for

"Quills"

 ANALYSIS INFORMATION: 

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General Storytelling:	Complete
Act Order Storytelling:	Complete
Character List:	Complete
Build Characters:	Partial

 

 

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Author:		Doug Wright
Analysis sources:		Cates, Gilbert. "To Our Audience," Performing Arts October 1996. Wright, Doug. "Playwright Doug Wright Talks About His Play Quills," Performing Arts October 1996. Wright, Doug. Quills. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1996.
Genre:		"The play is written, I hope, with all the fervor and self-consciousness of true melodrama" (Wright 5).
Setting:		Charenton Asylum
Period:		1807
Analysis by:		Katy E. Monahan Huntley

Comments:

Madeleine

Some things belong on paper, others in life.

It's a blessed fool who can't tell the difference.

(Wright 22)

Although he does not take it to the same extremes as the Marquis de Sade, playwright Doug Wright explores the controversial area of art and censorship in Quills. In terms of the Dramatica theory, the author makes a complete argument with four viable throughlines. The storytelling addresses the compelling issues of what constitutes pornography, how influential is pornography on one's behavior, and what, if any, responsibilities lie with the author and with the audience. In an interview Wright explains:

. . . I think art is a very safe cage in which to house "the beast within." We have an obligation to examine--unflinchingly, and without fear--our very darkest impulses. Without that kind of scrutiny, how can we ever hope to truly understand ourselves, our world

(P9).

Brief Synopsis:

As Dr. Royer-Collard takes on the position of chief physician of the Charenton Asylum, it comes to his attention that a most notorious patient resides within--the Marquis de Sade. At Royer-Collard's behest, Abbe de Coulmier is enlisted to reform the madman--specifically to stop the Marquis from writing sadomasochistic pornography.

Objective Character Mini-Synopsis:

Dr. Royer-Collard--Chief physician of the Charenton asylum. He hires Monsieur Prouix--A celebrated architect, to create a fabulous chateau to contain Madame Royer-Collard--The Doctor's wife, a woman of considerable appetites. He cannot finance this venture without misusing the funds donated by Renee Pelagie--The grief-stricken wife of a madman who desires to reestablish herself in polite society. Dr. Royer-Collard orders Abbe de Coulmier--Administrator at the asylum, to stop The Marquis--The asylum's most notorious inmate, from producing works of pornography that so entertain Madeleine Leclerc--The seamstress at Charenton; sixteen and quite lovely, but whose demise it at the hands of another Sade fan, Bouchon--A madman heard through a chink in the wall.

THE OBJECTIVE CHARACTERS:

Name: Abbe de Coulmier

Gender: Male

Description:

Kind; slightly obtuse

Role: Asylum Administrator

Characteristics:

Motivation: Pursuit; Faith; Conscience;

Evaluation: Unproven; Trust;

Purpose: Change; Order; Aware;

Name: The Marquis de Sade

Gender: Male

Description:

Brilliant, perverse, witty, anti-hypocritical

Role: Notorious Inmate

Characteristics:

Motivation: Disbelief; Avoidance; Temptation;

Methodology: Nonacceptance; Proaction;

Evaluation: Test;

Purpose: Inertia; Chaos; Self Aware;

Name: Bouchon

Gender: Male

Description:

Susceptible to stories

Role: Lunatic

Characteristics:

Motivation: Uncontrolled; Hinder;

Methodology: Reaction;

Name: Dr. Royer-Collard

Gender: Male

Description:

Pompous, astute in his career, oblivious to what happens at home

Role: Chief Physician

Characteristics:

Motivation: Oppose; Reconsider; Control; Logic;

Evaluation: Proven; Cause; Ending;

Name: Madame Royer-Collard

Gender: Female

Description:

Amoral

Role: Dr.'s wife

Characteristics:

Evaluation: Effect; Unending;

Name: Madeleine Leclerc

Gender: Female

Description:

Buxom and bouncy; street smart, yet innocent

Role: Seamstress

Characteristics:

Motivation: Support; Help;

Methodology: Acceptance;

Name: Monsieur Prouix

Gender: Male

Description:

Adept at saying what people want to hear; selective with his own listening skills

Role: Architect

Characteristics:

Purpose: Ability;

Name: Renee Pelagie

Gender: Female

Description:

Social Climber

Role: Sade's wife

Characteristics:

Motivation: Consider; Feeling;

Purpose: Desire;

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AUDIENCE AND STORY DYNAMICS APPRECIATIONS:

Nature as it relates to Apparent Dilemma:

The measures Abbe de Coulmier employs to censure The Marquis are not appropriate and lead to failure.

Essence as it relates to Negative Feel:

The last thing the objective characters want to do is to understand or appreciate the meaning of The Marquis's work, therefore, they put all their efforts into avoiding this consequence. Gilbert Cates, Producing Director for a Los Angeles production of Quills, quotes Milos Foreman:

Pornographers are the first victims of totalitarian governments, and however unsavory, they must be regarded as an inevitable consequence of free society.

(Cates P2).

Tendency as it relates to Willing:

At the outset, Coulmier is willing to take on the responsibility of overseeing The Marquis. He remains willing throughout the story, although he does not necessarily care for the methods he is forced to resort to to contain the patient.

Reach as it relates to Both:

Both women and men will empathize with Abbe de Coulmier, a man with great empathy for the sick and ailing.

Resolve as it relates to Change:

Abbe de Coulmier changes from an administrator in the asylum to an inmate:

Dr. Royer-Collard

Circumstances have turned you surly. Interred

too long with the beast, you've now become

one.

(Wright 75)

Approach as it relates to Do-er:

Abbe de Coulmier takes on his responsibilities with great energy and enthusiasm. He actively looks for positive ways to solve problems, as illustrated in his conversation with Dr. Royer-Collard regarding rehabilitating The Marquis:

Coulmier

I implore you, do not insist that I negate my

principles. Let me continue in my charitable

course.

(Wright 20)

Direction as it relates to Start:

Abbe de Coulmier needs to take the upper hand in his relationship with The Marquis to be successful in restraining the inmate's prose. This does not happen.

Mental Sex as it relates to Male:

Abbe de Coulmier evaluates events as cause and effect. He sees each problem he has with The Marquis as a new issue, to be handled separate and apart from the last. This problem solving method fails, as The Marquis is able to counter his efforts with his own holistic methods.

