Gem of the Ocean The author of the play Gem of the Ocean is August Wilson. Mr. Wilson was born April 27, 1945 in Pittsburgh, PA. His father was a German immigrant while his mother was an African American woman. August Wilson is known for his plays. He is a playwright. He was one of the best award winning African American playwrights in history. Mr. Wilson wrote a series of plays. His plays expressed the African American experience through a series of plays. He is known for his ten plays in the Pittsburgh Cycle. The uniqueness about Wilson plays is each play is set in the 20th century. The plays chronicles the African American experience during his time. Nine of Mr. Wilson plays was set near his childhoods hometown. There is only one exception …show more content…
The characters are Aunt Ester Tyler, Citizen Barlow, Solly Two Kings, Black Mary Wilkes, Caesar Wilkes, Eli, and Rutherford Selig. Aunt Ester is an old African American woman who was a former slave and soul cleanser Ester had survived slavery for over two centuries. She was born after the first slave ship left for Africa coming to the new world. She was freed from slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation. She is 285 years old in the play. Citizen Barlow is a young African American man who comes to see Aunt Ester for a soul cleans. Citizen Barlow is a troubled character who has committed a murder that was pinned on an innocent man, who drowns himself rather than face prosecution in white-dominated court. While their Aunt Ester recruits him to enlist with her in their journey to the City of Bones. Solly Two Kings is a former slave like Aunt Ester He is secretly in love with her. He is a friend of Aunt Ester. Solly, a slave who escaped to Canada but returned at his own peril to help slaves escape via the Underground Railroad. He calls himself “two kings” referring to the two biblical characters King David, and King Solomon. The next character is Caesars sister Black Mary Wilkes she is Aunt Ester house keeper. Caesar Wilkes is Black Mary Wilkes brother. He is also a police officer, and a landowner. He believe in strictly enforcing the laws at any cause. Eli is another character in the play he is Aunt Ester caregiver. Rutherford Selig a friend of Ester who visit her often. She is a