The Shrike -- by Joseph Kramm (1952)

Description

I recall one of my favorite college professors taking the time during class to explain the power of a title, especially in poetry. Because poems tend to be comparatively short and the diction is hyper-focused, the title bears attention. Scansion is great, but title-dissection is necessary. A title of a poem can help set context. I love this about poetry -- what takes novelists sentences, paragraphs, pages, or chapters to set exposition can take poets a few words! Admittedly, this can be used craftily or cheaply. I used the power of the title to my advantage for two poems in particular in the Creative Writing: Poetry class I took. In one case, I helped set the light-hearted tone of a satiric elegy by naming the poem "A Truly, Deeply, Honest-to-Goodness, Heartfelt Elegy about a Crossed-Out Word." It totally worked. In another case, I was told my poem was anachronistic and needed to choose a century to live in. I didn't want to make every line archaic, but I would have to make some adjustments because the critics were right. One adjustment was to make my title not "Breaking" but "Breaking (1643)." That's right. I picked a random date and thought, Well, there! Problem solved. Needless to say, the poem has several kinks that need worked out.

ALLLLLLLLL of this to say, the title of the 1952 Pulitzer Prize-winning Drama is a superb example of how titles can shape an entire literary work. This play has stood out to me from the start of this project because I had no idea what the title meant. Naturally, the first thing I did before I read the play was to look up the definition of "shrike." My go-to website for definitions is m-w.com, for better or worse. Here is the definition, according to m-w.com: "any of numerous usually largely gray or brownish oscine birds (family Laniidae) that have a hooked bill, feed chiefly on insects, and often impale their prey on thorns." THEY IMPALE THEIR PREY ON THORNS?!?! Okay, what is this play about? Was there avian puppetry?

No. 

In fact, the play never mentions a bird nor does Kramm sprinkle in bird motifs. Kramm asks his audience/reader to know that shrikes are small, but vicious. Eventually, the reader/audience member can realize that "THE shrike" is Ann, the wife of Jim. Jim is a theater director whose life has fallen apart. Jim and Ann have separated informally and he has started an affair with Catherine. After his world continues to fall apart, he attempts suicide by ingesting 156 pills-- a detail revisited numerous times. He doesn't succeed and Ann takes him to the hospital. Jim is admitted to the mental ward. He finds peace with himself and is ready to reenter the "real world," but he is denied leave. Ann perpetually convinces the doctors at the ward that Jim is not ready to be released and needs more time in the ward. Jim begins to realize what is going on: Ann is imprisoning Jim unless he falls back in love with her. I will not spoil how he handles this conflict . .  .  

Candid Reaction

• Excellent way for the scenery to set the mood and tone. 
• It is sensible for Kramm to set each scene at a specific time of day (hospitals and prisons keep precise time records). 
• Sphygmomanometer? Phenobarbitol? Polysyllabic vocab award goes to . . . 
• The first scene teases the audience almost too much. 
• Jim's story resonates with "a dream deferred."
• With one word, Kramm verifies how Ann is sadistic. The word describes how the actress is to deliver one of her lines: "reluctantly" (47). 
• Jim questions, "Does a man ever really give reasons [why he attempts suicide]?" (56) The question is jarring. 
• Jim explains that Ann yearns for his company out of fear of loneliness. The same professor who expounded upon titles also told me that characters in story are either motivated by fear or love. She's right. 
• The end of Act One gives you the heebie-jeebies. 
• Jim asserts, "Everything we do has a meaning" (89). While some people might desire this statement to be true in their lives, Jim would argue it only creates paranoia. Interesting concept. 
• Kramm's wordplay is clever. 
• Jim delivers many haunting statements. One statement includes, "The world would soon come to a stop if all the dead were continually mourned" (103). Is this true?
• Kramm indicts the psychological health care via Jim. 
• Act Three is a masterclass in dramatic irony.

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning
1. Mental Health/Marriage

The play questions how divorce and mental health are dealt with in America. 

2. Irony

Kramm's ability to develop plot is remarkable. His employment of dramatic irony helps build the agony within his protagonist and heightens the emotions for the audience member.


Classroom Implications
The text could be paired easily with The Yellow Wallpaper or A Doll's House. It could also be paired with The Awakening. These all could be paired for theme. I think the play could be read as early as 10th grade.

Personal Takeaway
Titles have value.

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 7.0
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic (1.5)	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity (1.5)	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points	Devices somewhat enhance story (1.25)	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work (1)
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping! (1.75)	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically