'Twelve Angry Men' by Reginald Rose is a classic play that delves into the dynamics of a jury room where twelve men must decide the fate of a young boy accused of murdering his father. The play explores themes of justice, bias, human nature, and the complexities of the legal system, all within the confines of a single room. The writing style is described as expertly crafted, suspenseful, and powerful, with well-paced reveals and a ratcheting tension that leads to a satisfying climax.

The play is praised for its relevant discussions on societal issues such as race, class, parenting, and duty, making it a thought-provoking piece that resonates with readers even today. Despite the minimal set and the lack of individual names for the jurors, the play effectively maintains ambiguity and tension, keeping the audience engaged until the final curtain falls.

Characters:

The characters, identified by numbers rather than names, embody various perspectives and biases that contribute to the deliberation.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is characterized by a focus on dialogue and strong character development, emphasizing human nature and social issues.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers on a jury's deliberation regarding a murder trial, exploring themes of justice and individual biases.

Setting:

The setting is primarily confined to a jury room, enhancing the tension and intensity of the deliberation.

Pacing:

The pacing is swift, driven by the urgency of the jurors' task and the escalating tension among them.

Notes:

The play is set on a hot, humid day in a jury room during deliberations.

It involves twelve jurors deciding the fate of a sixteen-year-old boy accused of murder.

Eleven of the jurors initially believe the boy is guilty, while Juror 8 is uncertain and seeks reasonable doubt.

The story highlights themes of justice, prejudice, and human nature.

Jurors are not given names but referred to by numbers, making it challenging at times to follow their characters.

The play can be read in about an hour and is recommended for high school students.

Reginald Rose wrote both the original teleplay and adapted it for the film, starring Henry Fonda in 1957.

The play serves as a critique of the American judicial system and examines personal biases of the jurors.

It features a diverse cast of characters, each representing different societal attitudes and prejudices.

Many readers and viewers feel that both the play and its film adaptation are timeless and relevant to contemporary issues.

From The Publisher:

Reginald Rose's landmark American drama was a critically acclaimed teleplay, and went on to become a cinematic masterpiece in 1957 starring Henry Fonda, for which Rose wrote the adaptation. A blistering character study and an examination of the American melting pot and the judicial system that keeps it in check, "Twelve Angry Men" holds at its core a deeply patriotic belief in the U.S. legal system. The story's focal point, known only as Juror Eight, is at first the sole holdout in an 11-1 guilty vote. Eight sets his sights not on proving the other jurors wrong but rather on getting them to look at the situation in a clear-eyed way not affected by their personal biases. Rose deliberately and carefully peels away the layers of artifice from the men and allows a fuller picture of America, at its best and worst, to form.

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About the Author:

Reginald Rose (1920-2002) won three Emmy awards for television writing as well as an Oscar for the feature-length adaptation of "Twelve Angry Men."

David Mamet 's "Glengarry Glen Ross" won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1984. He is also the author of "Writing in Restaurants" and "On Directing Film," both available from Penguin.

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Twelve Angry Men

Reginald Rose