Marat

After watching the play about Marat in class I decided to research and find out more about his character from a historical standpoint .

Jean-Paul Marat (May 24, 1743 – July 13, 1793), was a Swiss-born French physician, philosopher, political theorist and scientist best known as a radical journalist and politician from the French Revolution.

Marat often sought the comfort of a cold bath to ease violent itchings due to a skin disease long said to have been contracted years earlier, when he was forced to hide from his enemies in the Paris sewers. More recent examination of Marat's symptoms has led to the assertion that Marat's skin eruptions came from coeliac disease, an allergy to gluten, found most commonly in wheat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Marat
From this I was able to realize how much research the makers of the play had to do. The role of Marat was played very well because it fit his philosophic nature and unwillingness to except convention. It also helped me to understand the play more. It is said that Marat was killed because of his decision to vote for the death of King Louis XVI. Both the text of the play and the subtext, play with in a play, had a lot to do with people versus authority. It poses the question of where the line between freedom and anarchy begins and ends. The inmates want their freedom but at what cost. Is it right for figures of authority to hold the freedom of another in his grasp? I personally believe that freedom is relative to ones situation. Whether it be mental freedom or actual physical freedom the opportunity should be granted by ones ability to accept the repercussions that come along with being free.