Beyond A Reasonable Doubt, By John Patrick Shanley

The Seeds of Doubt Grow Quickly Doubt is a rapidly growing vine which can obliterate the truth from a situation. John Patrick Shanley presents a perfect example in his play, “Doubt: A Parable”. Richard Hornby states, in his article “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt,” in reference to the play, “[It] depicts a Pirandellian situation in which guilt or innocence cannot be determined, but even more it depicts the way that a prosecutorial mentality can run amok” (p1). Two of the main characters of this play are Father Brendan Flynn and Sister Aloysius Beauvier. Father Flynn presents a sermon regarding a crisis of faith. The sermon serves to plant a seed of doubt regarding Father Flynn’s faith in the mind of Sister Beauvier. This doubt causes conflict to arise both subtly and swiftly early in the play. There are several similarities and one major difference between Father Flynn and Sister Beauvier. Father Flynn uses the doubt in his mind to take action. However, Sister Beauvier becomes consumed by her doubt which clouds her judgment. Both, Father Flynn and Sister Beauvier have bold personalities, care deeply for the children under their instruction, and allow doubt to creep into their mind.

Father Flynn does seem to care deeply about the students as evident by his attempt to interact with them on their level. Sister Beauvier plants a seed of doubt in Father Flynn’s mind when she lies to him by saying, “This morning…I took the precaution of calling the last parish to which you were assigned” (Shanley 8.189). It is this doubt which causes Father Flynn to be proactive in securing reassignment in a new