Wit

Dr. Jason Posner is a twenty-eight-year-old clinical fellow with the Medical Oncology Branch at the University Hospital, and he also oversees Vivian’s cancer treatment. Jason serves as a bridge between Vivian’s two worlds: he was an undergraduate student in her seventeenth-century poetry classand is now the primary physician monitoring her cancer treatment. He initially seems nervous about being assigned to her case, but the thrill of first-hand medical research quickly outweighs his reticence.

Donne was famous for his use of conceits, which is a metaphor that compares two seemingly different things to make a point. That is the case with Jason and Vivian. Superficially, they seem to be completely different people, but upon closer investigation, they are driven by the same desires. Jason explains that he took Vivian’s course to prove to himself that he could “get an A in the three hardest courses on campus” (21). The quest for knowledge and the desire to untangle puzzles motivates Jason, just like Vivian. The only difference is the topic of their interest.

Edson uses this comparison to show how the single-minded pursuit of knowledge, while noble, has real consequences. For Vivian, the consequences are individual—the sacrifices she makes affect her own quality of life. For Jason, though, the ramifications are much more impactful. His interactions with Vivian rarely consider her emotional well-being. He remains clinical and has almost no bedside manner; he even remarks that he does not have “time for” the inconvenience of Vivian’s deteriorating health (47). Even as Vivian passes away, he does not think of her as a person: he tells Susie he has to save her because she is “research” (82). Through Jason, Edson indicts the medical professionals, namely those who treat patients like problems, not as people. 

Susie Monahan is twenty-eight years old and the primary nurse who cares for Vivian throughout her treatment process. Susie is kind and attentive to Vivian’s needs, which initially makes Vivian uncomfortable. Even when Vivian lashes out at her in frustration, such as when Vivian declares she will have “no more tests,” Susie responds calmly (51). Susie’s constant compassion eventually breaks through Vivian’s defenses, especially once Vivian realizes she is dying.

Susie’s presence in Wit stands in direct opposition to Jason’s. Whereas Jason is interested in what he can learn from Vivian’s case, Susie is concerned about Vivian as a person. She does more than just ask how Vivian is feeling—she demonstrates real concern for her well-being. This manifests as advocacy as the play continues, and she stands up to Jason when his orders go against Vivian’s best interests. For instance, she pushes for Jason to lower Vivian’s “dose for the next cycle” when she gets an infection, and she literally pulls Jason off of Vivian’s body when he insists on resuscitating her (45). Susie is the only medical professional who treats Vivian like what she is: a strong, scared woman who is dying of cancer. In doing so, Susie represents what Edson believes medical treatment should be, which is competent, kind, and humane. 

Dr. E. M. Ashford is listed in the Dramatis Personae as a professor emeritus of English, but more importantly, she is Vivian’s mentor and role model. The first time readers encounter Ashford, she is giving Vivian—who is a twenty-two-year-old undergraduate student—a dressing down for her poor analysis of Donne’s “Holy Sonnet Six.” Ashford, a Donne scholar, challenges Vivian to think harder about her analysis of the poem. Ashford is an exacting professor, and Vivian becomes the same later in her career. And yet, Ashford also holds a deep affection for Vivian. She “tenderly” encourages her to “enjoy [herself] with her friends” rather than immediately rewrite her essay (15). This moment of kindness tempers her harsh criticism of Vivian’s work, and it shows Ashford’s concern for Vivian’s well-being expands beyond the classroom, too.

Ashford’s affection for Vivian becomes even clearer when she reappears at the end of Wit. Nearly two decades have passed, and although Ashford is now eighty years old, she still has time to read The Runaway Bunny to Vivian. Thus, Ashford serves two purposes in Edson’s play. First, she becomes a maternal figure for Vivian. Even though she is harsh on her student, Ashford also shows Vivian a tenderness that even her father does not give. Ashford deeply impacts Vivian’s life, and Vivian follows almost exactly in her mentor’s footsteps: first as Ashford’s research assistant, then as a professor of Donne’s poetry.

If Susie represents Edson’s vision of ideal medical treatment, Ashford gives the audience a glimpse of what Vivian’s life could have been had she made different choices. While Ashford is no less a scholar than Vivian—Ashford published a “monumental critical edition” of Donne’s poetry—she also has a life beyond her research (18). Readers see this when Ashford remarks that she is in town for her great-grandson’s birthday, which means she has both a family and healthy interpersonal relationships. Ashford did not sacrifice her life for her work, with no less success. Through Ashford’s character, Edson shows that the pursuit of knowledge does not necessarily require sacrificing every other aspect of one’s life. 

Mr. Bearing is Vivian’s father, and although he only appears in one short scene, his presence is pivotal. The stage directions describe him as “disinterested but tolerant” as he encourages a young Vivian to read The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies (41). He teaches Vivian the meaning of the word “soporific,” which sparks her love of language and sets her on the path to become a celebrated literary scholar. Mr. Bearing’s presence in the play gives the audience a deeper understanding of Vivian’s character.