Blues for Mister Charlie

Blues for Mister Charlie

First edition cover
Author	James Baldwin
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Play
Publisher	Dial Press
Publication date	1964

Blues for Mister Charlie is James Baldwin's second play, a tragedy in three acts. It was first produced and published in 1964.^[1] The play is dedicated to the memory of Medgar Evers, his widow and children, and to the memory of the dead children of Birmingham."^[2] It is loosely based on the Emmett Till murder that occurred in Money, Mississippi, before the Civil Rights Movement began.^[3]

Plot

Act I

Act I opens up with the Reverend Meridian Henry coaching negro students through their lines. They are interrupted by Parnell James, who brings them the news that Lyle Britten will be arrested for the murder of Richard Henry. When he leaves to inform Britten about his future arrest, the students talk amongst themselves about the struggles they face as black people.

The scene shifts to Lyle and his wife, Jo Britten, in their store. His wife brings up the death of Richard, fearful that her husband may go to jail because of a past transgression he had with another black man who died as a result of the confrontation. Lyle defends himself by claiming self-defense. When Parnell James arrives, Lyle assures both of them that they need not worry.

The scene shifts into a flashback with Richard and his grandmother, Mother Henry. He confronts her about the death of his mother whom he believes was pushed down the stairs, though Mother Henry claims she fell down by accident. Richard swears that he will protect himself from the white man at all costs, showing her a gun. Before she leaves, his grandmother pleads with him to get rid of the gun.

Soon after, the negro students, Pete and Juanita, arrive to take Richard out to Pete D’s bar. While they dance together, Richard confides in Juanita about his time up north and how he became a junkie. Lyle arrives on the scene and bumps into Juanita, interrupting her dance with Richard. The two share words before Lyle leaves. Later, Richard goes to talk with his father, the reverend, about taking the nonviolent route and hands over his gun.

Here the flashback ends, and the scene opens with Parnell returning to the church to reassure Reverend Meridian Henry that Lyle will be taken to court. But he also makes a point of saying that Lyle will not be convicted. Parnell tells the reverend to let the matter go. The scene ends as he departs.

Act II

Act II opens with Jo Britten and the white townspeople in her home. They discuss how frightened they have become of the black townspeople lately. Soon Parnell James arrives and gets into a debate with the white men over his paper and his place in the black community. Lyle arrives some time later, and the others continue to tease Parnell as he proposes to put black people in the jury at Lyle’s trial. The white townspeople soon leave, with only the Brittens and Parnell in the house. Lyle leaves to take a shower.

When Jo and Parnell are alone, she confronts him about her husband, Lyle, sleeping with Willa Mae. Willa Mae was the wife of Old Bill, the black man that Lyle had killed. She asks Parnell if he had ever loved a black woman. When he says yes, Jo says that it is possible that Lyle had loved Willa Mae and that he had killed Old Bill out of spite. She continues, saying that if it is possible that Lyle killed Old Bill, it is also possible that he killed Richard. Lyle returns with his son and passes him to Jo.

The scene changes to Lyle and Parnell in the store talking about Lyle’s relationship with Willa Mae. They also discuss the first time Lyle met Richard. Again, Lyle denies killing Richard. Jo arrives with their son, ending the discussion.

Another flashback occurs, showing Richard and Lorenzo going to the Brittens’ store. Richard humiliates Lyle in front of his wife before he runs off with Lorenzo. The flashback ends, going back to Parnell and Lyle talking in the store.

Lyle slips up and describes how Richard’s body was left face down in high weeds. When Parnell asks how he knew that, Lyle claims to have read it in the newspaper. Parnell leaves soon after to go to Richard’s funeral, ending the second act.

Act III

Act III opens with Lyle’s trial; it has been two months since Richard’s death. A number of people are called to take the stand as witnesses regarding Richard’s character.

Jo lies about Richard attempting to sexually assault her in the store. Juanita, Lorenzo, Mother Henry, the Reverend, and Parnell James defend Richard’s character when called to the stand. Papa D, the owner of the bar, takes the stand and tells the court that he witnessed Richard leaving with Lyle one night when he was closing up the bar.

A brief flashback shows Lyle threatening to kill Papa D if he were to tell people that Lyle didn’t kill Old Bill in self-defense.

The court rules in Lyle’s favor.

Another flashback shows Lyle killing an unarmed, nonviolent Richard, before disposing of his body in the high weeds.

The act ends with Lyle telling Reverend Meridian Henry that he would never apologize for the death of Richard.

Title explanation

"Mister Charlie" is a phrase used by African Americans that refers to the white man.^[2]

Characters

Richard Henry, son of Meridian Henry

Meridian Henry, a negro minister

Mother Henry, Meridian Henry’s mother

Tom, Ken, Arthur, Juanita, Lorenzo, Pete, all negro students

Lyle Britten, a white store owner

Jo Britten, Lyle’s wife

Parnell James, editor of the local newspaper

Papa D., negro owner of a juke joint

Hazel, Lillian, Susan, Ralph, Ellis, Rev. Phelps, George, all white townspeople

The State

Counsel for the Bereaved

Congregation of Reverend Henry’s church, pallbearers, Blacktown, Whitetown

Analysis

Critiques of Christianity

James Baldwin uses this play as a vehicle to address his issues with Christianity, a religion historically used to justify the enslavement of Africans. He argues that Christianity is a type of plague that “has the power to destroy every human relationship."^[4] Through his character Lorenzo, he denounces it for its ability to be used to preach passivity while endorsing violence.^[4] Lorenzo articulates the lack of empathy that Christianity has for the Black community, calling it “the white God” who ignores others’ suffering at the hands of the irrational. He accuses the reverend of praying to a god that only cares for those who are white and asserts that it is this god who is responsible for the destruction of Black lives.^[5]

Morality

Baldwin challenges the common beliefs of morality between white people and black people. With whites as the targeted audience, he associates his black characters with traits commonly associated with whites, such as “godliness, courage and braggadocio."^[6] His white characters possess the weaknesses stereotypically attributed to blacks, such as “lust, lack of moral strength, and violence."^[6] By situating his characters to reflect the opposite of what is expected by his audience, Baldwin places the viewers in a position to acknowledge the complexities of human nature. His restricting the white community to one dimension of human nature, as the white community does to blacks, compels the white audience to come face-to-face with how humanity may be stripped by the simple act of shrinking one’s complexities.^[7]

Selected productions

In 1992 the Royal Exchange, Manchester staged a production directed by Greg Hersov with Paterson Joseph, David Schofield, Nicholas Le Prevost and Wyllie Longmore.

References