Outcome as it relates to Failure:

No-one is able to envision a way to stop The Marquis from disseminating his stories: "In the last scene, the boxes containing the body parts of the Marquis tremble with pleasure. One hand snakes loose from its box . . . and begins to write" (Back cover--Dramatists Play Service, Inc.).

Judgment as it relates to Bad:

The Abbe de Coulmier unwittingly and unhappily ends up an inmate of the asylum.

Work as it relates to Action:

Dr. Royer-Collard is hired to restore Charenton to its former glory; Her reputation ruined, Renee Pelagie decides to beg and bribe the doctor to stop her husband from writing his stories; Each time The Marquis comes up with a new way to put his stories into circulation, the doctor and Abbe must decide on a different course of action to stop him; and so forth.

Limit as it relates to Optionlock:

Coulmier only has a finite number of ways (and The Marquis' body parts) to stop The Marquis from telling his tales.

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THE OBJECTIVE STORY THROUGHLINE:

Throughline Synopsis:

Dr. Royer-Collard accepts the position of Chief Physician at the Charenton Asylum. He is there to restore the institution to its former stellar reputation. At the same time, he hopes to curtail his wife's tendency to stray by hiring a renown architect to build her a fabulous chateau. Upon his arrival, he is entreated by Renee Pelagie to stop her husband, Charenton's most notorious inmate--The Marquis de Sade, from churning out pornography. Dr. Royer-Collard accepts a bribe from The Marquise and proceeds to charge the Abbe de Coulmier with the responsibility of rehabilitating The Marquis. Each attempt to stop The Marquis is met with an ingenious foil. The Marquis and his keen audience do not take the censorship of his work lightly; riots and carnage ensue. Madness eventually overtakes Coulmier as he is successful in destroying The Marquis' body, but not his mind.

Backstory:

Charenton Asylum, home to the notorious Marquis de Sade, is in need of a leader and financial aid:

Dr. Royer-Collard: I am the newly appointed Chief Physician of the Charenton Asylum. It is my solemn duty to restore this ailing institution to its former glory. (Wright 7)

Domain as it relates to Psychology:

Quills explores the art of manipulation. Dr. Royer-Collard coerces his wife into moving away from Paris to the provinces by promising "her a chateau to rival Fontainbleau" (Wright 8); Renee Pelagie and Dr. Royer-Collard play a cat-and-mouse game to each get what they want-- she desires to return to her social position, he says he wants money for the institution that houses her infamous husband:

Dr. Royer-Collard

. . . If you were to buttress your entreaties, with,

perhaps, the means to oblige them . . . Is it not

true, that the recent sale of his (The Marquis')

mansion at La Coste has granted you a sudden

windfall?

 

Renee Pelagie

A trifling nest egg, hardly a fortune.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

If you are truly determined to step out of the long,

dark shadow of your husband's celebrity . . .

 

Renee Pelagie

Don't toy with me doctor!

(Wright 13);

The Marquis manipulates the staff to care for his creature comforts:

Coulmier

As you know, most esteemed Marquis, the staff

has done its utmost to render you comfortable

here.

 

The Marquis

It's true, dear-heart, you've spoiled me pink.

(Wright 23);

The Marquis provides Madeleine and her mother with the lurid stories they crave in return for kisses from the young girl; Cracking a riding whip, Madame Royer-Collard manipulates the architect, Monsieur Prouix, into serving her needs.

Concern as it relates to Conceptualizing:

Dr. Royer-Collard and the Abbe de Coulmier envision ways to end The Marquis' prolific pornography; The Marquis is derisive of the authorities plans to silence him:

The Marquis

. . . It was easy to devise my undoing, wasn't it?

Wasn't it? A regular parlor game. Each of you,

chirping like giddy magpies. "Solitary

confinement! Perhaps we'll dock his dessert. . .

(Wright 56);

The Marquis is adept at envisioning new ways to disseminate his stories; Madame Royer-Collard envisions a way to leave her husband, with the help of her architect:

Monsieur Prouix

I worry, Marguerite, that you don't really love me

at all, but merely mean to use me to your own

convenient ends, as a vehicle to escape your

husband's tyranny.

 

Madame Royer-Collard

You're brighter than you look.

(Wright 58)

Range as it relates to Situation:

Dr. Royer-Collard accepts a post at the Charenton Asylum, without full awareness of how things stand. Renee Pelagie hints to him what the situation is at Charenton that affects them all:

Renee Pelagie

You are new to Charenton, are you not?

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

I am.

 

Renee Pelagie

Perhaps you are not yet familiar with my husband,

and his unusual case.

(Wright 10)

Counterpoint as it relates to Circumstances:

Dr. Royer-Collard explains the circumstances that concern him in retaining his position at Charenton:

Dr. Royer-Collard

More than my marriage is at stake, Monsieur

Prouix. If my wife runs rampant here in Saint

Maurice, the Ministry will call my very

competence into question. I can hear them now.

"We've entrusted over five hundred madmen to

his care. How can he keep the lunatics at bay,

when he can't even harness his own wife?

(Wright 9)

Thematic Conflict as it relates to Situation vs. Circumstances:

Dr. Royer-Collard and Coulmier discuss the situation regarding The Marquis, and the circumstances that compel them to end the inmate's tales:

Coulmier

Already he's catalogued every known vice

--and some hitherto unknown!

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

Imagine if this wound its way among the inmates.

. . . Understand that his reformation is an urgent priority.

 

Coulmier

I'll do all that I can.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

Do More. Otherwise, I'll be forced to report to the

Ministry that the inmates are indeed running the

asylum.

(Wright 20)

Problem as it relates to Order:

Madame Royer-Collard's pattern of sexual escapades is a problem for her husband; The drastic measures Dr. Royer-Collard orders Coulmier to take with regard to The Marquis is a problem for the kindly administrator; Sade's pattern of pornographic acts and his proliferation of written pornographic works is a problem for France:

Dr. Royer-Collard

. . . I have the strictest orders, in a writ signed

by Napoleon himself, to contain the man

indefinitely.

(Wright 10);

Renee Pelagie points out the problems that are arising since the Chief Physician has not restored order to the asylum:

Renee Pelagie

Your charge here is to bring order to an unruly

hospital. And instead--on your watch--the patients

revolt . . .

