This is a phrase that Tennessee Williams used to describe
Margo Jones, the dynamic theatre visionary and producer who elsewhere was
called “The Sweet Tornado.” Jones, indeed, made a lasting impact on theatre,
but Williams’s trilogy is so powerful, I thought I’d speculate as why Williams put
these three together.
Joan
of Arc – A visionary who was led by her Angelic, spiritual
inspirers to do battle with the forces seeking to dominate and control the free
human being. We all need a vision for our lives and our communities and freedom.
We need courage. To have courage means we, like Joan, need those imaginative
sources and resources, those ideals backed by the good Angels to which we can
reliably turn, without doubt, without worry, when life gets tough,
because life will get tough. Probably
tougher than it is when you start out. Anytime you try to change your world, or
yourself, counter forces will arise to attempt to destroy your vision, cause
doubt, fear, anger. The bigger your vision, the bigger the counter forces. You
need Joan of Arc-sized spiritual inspiration.
Gene Autry –
The original “straight shooting” cowboy star of radio, television and film. Autry
created a moral “The Cowboy Code” for
the “young” (or old) listeners of his radio program:
1. The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit
a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.
2. He must never go back on his word, or a
trust confided in him.
3. He must always tell the truth.
4. He must be gentle with children, the
elderly, and animals.
5. He must not advocate or possess
racially or religiously intolerant ideas.
6. He must help people in distress.
7. He must be a good worker.
8. He must keep himself clean in thought,
speech, action, and personal habits.
9. He must respect women, parents, and his
nation's laws.
10. The Cowboy is a patriot.[1]
The Cowboy Path is a path of
self-directed moral behavior which we can use to guide our vision, our inspiration.
This is the kind of thing Aristotle would have suggested to young Athenian “cowboys”
with his admonition, to “Be Good, Do Good.” This also rolls along side the “12
Steps” program or other moral anti-addiction programs practiced today.
Nitroglycerine
- Invented in 1847, nitroglycerine has
been an active agent in the manufacture of explosives since that time. Highly
unstable, it was terribly dangerous when first compounded and caused hundreds
of deaths before controlled. For a while, it was banned in some parts of the
world. When mixed with organic substances, it can be more easily handled and
used in munitions as a propellant. This is one aspect of one form of
nitroglycerine –explosive, unstable, needs to be handled with care.
But
still, if required, nitroglycerine is what you need for blasting the fixed, the
stuck, the things which are in the way and need to be removed. “Moralic Nitro”
for destroying the large stoppers in life.
Another aspect is that for over 130
years, nitroglycerine has been used as a cardiac vasodialator to treat
heart conditions, angina pectoris and chronic cardiac failure. It modulates the out of control rhythms of the
heart.
So what in one place is useful for
blasting and destroying and may lead to tragedy and death if misused; in
another place, in a smaller dose, may lead to strength and health. We all need the capacity for maximum force,
on occasion; and, on other occasions, we nee (dare I mention another cardiac
function) the ability to be tender - to love?
Joan of Arc, Gene Autry, nitroglycerine
– thank you, Margo Jones for inspiring Tennessee Williams! Take these qualities
to heart and we all will be inspired, straight shooting firecrackers! Yee hah!
©
Copyright 2017 – Jean W. Yeager – All Rights Reserved.
