J. B.

What is the main conflict in J. B. by Archibald MacLeish?

Asked by
Last updated by Jill W
1 Answers
Log in to answer

Much of the Biblical story of Job is made up of debate with Three Comforters, but this takes up only one scene in this play. Instead, most of JB is made up of scenes like this one between JB and his family. These family scenes are built around tensions between JB and Sarah which dramatize and externalize the internal conflict JB faces between faith (represented by JB) and fear (represented by Sarah). These two emotional states themselves represent the principal aspects of man's traditional relationship with God as portrayed in the Bible: faith in God's love but fear of his vengeance. Placing these spiritual conflicts in the context of a relationship between husband and wife suggests that since male and female balance each other in marriage, faith and fear balance each other in relationship to God.

Source(s)

BookRags