Discusses the different concepts of home that the characters have.
They either stay and seek to preserve their home or they break out and try to find a new home somewhere else.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The Underlying Themes of the Play
2.1 European Identity
2.2 The Bosnian Conflict
3 The Characters’ Concepts of Home
3.1 Katia
3.2 Billy, Horse and Berlin
3.3 Sava and Fret
4 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines David Greig’s play Europe to explore how individual concepts of "home" are reshaped by the dual forces of global economic change and the trauma of war. By analyzing the experiences of various characters, the study investigates how displacement, the loss of national identity, and the struggle for survival in a changing landscape influence human behavior and the formation of a sense of belonging.
- The impact of globalization on local industrial identity
- The influence of war and genocide on the refugee experience
- The dichotomy between spatial "home" and idealistic "home"
- Strategies of coping with displacement and social exclusion
- The intersection of personal identity and national change
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Katia
At the beginning of the play, Katia appears to be a mysterious person. Sitting beside her sleeping father Sava, she remains silent for quite a long time and when she ignores Fret as he addresses her, she really seems to be apathetic. Adele describes Katia as “foreign”, “sophisticated”, “not local” (14). Being obviously fascinated by this girl, she goes even further and says that “she doesn’t look like she’d be local anywhere . . . No fixed abode, a traveller” (14-15), already giving a very apt characterization as it will turn out later on. Katia’s first lines reinforce this, especially “We expect nothing” (16), which sounds like a life motto. Fret’s interrogation contrasts her behaviour with his expectations, giving further prove of Katia’s outsider position.
It is Sava who gives the first explicit explanation of their situation: “We’ve been blown around from place to place for a long time and this is where we’ve come to rest. For now” (18). The wind image illustrates their rootlessness. They have nowhere to go, just following the wind like the leaves of a tree. They are refugees of a war that turned their home country into a place of death and decay: “Snipers on the rooftops, mortars in the suburbs” (30). At first Sava had insisted to stay, hoping for better times to come: “This is Europe. Honesty will prevail, sense will win, this war is an aberration” (30). This optimistic view has been destroyed when Katia got raped, their home has finally turned into a non-place, where living is impossible and the only way out is running away. Her terrible war experience has turned her into a homeless person, always on the run, with no hope to ever feel save again. Unlike her father, Katia does not want to rest, expressing her constant fear of being caught and sent back to the place she ran away from: “We were saver travelling. Keeping moving . . . We’re too visible ” (27-28). She also lost her belief in the goodness of human nature: “We’ll get sent back, they’ll leave us to rot in some transit camp over the border” (29).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of David Greig’s work and the core themes of globalization and war that drive the narrative of Europe.
2 The Underlying Themes of the Play: Examines how the play utilizes European identity and the Bosnian conflict as historical and social frameworks for the characters' experiences.
3 The Characters’ Concepts of Home: Analyzes how specific character groups (Katia; Billy, Horse and Berlin; Sava and Fret) navigate their changing environments and conflicting definitions of home.
4 Conclusion: Synthesizes the play's findings, highlighting that there is no singular solution to identity crises in a modern, shifting landscape.
Keywords
David Greig, Europe, Globalisation, Bosnian Conflict, Home, Homelessness, Identity, Displacement, Contemporary Scottish Drama, War, Exile, Belonging, Socio-economic change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on David Greig’s play Europe, specifically examining how characters define and struggle to maintain a sense of "home" amidst globalization and war.
Which central themes are analyzed in the work?
The core themes include European identity, the impact of the Bosnian war, the psychological effects of displacement, and the economic decline of small-town industries.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to understand how national and individual identities are constructed or eroded when traditional concepts of a safe, stable "home" are destroyed.
Which methodology is applied in this study?
The study utilizes a literary analysis approach, focusing on character dynamics, symbolic imagery (such as the "wind" and "sinking ship"), and contemporary critical perspectives on drama.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body breaks down the characters by their circumstances: war refugees (Katia and Sava), workers displaced by globalization (Berlin, Horse, Billy), and the town's static elements (Fret).
Which keywords characterize this analysis?
Key terms include globalization, homelessness, exile, identity, contemporary drama, and displacement.
How does the character of Katia represent the theme of displacement?
Katia represents the loss of a past and the trauma of being a refugee; she embodies the psychological toll of having no "place" to which one can return.
Why does Berlin struggle more than other characters with the change?
Berlin struggles because his entire sense of self-worth is tethered to his job and his established routine; when these are removed, he lacks the "imagination" to envision a future outside his town.
How do Sava and Fret view the concept of the railway station?
For both, the station is a spiritual space that represents order and their past lives; they find a sense of community and stability there, even as the world around them changes.
- Quote paper
- Christian Schäfer (Author), 2004, Home and homelessness in David Greig’s 'Europe', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/66523