(Wright 48)

Solution as it relates to Chaos:

If Dr. Royer-Collard could lift the restrictions he places on his wife, perhaps she would not be so prone to infidelity; Dr. Royer-Collard following Napoleon's orders to contain The Marquis, and in turn, Coulmier following the Dr.'s orders to prevent The Marquis from writing, causes problems that would most likely not have occurred if he had been allowed to continue on with his anarchistic work.

Focus as it relates to Perception:

Doctor Royer-Collard perceives Monsieur Prouix to be an architect he can take into his confidence; in Monsieur Prouix' view, Madame Royer-Collard is passionately in love with him; Madeleine gives the appearance of a girl who knows her way around a cell block; Renee discerns her money is being put to Doctor Royer-Collard's personal use instead of toward refurbishing Charenton; and so forth.

Direction as it relates to Actuality:

In actuality, Madame Royer-Collard cuckolds Doctor Royer-Collard with Monsieur Prouix to show her husband he can't keep her in a gilded cage; Upon her death, Madeleine's body is examined and her virginity is determined intact; While Doctor Royer-Collard attempts to demonstrate to Renee that her money is being put to good use, she sees the way things really are and threatens him with her lawyer; and so forth.

Stipulation as it relates to Becoming:

The more Dr. Royer-Collard and his colleagues attempt to rebuild the reputation of Charenton, specifically by reforming The Marquis, the more it is clear the asylum embodies the very essence of The Marquis.

Catalyst as it relates to State of Being:

The Marquis explains how his true self has facilitated his writing career:

The Marquis

Hell itself is the crucible in which I forged my

craft. . . . There, stripped of all postures, man't

true self surges to the fore!

(Wright 28-29)

The Marquis' essential nature is repugnant to society, and the reason why his wife is ostracized. This humiliation coupled with her own social nature is what compels Renee to offer Dr. Royer-Collard money to keep The Marquis from spreading the word; It is Madame Royer-Collard's sexual nature that necessitated her husband to accept the post at Charenton in the first place; Bouchon cannot control his essential nature once he hears The Marquis' latest tale and tortures Madeleine to death, compelling Dr. Royer-Collard to accelerate the process of destroying Sade; and so forth.

Inhibitor as it relates to Conditioning:

Because Dr. Royer-Collard is accustomed to having his orders implemented with success, he does not immediately envision the most effective way for Coulmier to silence The Marquis; Madeleine is conditioned to question authority and side with The Marquis. This is why she does not immediately tell Dr. Royer-Collard the truth about how The Marquis is disseminating his stories, thus slowing progress toward stopping him; and so forth.

Goal as it relates to Conceptualizing:

Envisioning a plan that can be implemented to stop The Marquis from disseminating his stories to the general public is the objective story goal.

Consequence as it relates to Understanding:

The goal of implementing a plan to stop The Marquis from spinning his tales fails, resulting in Doctor Royer-Collard understanding he is not fit to remain in his post as Chief Physician, and he also understands from reading one of The Marquis' tales that his wife is carrying on with the architect. The Abbe de Coulmier understands he is now as mad as The Marquis:

Coulmier

Let them conduct their experiments with all due

haste. I need . . . proof, Doctor . . . proof positive

for the sake of my soul . . . I am not of his ilk.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

When the lab provides its findings, then I'm certain

you shall be released.

 

Coulmier

Released? (A fast blackout, followed by the

rumbling echo of the door as it slams . . . the turning

of a padlock.)

(Wright 78)

Cost as it relates to Memory:

Society's memory of The Marquis' notorious acts cost Renee Pelagie her social position:

Renee Pelagie

Perhaps you are not yet familiar with husband, and

his unusual case.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

. . . His name?

 

Renee Pelagie

I cannot bring myself to say it, Doctor. Its cost

has been so dear. . . . I dared hope that my husband's

incarceration would allow him to fade from the

country's memory . . . . But something prevents

this happy turn of events.

(Wright 10,12)

Dividend as it relates to The Past:

Renee Pelagie retrieves the social position she has enjoyed in the past:

Renee Pelagie

. . . Only yesterday I attended a christening. . . .

From "Satan's Bride" to "Godmother" in one

fell swoop! Society may be a capricious mistress,

but in me she has found a most willing slave!

Ta-ta!

(Wright 74)

Requirements as it relates to Becoming:

Renee Pelagie must become desperate enough to return to society that she is willing to pay to have her husband stopped; Dr. Royer-Collard and Abbe de Coulmier must become so incensed by The Marquis' depravity that they are provoked to devise a plan to stop his writing; and so forth.

Prerequisites as it relates to Obtaining:

Renee Pelagie must obtain the funds necessary to bribe Dr. Royer-Collard; Dr. Royer-Collard must obtain the position of Chief Physician of the Charenton Asylum; Abbe de Coulmier must possess sole custody of The Marquis.

Preconditions as it relates to The Subconscious:

Examples of preconditions imposed on the story's requirement of becoming are Renee Pelagie's desire to return to her place in society; Sade's ability to discern peoples' basic drives and desires:

The Marquis

Surely, if such phenomena exist in nature, then

they are fair game in fiction . . .

 

Coulmier

You expect me to believe these atrocities occur?

 

The Marquis

We don't run in the same circles, do we, my cherub?

. . . If they can be dreamt, they can be done.

(Wright 24-25)

Forewarnings as it relates to The Future:

As an example of how the future describes the imminent approach of the story consequences, The Marquis' tale of a romantic triangle is a thinly disguised account of Madame Royer-Collard's affair with the architect-- and its meaning is not lost on Dr. Royer-Collard:

Coulmier

I can't help noticing that this particular tale has

affected you more than the rest.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

Though I'm loathe to admit it, as a result of his

persistence, his writing has improved. It now

boasts a certain . . . prescience . . . it didn't

have before.

(Wright 62)

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THE SUBJECTIVE STORY THROUGHLINE:

Throughline Synopsis:

Coulmier and The Marquis begin their relationship as administrator and inmate, respectively. Coulmier is benevolent toward his notorious charge, making sure The Marquis enjoys his creature comforts while interred. When it is brought to his attention The Marquis has been busy producing pornography, Coulmier willingly accepts the task to reform him. It is during this process that The Marquis provokes Coulmier into questioning the accepted definition of morality, and the act of censoring an artist's work. The Marquis' flagrant use of pornography, and his limitless imagination in how to produce it, drives Coulmier to using the utmost extreme measures to end the man's writing career--which in turn drives himself over the edge.

