Overtones by Gerstenberg

           The conventions of Gerstenberg’s “Overtones,” are clearly written out in the stage directions, these conventions or rules consist of the cultured halves of Harriet and Margret and the primitive halves of them (Hattie and Maggie) can never come in actual physical contact with their counterparts, but it is imperative that they maintain a sort of mental connection between themselves.  Harriet and Margret never see Hattie and Maggie, therefore they never talk to their primitive parts, but talk to space when addressing them and their primitive parts do in fact talk directly to their cultured selves.  In addition, Harriet can only hear Hattie and Margaret and Margret can only hear Maggie and Harriet.  Harriet can never hear Maggie and Harriet can never hear Maggie. 

            We are aware of these conventions not only because the stage notes outline them for us but also the dialogue been them is proves this except for some exceptions.  An audience member would be able to follow along with the conventions from following the dialogue carefully and paying attention to whom the characters are directing their lines to and who each character shares dialogue with.         There are some moments through out the play that bend these pre-set rules though.  These rules tend to be broken at places of very high instability and emotion for the cultured counterparts.  For example, at one point when the phone is ringing and Harriet is emotionally upset that Hattie refuses to acknowledge that Charles is her husband as well and then suddenly the phone rings and Harriet apparently sees Hattie going to answer the phone, meaning that she must be physically observing her or she would not know that Hattie was walking towards the phone, and stops her by mentioning that it would be improper to let the telephone girl hear her real self so she (Harriet) regains authority of the situation and answers it.  I believe that the moments when the rules are broken have quite an effect on the way the audience views the characters because when the counterparts do seem to be able to actually see each other it is like the character counterparts are emerging in to one for that brief moment so this allows the audience to be able to visually see the mental connection between them and which will power is being more dominate in that moment.  This allows the audience to be able to make a distinction between what is truly an emotional pull on the characters thoughts and beliefs because we witness the “merge” between the two and when they are just being a bit melodramatic and self loathing or whining to each other because there isn’t a “merge” that is visible.