The Man Versus the Archangel

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The Man versus the Archangel

In the last scene of the play “Fences”, written by author August Wilson, religious allusion of the character Gabriel is incorporated in a paradox; which displays Gabriel “the man” versus Gabriel “the archangel”. The scene is set in 1965, and is focused around Troy’s funeral and passage into Heaven; also, it begins off with Raynell and Corey finally meeting each other for the first time at Troy’s funeral. Rose introduces Raynell to Corey, the long lost brother that she has never had the chance to meet. Rose calls for Raynell, who was in the garden, to come forth and meet her brother. Gabriel enters and says to Rose “…it is time. It’s time to tell St. Peter to open the gates. Troy, you ready?”(Fences, Act 2 scene 4, pg. 239). In the Book of Daniel, Gabriel is referred to as "the man Gabriel", but in the Gospel of Luke Gabriel is referred to as "an angel of the Lord" (Luke 1:11); which can be seen as a paradox that the bible displays in the book of Daniel and the Gospel of Luke.

The visual and tactile imagery in the ending of “Fences” are key ways that Wilson represents the paradox of Gabriel. Gabriel, who believes that he is the archangel Gabriel after getting shot in the head during WWII, comes out and tells Rose that its time. He says that he “will tell St. Peter to open the gates of Heaven” (Fences, Act 2 scene 4, pg. 239). “Gabriel then picks up his old trumpet, which is without a mouth piece, and puts all of his might into trying to sound the trumpet”( Fences, Act 2 scene 4, pg. 239). The way that Wilson uses this imagery of the trumpet helps to place the reader into a better perspective of Heaven; because this is an allusion to Revelations 8:2 where it is said “And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets” where the trumpets carried out the will of God and opened Heaven’s gates. Despite all of Gabriel’s’ efforts, he could not open the gates of Heaven. Gabriel always carried around the trumpet because he believes that St. Peter told him to blow the horn when it was time to open Heavens gates for the Day of Judgment. The trumpet can viewed as symbolism for Gods will.

Gabriel carries this trumpet because it is foreshadowing that at some point in the play he will have to do God’s will. As the trumpet failed to exhaust out any sound, Gabriel begins to panic and is described as having a “frightful realization”. In his coming of age moment, Gabriel then begins to dance in a form of worship which is described as an “atavistic” form of dancing. Lyons then tries to stop Gabriel from dancing, but Gabriel pushes Lyons away and then begins to howl out a song; which then opens the doors of Heaven for Troy. It is interesting that August Wilson chose to define Gabriel’s methods of worship as “atavistic”, which means relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral; because Gabriel has been saying throughout the play the he believes that he is the archangel Gabriel, and this could support this theory. The use of these visual and tactile images show us as the reader the setting of Heaven, and depict how Gabriel grants Troy’s passage into Heaven through faith and by carrying out God’s will.