Backstory:

Abbe de Coulmier is the only member of the hospital staff that has willingly supervised Charenton's most notorious patient, The Marquis de Sade. This came about as follows:

Dr. Royer-Collard: The Ministry informs me that The Marquis falls under your exclusive dominion.

Coulmier

My brethren found him too taxing a patient. A

few of the priests were so dispirited, they left

the order. Father Lely now slaughters pigs in

Provence. Father Couvrat is a chimney sweep.

And the late Father Buffier is rumored to have

buried himself alive rather than minister to The Marquis,

in hopes of achieving martyrdom through less rigorous

means.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

And you?

 

Coulmier

I welcome the challenge.

(Wright 14-15)

Domain as it relates to Physics:

The Abbe de Coulmier endeavors to stop The Marquis from penning his tales, however, with each attempt The Marquis finds a new way to invoke his muse.

Concern as it relates to Understanding:

Coulmier and The Marquis come into conflict over their different understanding of art and censorship.

Range as it relates to Senses:

The Marquis takes great pleasure in using his senses to the fullest. He entreats Coulmier to do the same; to get in touch with his own sensuality:

 

The Marquis

Care for a splash of wine, Abbe?

 

Coulmier

Here? Now? It's not yet noon.

 

The Marquis

Conversation, like certain portions of the anatomy,

always run more smoothly when lubricated.

(Wright 23)

Counterpoint as it relates to Interpretation:

Coulmier construes The Marquis' stories as pornography; The Marquis desires his work to be interpreted as literature. This is illustrated in a conversation they engage in after Coulmier has read one of Sade's tales:

The Marquis

By candlelight you licked the words off the paper,

and rolled them around in your mouth. You

swallowed. You succumbed.

 

Coulmier

My interest was professional, sir, not prurient.

 

The Marquis

Did you read every word? Or did you run straight

away to the dog-eared pages?

 

Coulmier

It stirred in me a most pressing desire.

 

The Marquis

To copulate?

 

Coulmier

To bathe. It's offensive, in every realm. A

compendium of perversities. . . . I fear, Marquis,

that sacrilege comes . . . naturally to you . . .

 

The Marquis

But Darling, my novel does not ascribe to the

Bible's precepts, and--as such--it should not

be held to them in your critique.

 

Coulmier

How, then, should I evaluate it? As political allegory,

perhaps? . . .

 

The Marquis

Where does the novel profess to be a political tract?

 

Coulmier

What, then, does it desire to be?

 

The Marquis

LITERATURE, MY PET!

 

Coulmier

Frankly, it even fails as an exercise in craft. Note

the tireless repetition of the words "nipple" and

"pikestaff."

(Wright 24, 26)

Thematic Conflict as it relates to Senses vs. Interpretation:

The conflict between senses and interpretation is explored throughout Coulmier and The Marquis' relationship:

The Marquis

Must we record only those phenomena that ennoble

us as creatures? What unites us, my precious?

. . . Primal desire--that's unchanging!

 

Coulmier

. . . Pray tell, what other constants do you cite?

 

The Marquis

We eat, we shit, we kill, and we die.

 

Coulmier

Your selectivity confirms your contrary nature.

We are also born, we fall in love, we give birth.

May I suggest that you endeavor to write a new

novel which embraces those verities? . . . it might

perform a cathartic function upon its author.

 

The Marquis

How so, my dear?

 

Coulmier

It might assuage your libertine dementia. Your

current prose only aggravates it.

 

The Marquis

If Mother Nature didn't want me to tickle my

own fancy, she would not have provided me with

two industrious hands. I write with one, leaving

the other palm free to enjoy the fruits of the first.

 

Coulmier

He who lives in darkness cowers in the light, while

he who lives in the sun radiates it. Step into the sun

for awhile, Marquis.

 

The Marquis

. . . He who sits in the sun is often blinded by it.

Then, vulnerable and incognizant, he is devoured

by the forces of darkness. Better to stare the

fuckers in the face, yes?

 

Coulmier

And therein lies the path to Happiness?

 

The Marquis

Therein lies survival.

(Wright 28)

Problem as it relates to Order:

The Marquis explains why a structured lifestyle is the source of conflict between Coulmier and him:

The Marquis

Happiness for you, my little kumquat, is achieved

through strict adhesion to Society's mandates. Most

men follow this hackneyed passage; like eager

children set loose on a scavenger hunt, they dart

about in search of the assigned baubles--wives,

offspring, gainful employ, handsome homes--and

when they have accrued them all--viola! The

promised treasure is won--Happiness ensues! But

for me, happiness springs from a different course.

(Wright 28)

Solution as it relates to Chaos:

The Marquis suggests his way of life as an alternative for Coulmier:

The Marquis

. . . But for me, happiness springs from a different course.

 

Coulmier

Which is--?

 

The Marquis

To slice through social artifice, shatter her false

conventions, and become one with Nature's

Cimmerian Tide, where only the ruthless excel,

and where brute force yields its own treasure!

Past etiquette, past decency, past morals . . .

(Wright 28)

Focus as it relates to Inequity:

Coulmier and The Marquis focus their attention on Coulmier's demand that the inmate censor his writing, and The Marquis' belief that the demand is an unfair one:

Coulmier

I'm afraid I have to place certain censures upon

your quill, dear Marquis.

 

The Marquis

Not content to be my jailer, you're now my editor

as well?

(Wright 24)

Direction as it relates to Equity:

As Coulmier announces to The Marquis that he will confiscate his writing materials to stop the proliferation of pornography, the mad author offers a different direction:

Coulmier

We must assuage these perverse fantasies.

 

The Marquis

But don't you agree that my only salvation is to

vent them on paper?

(Wright 29)

Stipulation as it relates to Obtaining:

The more Coulmier takes away from The Marquis, the more he achieves an identity with him:

Dr. Royer-Collard

And how is the patient faring?

 

Coulmier

Poorly. At each extremity, a new wound. . .

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

And you? It must've been an ordeal.

 

Coulmier

At first, it was unbearable. . . . Though repulsed,

I was fueled by the necessity of my actions. And

my horror hardened into resolve. Steel purpose. I

felt a growing . . . interest . . . in the proceedings.

