Seven hundred and fifty acres of preserved greenery in the heart of New York City, Central Park has long been a refuge for those wishing to escape their frenetic Manhattan lives and is undoubtedly one of the most famous parks in the world, enjoyed by millions of people every year. In his two-part epic about the 1980s HIV-AIDS epidemic that affected numerous gay communities in the United States and its effects, Angels in America, playwright Tony Kushner establishes much of the story's thematic elements within the park and, in doing so, uses Central Park as a stark reminder of how close to home the AIDS epidemic was for citizens. The characters spend various scenes walking through famous and recognizable landmarks within Central Park, including an area known as the Ramble and the Bethesda Fountain. Therefore, Central Park in the play Angels in America represents not only a place where the characters can face difficult news and take a momentary break from their busy lives, but as a place to form relationships between the characters and, just like the biblical Fountain of Bethesda, of healing and rejuvenation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Perhaps the most advanced role that Central Park plays in the story is how it acts as an area where connections are made between characters. At the heart of the story about how the HIV-AIDS epidemic greatly affects several seemingly distant people, an intricate nexus of relationships between characters, some already formed before the narrative begins and others formed during the story, demonstrates the far-reaching implications scope of the public health crisis. Central Park serves as the area where these seemingly distant characters interact and where much of their relationship formation occurs. We are first introduced to Central Park in Act 2, Scene 4, when Louis visits “The Ramble in Central Park” (55). Probably to relieve significant stress resulting from Prior's infection and constant illness, Louis visits the Ramble, implied to be a place where gay men find sexual encounters, and meets a character known only as the Man in the Ramble. Louis and this mysterious Ramble-man have a protected relationship in this very wooded part of Central Park. The hidden identity of Louis' partner, when considered in the context of their location within the park, represents a degree of anonymity that can be associated with the time period. Furthermore, the fact that HIV-AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease means that the HIV virus was probably transmitted within the park. Evidence of this can be seen when Louis, during intercourse with the Man, demands, after the condom might break, that the Man infect him. Second, the Ramble's reputation as a place where gay men seek sexual encounters is further supported when we learn that Joe, another gay character, frequented the Ramble himself. The use of Central Park as a place for gay men to search for sexual partners serves as the first textual anchor to Central Park and sets the tone for future connections between the characters that will take place within the park. Although brief, this relationship, facilitated by the existence of Central Park, serves to reveal much about Louis' character and his coping mechanisms for his lover's illness. The second relationship that formed in the park was between Louis and Joe after Joe followed Louis to the park. Park. In this scene Louis, sitting “on a bench in Central Park” (121), is approached by Joe and Louis asks “do you know thestory of Lazarus?” (121, Louis) and whether or not Joe believes in the biblical story where Jesus breathed life into Lazarus and "brought him back from the dead" (121, Joe). During this encounter, the ultra-religious Joe's beliefs are tested as he extends beyond his comfort zone into a fledgling relationship with Luigi. For example, Joe asks Louis "please, can I touch you... er, here" (123, Joe) and, after touching Louis' face, states "I'm going to hell for doing this" (123, Joe ). Subsequently, Louis reveals his weariness with the “republican stuff” (123, Louis) in Joe's beliefs, representing his insecurity towards a group of people who openly denounce his sexual orientation, but also revealing deep and conflicting emotions with Joe and ultimately strengthening their relationship. Later, Louis invites Joe “home with [him]” (123, Louis), further deepening their relationship. Here, Central Park helps shape the relationship between Louis and Joe and pushes both beyond their respective comfort zones: Joe's religious aversion to gay relationships and Louis' weariness of Republicans. Unbeknownst to Louis and Joe who are absorbed in their dialogue, Prior, alone in his apartment, is tormented by the Angel of America to “begin the Great Work” (125, Angel). Therefore, in this scene, Central Park also represents a place where Louis is sheltered from the reality of Prior's suffering and the anguish of his torment by the Angel. Another important character encounter that occurs in Central Park is a rekindling of the relationship between Louis and Prior much later in the story. After realizing that he wants to see Prior, Louis decides to meet a recalcitrant and hostile Prior in the neutral zone of a Central Park bench, thrusting Central Park into the role of mediator between Prior and Louis's warring sides. During their meeting “in an attempt to come to a resolution” (217, Louis), Louis claims to be grieving inside because he was never given the chance to “find [his] stride” (218, Louis). However, Prior insists that he doesn't "see any bruises" (217, Prior) and that "[he] wants to see blood" (220, Prior). His desire to see visual examples of Louis' suffering is revealed "because [he] can't believe that [Louis] even has blood until [Louis] shows it to him" (220, Prior). In this scene, Central Park becomes a neutral zone where Prior and Louis can rekindle the relationship they had. The next day, a similar scene takes place between Louis and Belize at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. Seeing Louis "sitting on the edge of the fountain" (227), Belize enters and begins the conversation with a comment regarding the angel of Bethesda on the fountain Louis is sitting on. By asking what the Angel commemorates, Belize reminds Louis Prior and his affection for dark history and sets an emotional tone for the rest of the conversation. Belize goes on to reveal that “Prior and I went to court. Pulled [Joe] out” (227, Belize). Believing that their investigations are only in an attempt to take away his pain, Louis states that "you had no right to do that" (227, Louis) and they have "extracted every last drop of schadenfreude" (228, Louis). Belize reveals his reason for confronting Louis by stating that Louis dating Joe "is an all-time low: sharing your wet, dirty bed with Roy Cohn's ass" (228, Belize). Belize's warning, expressed as Belize's disappointment by Louis, is met with disbelief by Louis; states “Not…Roy Cohn. Joe wouldn't do that... Not Roy Cohn. It's like the North Star of human evil, it's like the worst human being who ever lived, the damage he did, the years and years of…criminality” (229, Louis). His attitude changes halfway through.