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Act 5, Prologue
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in If We Were Villains, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Fate vs. Free Will
Identity and Disguise
Love and Sexuality
Theatre and Corruption
Summary
Analysis
In 1997 again, Camilo shows the fourth-years the set for King Lear. It’s made of mirrors that cover the floor and the walls, which creates a dazzling white effect when the stage lights are on. From the ceiling hang countless tiny stars in the shape of real constellations. Oliver closes his eyes and thinks of the last few weeks. Alexander, after his release from the hospital suffered withdrawal with Colin and Filippa supporting him. Oliver has spent alternate nights in James’s and Meredith’s room. He’s begun to see apparitions of the two of them in his mind along with his visions of Richard. Oliver opens his eyes and sees James holding a palm up to his own reflection. He stares at himself, then turns and stares at Oliver.
The set of King Lear is rich with symbolic meaning as the story hurtles toward a climax. Its mirrors evoke the struggles with identity that the students have been having, and its stars reference the intimate scenes between Oliver and James as well as the idea that the students are on the path to a tragic final act that is beyond their control. Oliver still hasn’t chosen between Meredith and James in a significant way—instead, he continues to split his time between the two of them, and the stress of it is getting to him. James’s attention to his reflection suggests that he’s having an identity crisis as he digs deeper into the role of Edmund.
Themes