(Wright 66)

Catalyst as it relates to Instinct:

The subjective story accelerates as The Marquis' innate impulse to put his "perverse fantasies" (Wright 29) on paper, and hence into circulation, compels Coulmier to step up his efforts to stop him:

Coulmier

I'm afraid I'll have to confiscate your paper, and

your quill. . .

 

The Marquis

. . . My writing is involuntary, like the beating of

my heart . . . I CAN'T HELP IT!

(Wright 29)

Inhibitor as it relates to Sense of Self:

Coulmier and The Marquis' perception of themselves slows the progress of their relationship. It is extremely important to The Marquis to maintain his self image, so important that he tries to block Coulmier from discovering any vulnerability. Coulmier's perception of himself as a highly moral priest inhibits his understanding of The Marquis' propensity for pornography.

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Abbe de Coulmier's THROUGHLINE:

Role:

Asylum Administrator

Description:

Kind; slightly obtuse

Throughline Synopsis:

The Marquis tells the story of the Abbe de Coulmier:

The Marquis Head

. . . There was once a virtuous man called the

Abbe de Coulmier. It was his life's work to

cater to the feeble, with a kind heart and a gentle

hand. Sometimes, when the sun struck his hair

just so, or he tilted his head at a certain angle, you

could almost discern the halo that rested there.

Then, one dark day he encountered a rogue. A

rogue with a habit, it seems, for writing stories. . .

The head of The Marquis begins to laugh. The hands twitter, and clap with glee. Alone in his cell, Coulmier crawls to the window and calls again to the guard

Coulmier

A quill, my good man! A QUILL! A QUILL!

(Wright 80)

Backstory:

Abbe de Coulmier has been administrator for Charenton for quite some time. He believes in using "humanitarian strategies" for dealing with the inmates.

Domain as it relates to Universe:

Abbe de Coulmier's situation in life is that of a minister in an insane asylum. It is at Charenton that he explores good and evil; morality and immorality.

Concern as it relates to The Past:

Coulmier is concerned with treating patients, specifically The Marquis, just as he always has in the past.

Range as it relates to Fate:

Coulmier accepts as his fate the responsibility of taking charge of madmen.

Counterpoint as it relates to Destiny:

It is Coulmier's destiny to come up against The Marquis. Once Coulmier begins his course to rehabilitate the madman, it is inevitable that he will lose himself in the journey.

Thematic Conflict as it relates to Fate vs. Destiny:

Coulmier understands and accepts the inevitable aspects of insanity he must come in contact with in the course of his career, until he grapples with The Marquis.

Coulmier

I pray that Fate never again ushers me through

these portals, or casts my shadow against your

[Charenton's] door.

(Wright 67)

What he doesn't expect is that once he takes on The Marquis, HE is destined to become the madman.

Problem as it relates to Order:

As Coulmier has always handled his charges in a humane manner, it is a problem for the priest to carry out orders to reform The Marquis in ways that are repugnant to him.

Solution as it relates to Chaos:

Had Coulmier revolted against Dr. Royer-Collard's insistence he go against his very nature to accomplish a job, he might not have ended up padlocked in a cell. If he had also allowed some confusion reign in his thoughts, he may have had the flexibility to accept The Marquis' point of view.

Focus as it relates to Thought:

Coulmier's focus is on the process of considering all the anti-ethical methods he is compelled to employ for The Marquis' rehabilitation, including murder:

Dr. Royer-Collard

You've broken his body, true. But what about his

mind? For all we know, it still composes. What

will his next story be, Abbe? Perhaps a tale about a

timorous priest . . .

 

Coulmier

I dare say, Doctor, we can't control his thoughts.

We can only mute their expression.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

Then we have not truly cured him, have we?

 

Coulmier

What murderous act would you have me commit?

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

Finish the job you've begun.

 

Coulmie

These hands cannot . . . will not . . . extinguish life.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

I had hoped they were the hands of a hero.

(Wright 67)

Direction as it relates to Knowledge:

Coulmier directs his efforts with the authoritative certainty of one who has dealt with the insane for many years, and in addition trusts that his supervisor knows what is the best way to handle The Marquis:

Coulmier

Dear Heavenly Father. I could not render this last

act if it weren't for the knowledge that I'll be setting

this pagan free.

(Wright 71)

Stipulation as it relates to The Future:

The more Coulmier determines he will not be able to administrator to inmates in the way he has done in the past, the more is anxious for a future outside of Charenton:

Coulmier

Good-bye, Doctor. I'll spend one final night in

my quarters here, and tomorrow set out for

regions beyond.

(Wright 67)

Unique Ability as it relates to Fate:

At this particular point in time, it is Abbe de Coulmier's fate to be the one charged with the responsibility of rehabilitating The Marquis. He is unable to meet the demands fate places upon him, and he fails in solving both the objective and subjective problems.

Critical Flaw as it relates to Falsehood:

The Abbe de Coulmier's mistaken thinking that he can rehabilitate The Marquis undermines his efforts to resolve the story problems.

---

The Marquis de Sade's THROUGHLINE:

Role:

Notorious Inmate

Description:

Brilliant, perverse, witty, anti-hypocritical

Throughline Synopsis:

The Marquis de Sade is a man with an infamous reputation for creating pornography and committing perversions. Depending upon the political climate, he is held up as either a madman or martyr. The latter part of his life is spent in the Charenton Asylum, creating and disseminating his pornographic prose. The authorities of the institution make every attempt to stop him, to no avail. The man is destroyed, but not the author.

Backstory:

The Marquis de Sade is one of the most infamous men in France, as illustrated in a conversation between Dr. Royer-Collard and Sade's wife:

Dr. Royer-Collard

With all due respect, Madame, all of France is

familiar with your husband. . . . I have the strictest

orders, in a writ signed by Napoleon himself, to

contain the man indefinitely.

 

Renee Pelagie

I don't know which has plagued me more. His

grotesque resume of crimes, or their notoriety.

When he mutilated that poor beggar, her backside

forked through like a pastry shell . . . His orgy in

the school yard--those pitiful children, that

lethal pox--

(Wright 10-11)

Domain as it relates to Mind:

The Marquis' fixed attitude toward freely expressing himself is illustrated in a letter to his wife:

"Fanaticism in me is the product of the persecutions I have endured from my tyrants. The longer they continue their vexations, the deeper they root my principles in my heart"

(Wright 6).

