Alfred Hitchcock And Psycho And Peter Shaffer

Alfred Hitchcock And Psycho And Peter Shaffer

Alfred Hitchcock in the film Psycho and Peter Shaffer in his stage production Equus both explore the true nightmares that manifest from sexual and emotional repression. The writers emphasise the motives and the reason for the characters actions opposed to how the causations of this repression occurred. Conversely, both works draw on the common theme of the disturbed human psyche, offering a critical perspective on the upbringing of each individual with regards to their early development, each characters subcontious fixations and abnormal behaviours through the use characters behaviours and representations. The characters Norman Bates and Marion Crane in Psycho and Allan Strang and Martin Dysart of Equus all face internal struggles against ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...This is seen to when Shaffer displays Alan, front and in centre in order to intensify the effect bringing true significance to his actions. Alan is seen to 'thrash himself' as he chants, "Flankus begat Spankus. And Spankus begat..." By Shaffer placing Alan in this position audience is drawn away from Frank presenting the scene and is drawn to Alan as the audience is in horror as Alan presents his ritualistic behaviour. The nouns 'Flankus' and ' Spankus' all have symbolistic features all linking back to horses, moreover, this is further interconnected through the symbolism displayed through the 'bridle'. By Alans new found god, he appeals to Franks ideals of a disinterest of Christianity. Although, by the chanting and ritualistic recreation of the martyrdom of Jesus Christ through self punishment and torture, Alan succeeds in fulfilling the religious worship and ideologies that Dora wants Allan to follow.



Further to this sexual and emotional repression, both Shaffer and Hitchcock realise the explosive and unsafe nature possessed by the characters in indescribable and unknown behaviours. Equus ' portrayal of the Alan Strang's infatuation with horses indicates the filtration and display of emotions through a widely accepted activity by society. Alan's adoration for with the horses however is his key link to his sexual repression as Alan describes how his horse Nugget left "sweat on [his] legs from [his] neck" and that Nuggets "sides were all warm." The

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