Tony Kushner's play, Angels in America, comments on a number of social issues of his time; ranging from political to societal. Additionally, it incorporates many concepts covered in Modern Condition courses. Thinkers such as Nietzsche, Borges, and DeBeauvoir are specifically represented in the play through the characters featured. Kushner uses his characters to convey the ideas of these thinkers within the context of the culture in which the play takes place. Nietzsche's ideas are most clearly reflected in Roy Cohn: a power-motivated “heterosexual” lawyer “who fucks with guys” ( Kushner 52). Nietzsche's writings emphasize humanity's natural desire to achieve power. This desire is the driving force behind all human actions. Nietzsche also asserted that traditional morality was an institution created to curb society's drive for power. Because of this belief, Nietzsche argued that man must abandon traditional morality, because it is an obstacle, in order to be more successful in his quest for power. The superman is a concept that he introduced, designating a type of man capable of accessing great power by freeing himself from social constraints. He was the ultimate form of humanity, and this is only possible when he completely frees himself from his moral obligations and restraint, and it can be argued that Roy Cohn is Kushner's superman. Roy Cohn's embodiment of Nietzsche's concepts is perfectly represented by scene nine of the first act, where Roy learns that he has AIDS. Upon hearing the news, Roy immediately begins to intimidate the doctor. He continues to ask him to accuse him of being homosexual, and once the doctor finally declares that Roy has sex with men, Roy retaliates with a speech about how he is hung up on the conditions. Roy states that: “Homose...... middle of paper......Angel. This transition can be illustrated by the relaxed way in which she continues to spend time with Louis, Prior and Belize. The ideas of the modern condition are clearly represented by the thinkers studied throughout the course, as their writings reveal the true themes and concepts that have shaped and continue to influence society. Kushner's play seems to embody these concepts and show how they manifest in modern times and what issues continue to plague society. Its characters take on the role of conveying, and in some cases embodying, the ideas of these thinkers: Nietzsche, Borges, and DeBeauvior. In this way, Kushner's play can be seen as a product of the modern condition because of its representation and application of ideas that have shaped modern philosophy. Works Cited Kushner, Tony. Angels in America. New York, NY: Theater Communications Group, 2003. Print.