Concern as it relates to Memory:

The Marquis de Sade's impact primarily concerns what people recall about his dark deeds--which creates a mythical notoriety--and his stories that are passed on--creating trouble:

Renee Pelagie

His little fable traveled far. One of your wards

told the cook; the cook told his wife; she told the

cobbler; and so on and so on, ad infinitum! Even

now, the story is lumbering toward Paris, like some

carnivorous, hump-backed beast. Who knows what

lascivious behavior it leaves in its wake.

(Wright 49)

Range as it relates to Truth:

The Marquis' literature, although distasteful to some, has the impact of forcing the reader to take an honest look at their own imaginations:

The Marquis

The experience . . . is a collaborative affair. The

author provides the stimuli; the reader the response.

All I can control is the art itself; my subject, culled

from life, and told with an eye toward truth,

or--at least--truth as life has taught me to perceive it.

(Wright 53)

Counterpoint as it relates to Falsehood:

The Marquis uses falsehood as bravado, for example when he claims to have had sex with Madeleine.

Thematic Conflict as it relates to Truth vs. Falsehood:

The Marquis is a great proponent of the truth, however, he uses honesty as a manipulative tool--as an excuse to indulge in perverse behavior. The truth does not "set him free," in the physical sense, it is exactly that which confines him. His use of falsehood is minor; more emphasis is put on his uncovering others' dishonesty.

Problem as it relates to Knowledge:

The Marquis is driven by knowledge, which in the case of Madeleine causes a problem. It is his authoritative certainty that overrules her hesitancy and effects her death.:

Madeleine

Only one thing troubles me . . .

 

The Marquis

Fear of discovery?

 

Madeleine

No. Fear of the inmate Bouchon, the agent closest

to me in line. . . . he holds a torch for me. . .

 

The Marquis

What of it?

 

Madeleine

Well, sir, given the potency of your stories, and

the fragility of his brain . . . it might cause a

combustion; that's all.

 

The Marquis

What are we to do, dearest? Shuffle the patients

in their cells? That's not within our power.

Now, accept the danger or withdraw.

 

Madeleine

I accept.

(Wright 44)

Solution as it relates to Thought:

As an example of how "thought" could solve The Marquis de Sade's personal drive, if he had taken Madeleine's fears into consideration, she may not have fallen victim to the lunatic.

Focus as it relates to Perception:

The Marquis compels Coulmier to see how people can hold different points of view in regard to morality, which provokes Coulmier:

The Marquis

Morality is a convenience, nothing more! . . .

There was a time I was brought to trial . . . the

judge blamed my behavior on my Noble birth.

"You aristocrats," he bellowed, "feasting on the

helpless, nourishing your vices on the spoils of

the poor! Soon, the worm will turn!" Well!

When the Bastille was stormed and liberated by

the mob, they told me I was one of their own. . .

Who, I implore you, was right? The judge? The

mob? One insisted I was a perpetrator, the other,

a victim. Each claimed it was a matter of moral

principle.

(Wright 25)

Direction as it relates to Actuality:

The Marquis expounds on his take of the reality of morality to Coulmier:

The Marquis

Who, I implore you, was right? The judge? The

mob? One insisted I was a perpetrator, the other,

a victim. Each claimed it was a matter of moral

principle. What in this story is constant? Some

abstract morality, applied to the tatters of my tiny

life? I think not! Only me!

(Wright 25)

Stipulation as it relates to The Subconscious:

The subconscious is the standard against which The Marquis de Sade's concern of memory is measured in that the more he is censured, the more The Marquis is driven to proliferate his pornography--to make certain no-one forgets his stories or himself.

Unique Ability as it relates to Truth:

No matter what else The Marquis may be, he is honest, and this straightforwardness disturbs Coulmier's structured view of art and pornography.

Critical Flaw as it relates to Destiny:

It is Sade's destiny to live most of his life out in some sort of confinement, because of the time he lives in and the nature of his writing:

Coulmier

It's true, is it not Marquis, that most of your

adult life has been spent in prison?

 

The Marquis

My past addresses read like a Primer in Crime.

(Wright 28)

---

ACT PROGRESSIONS:

The Objective Throughline Act Order:

Objective Story Signpost #1 as it relates to Conceptualizing:

Dr. Royer-Collard implements a plan to keep his wife happy--building a mansion--and must attend to the financing of this plan as well: "I've been forced to devise the most creative financing imaginable" (Wright 30); The doctor discusses how an architect visualizes and accomplishes the finished product:

Dr. Royer-Collard

Yours is an enviable profession, Monsieur. . . .

You fabricate the design--each plank, each joist,

each pilaster--but you leave the execution to others.

Your own grand plan put into action . . . and you

never hoist a stone, or drive a nail. That's the true

measure of a man's authority, isn't it?

(Wright 31)

Renee Pelagie must enter into Dr. Royer-Collard's creative financing scheme as part of her plan to return to her former social standing:

Renee Pelagie

It's beyond perversity. That honor should carry a

price-tag!

 

Dr. Royer Collard

Picture it. A summer's picnic, linens strewn, an

array of succulents, old friends once again deigning

to kiss your hand.

(Wright 13).

Objective Story Journey #1 from Conceptualizing to Becoming:

Monsieur Prouix designs and begins construction on Dr. Royer-Collard's chateau, becoming Madame Royer-Collard's lover as well; Dr. Royer-Collard commands Coulmier to envision and implement a way to curtail The Marquis' pornography, forcing the priest to become the kind of rigid authority figure that is emotionally anti-ethical to him.

Objective Story Signpost #2 as it relates to Becoming:

Monsieur Prouix designs Dr. Royer-Collard's chateau to embody the attributes of Madame Royer-Collard:

Monsieur Prouix

. . . I flatter myself that the chateau shall be a

tribute to her beauty; its golden cornices, the hue

of her hair. Its alabaster stone, the tint of her

bosom. Its portals, spread ever wide, as frank

and inviting as her very nature . . .

(Wright 31)

Objective Story Journey #2 from Becoming to Being:

The staid Charenton Asylum becomes the scene of a riotous blood bath:

Renee Pelagie

. . . Charenton became a bawdy house! A

brothel for the feeble-minded! A cat-house for

loons!

