Love and sex are really twisted, complicated animals in Fool for Love—even more so than usual, and that's saying something. You see, our two protagonists (and lovebirds), Eddie and May, are also related. And not, like, in a third cousin removed kind of way—they are half siblings.
We were already creeped out by how codependent, unhealthy, and borderline violent their relationship was—but then when you add the fact that they're siblings on top of it? Totally takes things to a whole new level of disturbing. So don't think that the "Love/Sex" theme means that Fool for Love has lots of flowers and chocolate-coated romance. This is a "tequila and incest" kind of story.
Questions About Love/Sex
- May and Eddie's relationship is disturbing enough when we first meet them—why add the extra layer of incest to the whole thing? What does that plot twist achieve, in terms of our understanding of the characters?
- Does the play present May and Eddie as totally out-of-this-world creepy and sick, or are there some aspects of their relationship that at least somewhat relatable? If so, what are those moments?
- What do you make of the Old Man's attitudes toward love? He seems to think that he had something real with both of his wives—do you believe him?
Chew on This
The incest plot really drives home the play's overarching point: People will do really screwed up things for love/sex, no matter how bad of an idea it is.
The other big take home of Fool for Love is that relationships involve lying—a lot of it. Lying to oneself, lying to your partners: that's the game.