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Millennium Approaches: Act 3, Scene 5
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Angels in America, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Homosexuality in the AIDS Era
Prophets and Prophecies
Progressivism, Conservatism, and Change
Fantasy, Escape, and Tragedy
The Clash between People and Principles
Summary
Analysis
Prior wakes up in his apartment to find Prior I and Prior II standing over him, illuminated by flames. They tell Prior that “tonight’s the night”—the night that “she” arrives.
Kushner has taken a long time building up to this moment—the moment that Prior receives his glorious prophecy, surrounded by his ancestors.
Themes
Prior angrily tells his ancestors, “fuck off!” Instead, Prior I and Prior II urge Prior to dance. They tell Prior to close his eyes. When Prior opens his eyes, he finds Louis standing before him. Louis asks Prior to dance with him—Prior refuses, thinking that Louis must be a ghost. Louis tells Prior that he’s spent all day wishing he could be with Prior. Amazed, Prior gets out of bed and begins dancing with Louis. As Louis and Prior dance, Prior I and Prior II agree that they don’t like it here in the 20th century—they disappear.
In this poignant moment, we see the restorative power of fantasy and fiction. Louis and Prior are separated by AIDS, and yet they’re free to enjoy each other’s company in their dreams. This raises an interesting question—whose fantasy is this, Louis’s or Prior’s, or both? Part of what’s so unique about Kushner’s idea of fantasy is that it can be shared; here, it’s as if both Prior and Louis are dreaming of their reunion.
Themes