(Wright 49)

The guards of the asylum abandon their role of caretakers: "And what were the guards doing, I ask you? Stifling the fray? Ha! They were running for their very lives" (Wright 48).

Objective Story Signpost #3 as it relates to Being:

High society members happily indulge in slumming, entertained by the riot at Charenton; Renee Pelagie believes Dr. Royer-Collard to be as deceptive as her husband for swindling her; When The Marquis suggests the lunatic who tortured Madeleine is fully responsible for her death, Coulmier replies "Bouchon is not a man; he's an overgrown child" (Wright 53).

Objective Story Journey #3 from Being to Conceiving:

To continue on in his role of Chief Physician of Charenton, Dr. Royer-Collard must think of ways to finance the asylum.

Objective Story Signpost #4 as it relates to Conceiving:

Dr. Royer-Collard must conceive of new ways to keep Charenton financially stable. He first asks Renee Pelagie to continue her generosity; when she refuses he comes up with the idea of publishing the deceased Marquis' stories:

Dr. Royer-Collard

We intend to publish The Marquis' manuscripts.

. . . We need not divulge Charenton's name.

 

Coulmier

That is the very calamity we sought to prevent!

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

And now it is our only recourse . . . . against our

ruination. Our revenues have dropped precipitously.

. . . With profits from the sale of his books,

we'll establish a trust in perpetuity.

(Wright 77)

The Subjective Throughline Act Order:

Subjective Story Signpost #1 as it relates to Doing:

Coulmier must take action to stop The Marquis from writing his pornographic stories:

Dr. Royer-Collard

Understand that his reformation is an urgent priority.

 

Coulmier

I'll do all that I can.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

Do more.

(Wright 20)

Subjective Story Journey #1 from Doing to Obtaining:

Coulmier is instructed to stop The Marquis from writing. He attempts to do this by taking away what he thinks The Marquis needs to use to produce his pornographic stories. However, the more Coulmier obstructs The Marquis, the more creative The Marquis is in his efforts to keep his literature issuing forth:

The Marquis

Oh Cupid. My little Minx . . .

 

Coulmier

Yes?

 

The Marquis

Where there's a will, there's a way. And a maniac

is matchless for invention.

(Wright 30)

Subjective Story Signpost #2 as it relates to Obtaining:

Coulmier announces to The Marquis all that he intends to take away from him:

Coulmier

. . . From now on, you will sleep on a bare

mattress. . . . and for good measure, we'll

seize the curtains, the towels, and the rugs.

 

The Marquis

My room, stripped bare?

 

Coulmier

. . . Your meat shall be de-boned. You'll have

nothing you might fashion as a quill.

(Wright 35)

Subjective Story Journey #2 from Obtaining to Learning:

As Coulmier determinedly removes The Marquis' necessities (and luxuries), they engage in discussions about literature and pornography--each learning more of the others' viewpoint.

Subjective Story Signpost #3 as it relates to Learning:

Coulmier learns that The Marquis can be compassionate, information that humanizes the madman. The Marquis learns that Coulmier can be pushed into committing violent and dehumanizing acts.

Subjective Story Journey #3 from Learning to Understanding:

When The Marquis learns that Madeleine has died, Coulmier appreciates that she was one person that the notorious inmate cared about:

(A stunned pause. The Marquis cracks--a tiny cry at first, which erupts into genuine sobbing. Finally, he speaks. His voice is barely a whisper:)

The Marquis

You will see she receives a proper burial. In the

churchyard. At my expense. . .

 

Coulmier

Your terrible secret, revealed. You are a man

after all.

(Wright 55)

Subjective Story Signpost #4 as it relates to Understanding:

As Coulmier resorts to torture as a means of stopping The Marquis, he begins to appreciate a certain pleasure in administering pain--pleasure The Marquis has understood all too well.

The Main Character Throughline Act Order:

Main Character Signpost #1 as it relates to The Past:

Coulmier gives Dr. Royer-Collard a brief history of their infamous inmate, to explain why The Marquis is his exclusive charge.

Main Character Journey #1 from The Past to Progress:

The methods Coulmier has used in the past to treat inmates have been fair and humane. As he attempts to reform The Marquis, he is bidden by Dr. Royer-Collard to use unorthodox measures--He entreats his superior:

Coulmier

I implore you, do not insist that I negate my

principles. Let me continue in my charitable

course.

(Wright 20)

Main Character Signpost #2 as it relates to Progress:

Coulmier is making little progress in the task set forth by his superior:

Coulmier

He is indeed a maniac, and matchless at that!

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

You assured me that his writing had ceased.

 

Coulmier

I hoped it had.

(Wright 34)

And Later:

Coulmier

I have not been emphatic enough with you,

Marquis. Your degrading habits continue,

unabated.

(Wright 36)

Main Character Journey #2 from Progress to The Present:

Coulmier finds he has not been making progress in curtailing The Marquis' pornography, and he must now reluctantly put aside his kindliness and take a firm stand:

Dr. Royer-Collard

The time has come to adopt more punitive means.

 

Coulmier

If only I trusted in their efficacy!

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

When a child pilfers from the candy dish, what do

we offer for his reformation? Do we remove

temptation altogether, depriving him and ourselves

of sweetmeats?

 

Coulmier

No, sir.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

. . . Do we promise him an everlasting afterlife,

plucking harps, should he return the bonbon to its

rightful seat? Or do we toss him over our knee,

yank down his breeches, and thrash him with the

rod?

 

Coulmier

The latter, unfortunately. And so he learns to fear

punishment, rather than to pursue virtue for its own

reward.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

You're a sentimental man.

(Wright 35)

Main Character Signpost #3 as it relates to The Present:

After the riot, Coulmier reports to Dr. Royer-Collard the current situation:

Coulmier

The fire in the belfry has been doused. We quieted

the horses in the stables. And the patients have all

been firmly strapped back into their beds. Call me

a fool, but I hope that you've summoned me this

morning to relay good news.

 

Dr. Royer-Collard

You're a fool.

(Wright 51)

Main Character Journey #3 from The Present to The Future:

The current situation Coulmier finds himself in is that he is beginning to experience a thrill in administering pain, prompting his desire to leave Charenton if he is to have a future as a decent man.

