logo

51 pages 1 hour read

Djanet Sears

Harlem Duet

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1997

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Act II, Scene 4Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Act II, Scene 4 Summary

The sounds of strings play against a barrage of sound bites and media images on a repetitive loop, all having to do with racial conflicts: the Clarence Thomas / Anita Hill Hearings, the OJ, Simpson trial, Malcolm X, the Los Angeles riots and Martin Luther King, Jr. Alone in her apartment, Billie is carefully preparing Othello’s handkerchief with one of her concoctions. Wearing rubber gloves, she gently folds the handkerchief into the gift box in which Canada brought her mother’s ring. She then starts pacing and hyperventilating. She sits, body rocking, and throws her head in her hands. It occurs to her that she has the remnants of the potion on her gloves and has exposed herself. She throws them off and begins wiping her face with her clothing. In a panic, she runs to the kitchen sink to wash her face and hands. 

Act II, Scene 4 Analysis

Scene 4’s opening barrage of unsettling sights, sounds and music reflects the relentless turmoil within Billie’s mind. The media sounds bytes also represent inflated and extreme versions of the subjects that preoccupy her thoughts—racial injustice, conflicts between black men and black women, and the violence that can result from delusional jealousy.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 51 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,450+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools