Steve while smoking pot with Jean and he offers a “Shotgun” that refers to a particular way a joint is smoked. By placing the lit end of the joint in a person’s mouth them blowing smoke into a recipients mouth. This has often been seen as sexual. It is like kissing but not really kissing. ( Act 3, Scene 1, page 117)
Weston is the family name and is derived from Old English and means “West Town”. Pawhuska is a part of the “Wild West”.
Pawhuska, in the Osage Indian language, means white hair. White Hair was the principal Indian chief when Pawhuska was located hence the town was named for him.(Act 1, Scene 1, page 26) www.okolha.net/anadarko_american_democrat.htm -
The Wallace Stevens Award is given annually to recognize outstanding and proven mastery in the art of poetry. Established in 1994, the award now carries a stipend of $100,000 for the recipient. No applications are accepted www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/107 - This is important because this is the award that Beverly Watson won so you can get an idea of the type of poet he was. (Act 1, Scene 3, page 45)
The beaded pouch that Johnna wears is deep Native American tradition and is common amongst those from the plains states. This shows her strong roots. www.native-languages.org/bags.htm - ( Act 1, Scene 2, page 44)
Lay Down Sally by Eric Clapton is Violets favorite song that she likes to play and dance to. I also think the lyrics are important it gives you an insight to Violet and her relationship with her husband. Clapton also struggled with his own substance abuse like Violet. Lay Down Sally is on the album Slow Hand that was released in 1977 and the #1 song was Cocaine. Violet loves this album and family members make references and jokes about Violet being a Clapton fan. This is so significant that time stood for the Weston’s after the 70’s www.lyricsdomain.com/5/eric_clapton/lay_down_sally.html - ( Act 1, Scene 3, page 55)
Tulsa University is where Beverly taught for many years and does have a recognized English Department. In the play it is referred to TU. (Act 1, Scene 1, page 27)
Lon Chaney is mentioned because Jean is watching Phantom of the Opera on T.V. after returning from her grandfather’s funeral. Lon Chaney starred in the silent film in 1925. Violet also can be looked at a Phantom in her own house. (Act 2, Scene 1, page 68)
Winston Cigarettes is what Violet smoke and was ranked #1 between 1966-1972 this is important because this was Violet and Beverly’s glory years in the art world. (Prologue, page 13)
“Here we go round the prickly pear Prickly pear prickly pear Here we go round the prickly pear” is what Beverly says at the end of the prologue before Act 1. This is the last time we see him. This line is from T.S. Eliots Of Hollow Men and is very important due to the meaning of the poem. He also gives Johnna a book of his poems. (Prologue, page 16) At the end of the play she sing to Violet “This is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends….” It also is important to note the last line of that stanza is omitted "Not with a bang but a whimper." This is how Beverly chose to exit this world.Once again there is no reference to the source of the poem. The audience would gain a better insight if they knew the source but is imperative that those in the play read and understand Of Hollow Men. (Act 3, Scene 5, page 133) poetry.poetryx.com/poems/784 -
Lake Pawhuska is a 96 acre lake with clear water and a rocky shore line located 3 miles from Pawhuska on Highway 60 and 2 miles south on the county road. This is important because this is where Beverly committed suicide by drowning. This is where he loved to fish on his Pontoon boat and escape. (Act 1, Scene 4, page 51)
Country Fried Potatoes is the traditional way to make potatoes in that part of Oklahoma. This is preferred to mashed and when they say fried potatoes they do not mean French Fries. (Act 2, Scene 1, page 61)
John Berryman a poet famous for his poem Dream Songs. He was born in Oklahoma. He struggled with alcohol most his adult life like Beverly and also commited suicide when he threw himself off a bridge in Minneapolis landing on a pile of frozen rocks. It is important to understand Bev’s reference in the Prologue. (Prologue, page 10) project1.caryacademy.org/.../John_Berryman/DefaultJohn_Berryman.htm
Hart Crane a poet famous for his poem The Bridge also struggled with alcohol and also committed suicide when he leaped off the deck of the S.S. Orizba ( a ship ) in Florida. These are important references because T.S. Eliot did not commit suicide. Beverly credits Eliot for committing his first wife Viv to an asylum and “getting on with his day”.(Prologue, page 10) www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/crane/crane.htm
Doll house style archerticure that is of the Westons home date back to Europe primarly in Holland , England , Germany and England. It is often called a “play house” made up of adult things. One can also look at Henry Ibssen’s play A Doll House to reference the Weston home.familyassociatedcontent.com/.../henrik_ibsens_a_dolls_house_as_social.html -
Dilaudid is one of the many pills Violet takes and is used as a subsitute for morphine with heroine addicts. It causes a since of euphoria and has a bad reaction with ones motor skills.