Main Character Signpost #4 as it relates to The Future:

Coulmier discovers that he has changed irrevocably, and his future is as an inmate of the asylum.

The Obstacle Character Throughline Act Order:

Obstacle Character Signpost #1 as it relates to The Preconscious:

Because the comforts of Charenton "so readily invokes [his] muse" (Wright 24), The Marquis exclaims: "stories tumble from me faster than I can record them" (Wright 24). Since he is unwilling to check this tendency to produce pornography, he creates problems for the authorities of Charenton Asylum, and his wife who is trying to maintain her societal composure.

Obstacle Character Journey #1 from The Preconscious to The Subconscious:

The Marquis protests the efforts to end his writing career, on the grounds it is an innate part of him:

The Marquis

My writing involuntary, like the beating of

my heart . . . I CAN'T HELP IT!

(Wright 29).

To spite the authorities, he is driven more than ever to find new ways to spread his tales.

Obstacle Character Signpost #2 as it relates to The Subconscious:

The Marquis attempts to explain to Coulmier why he is driven to continue his stories:

Coulmier: I have not been emphatic enough with you, Marquis. Your degrading habits continue, unabated.

The Marquis

It was only for her. . . . The girl. To entice her back

to me. . . Her gentle sway may be the final lifeline

cast to me. Let me seize it. . .

(Wright 36)

Obstacle Character Journey #2 from The Subconscious to The Conscious:

The Marquis is driven to continue his writing, despite any obstacles. This drive forces those around him to consider the nature of his literature, rather than just dismiss it as pornography.

Obstacle Character Signpost #3 as it relates to The Conscious:

The Marquis asks Coulmier to consider the fact that:

The Marquis

I didn't forge the mind of man. Your precious

God did that. Cramming it full of rancor and

bloodlust. Like Zeus, thrusting all those winged

demons, into the tiny confines of Pandora's box.

Don't hate me just because I turn the key, and let

them loose. "Fly, my darlings, fly! All the way to

heaven, till you burst the clouds, and blacken the

sun!"

(Wright 56)

Obstacle Character Journey #3 from The Conscious to Memory:

Those in authorities of Charenton begin to contemplate that dismemberment and death are no deterrent to The Marquis, and the memory of him and his work will live on in eternity.

Obstacle Character Signpost #4 as it relates to Memory:

The memory of The Marquis de Sade and his deeds will live on after his death, in the form of "exorbitantly priced" (Wright 77) published pages.

---

Miscellaneous Other Storytelling Items:

All Concerns:

The authorities of Charenton are concerned with implementing a plan to halt The Marquis' pornography; The Marquis is just as concerned with envisioning new ways to produce it--and ensuring that his stories will keep the memory of him alive. Abbe de Coulmier wants to stop The Marquis using the same methods for effecting rehabilitation that he has used in the past. As The Marquis and Coulmier have a different appreciation of what constitutes pornography, The Marquis doesn't see the need for rehabilitation.

Master Plot Synopsis:

Dramatists Play Service:

Doctor Royer-Collard, head of Charenton Asylum, is visited by Renee Pelagie, wife of the asylum's most notorious inmate, the Marquis de Sade. Furious that her husband's sadomasochistic pornography has tarnished her reputation, she offers the Doctor any amount of money, if only her husband can be kept from writing. After confiscating the Marquis' quills and paper, the Abbe de Coulmier is surprised to find lascivious new stories circulating in public. The source? A lusty young seamstress named Madeleine has been smuggling material out of the asylum. Immediately, the Abbe bars the girl from seeing the Marquis, but ever resourceful, the Marquis pens his stories on his bedclothes in wine, blood and worse. Driven to a fury, the Abbe strips bare the Marquis and his cell, leaving nothing but stone and straw. Undaunted, the Marquis devises a fantastic plan to whisper his stories from lunatic to lunatic, until Madeleine can pen them down--but the last lunatic, in whose cell Madeleine crouches, mutilates and kills the girl in response to the Marquis' grisly tale. A riot ensues, nearly destroying the asylum, and as the second act unfolds, the Abbe is driven to increasingly desperate acts to silence the Marquis: the removal of his hands, feet, genitals, and eventually his beheading. Wracked by guilt, the once humane but now murderous and sexually deviant Abbe is committed to his own asylum where he finds himself crying out for a paper and pen with which to record his own newly arisen perversions. In the last scene, the boxes containing the body parts of the Marquis tremble with pleasure. One hand snakes loose from its box . . . and begins to write.

Master Theme Synopsis:

The thematic statement that Quills makes is emphasized in the obstacle character (The Marquis de Sade') range of truth versus falsehood. In discussing publishing the late Sade' works Coulmier asks of Dr. Royer-Collard:

Coulmier

Which book [The Bible or Sade'] tells the truth

about mankind, and which book lies?

(Wright 77-78)

Subjective Character Synopsis:

In the beginning of Quills, it is apparent that the Abbe de Coulmier and The Marquis have enjoyed a sparring, yet friendly administrator/patient relationship. Under the orders of Dr. Royer-Collard, Coulmier's latest responsibility is to stop The Marquis from writing and circulating his pornography. Coulmier accepts this task willingly, as he is repulsed by The Marquis' pornography, and feels betrayed by the one he has "spoiled . . . pink" (Wright 23). Despite Coulmier's attempts, The Marquis is successful at devising ingenious ways to spread his stories. As Coulmier resorts to sadistic measures to dissuade The Marquis, he begins to acquire a taste for torture, which eventually drives him insane.

Master Character Synopsis:

With the exception of Abbe de Coulmier, all of the characters in Quills are self serving and self indulgent. In this same group, the only one who is honest about pursuing his selfish ends is The Marquis. Dr. Royer-Collard is a man of good reputation but lax morals. He has no compunction in swindling Renee Pelagie out of an enormous sum of money, in order to hire a celebrated architect to build a gilded cage in which to keep his wife contained. Renee is amenable to the arrangement, as she expects the doctor to put an end to her husband's, The Marquis de Sade, pornography so she may reinstate her social position. Madeleine Leclerc and her mother, the asylum's laundress, would be most unhappy if The Marquis' stories came to an end, although they turn out to be the end for Madeleine, at the hands of an over zealous lunatic. The Marquis has no intention of ending his writing career, despite all the efforts of the Abbe de Coulmier, under the instruction of Dr. Royer-Collard, to stop him.