The Tiger and the Horse
Encyclopedia
The Tiger and the Horse is a three-act play by Robert Bolt
, written in 1960. It takes its title from William Blake
's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
: "The tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction."
The play's story involves Jack Dean, a Professor of Astronomy at a prestigious English university (unnamed, but presumed to be Oxford
) who is the primary candidate for the Vice Chancellor-ship after the current Vice Chancellor, Hugo Slate, retires the position. Dean has a wife, Gwendolyn, and two daughters, Stella and Mary. The plot focuses around a petition to ban nuclear weapons (in real life, Bolt's pet political issue), which is introduced by Louis Flax, a strong-willed, opinionated research fellow who is courting Stella. Dean refuses to sign it, even though his wife strongly supports the petition. His unwillingness to commit himself slowly drives his wife insane; she feels herself unloved and unappreciated by her husband, but blames herself for it. Stella becomes pregnant by Louis, and in a subplot a frustrated Stella tries to convince Louis to marry her. At the play's denouement, Gwendolyn destroys a Holbein
portrait of the University's founders and pins the petition to it; this convinces her husband to support his wife and sign the petition, even though it will ruin his chances of becoming Vice Chancellor.
The play's original run coincided with Bolt's A Man for All Seasons
in 1960. It was more financially successful than Man, although it received mixed critical reviews. Its original cast featured Michael Redgrave
as Dean, daughter Vanessa
, in one of her first major stage roles, as Stella, and Alan Dobie
as Louis.
Robert Bolt
Robert Oxton Bolt, CBE was an English playwright and a two-time Oscar winning screenwriter.-Career:He was born in Sale, Cheshire. At Manchester Grammar School his affinity for Sir Thomas More first developed. He attended the University of Manchester, and, after war service, the University of...
, written in 1960. It takes its title from William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is a book by the English poet and printmaker William Blake. It is a series of texts written in imitation of biblical prophecy but expressing Blake's own intensely personal Romantic and revolutionary beliefs. Like his other books, it was published as printed sheets...
: "The tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction."
The play's story involves Jack Dean, a Professor of Astronomy at a prestigious English university (unnamed, but presumed to be Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
) who is the primary candidate for the Vice Chancellor-ship after the current Vice Chancellor, Hugo Slate, retires the position. Dean has a wife, Gwendolyn, and two daughters, Stella and Mary. The plot focuses around a petition to ban nuclear weapons (in real life, Bolt's pet political issue), which is introduced by Louis Flax, a strong-willed, opinionated research fellow who is courting Stella. Dean refuses to sign it, even though his wife strongly supports the petition. His unwillingness to commit himself slowly drives his wife insane; she feels herself unloved and unappreciated by her husband, but blames herself for it. Stella becomes pregnant by Louis, and in a subplot a frustrated Stella tries to convince Louis to marry her. At the play's denouement, Gwendolyn destroys a Holbein
Hans Holbein the Younger
Hans Holbein the Younger was a German artist and printmaker who worked in a Northern Renaissance style. He is best known as one of the greatest portraitists of the 16th century. He also produced religious art, satire and Reformation propaganda, and made a significant contribution to the history...
portrait of the University's founders and pins the petition to it; this convinces her husband to support his wife and sign the petition, even though it will ruin his chances of becoming Vice Chancellor.
The play's original run coincided with Bolt's A Man for All Seasons
A Man for All Seasons
A Man for All Seasons is a play by Robert Bolt. An early form of the play had been written for BBC Radio in 1954, and a one-hour live television version starring Bernard Hepton was produced in 1957 by the BBC, but after Bolt's success with The Flowering Cherry, he reworked it for the stage.It was...
in 1960. It was more financially successful than Man, although it received mixed critical reviews. Its original cast featured Michael Redgrave
Michael Redgrave
Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave, CBE was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author.-Youth and education:...
as Dean, daughter Vanessa
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
, in one of her first major stage roles, as Stella, and Alan Dobie
Alan Dobie
Alan Russell Dobie , is a British actor.Dobie was born in Wombwell, Yorkshire, England, to George Russell and Sarah Kate Dobie. His father was a mining engineer and his mother's family were farmers. He was married to actress Rachel Roberts from 1955-61 then married Maureen Scott in 1963...
as Louis.