Explore the theme of madness in Equus.

In Peter Shaffer's Equus, the theme
of madness is present as the story explores the undefined line between evil and
insanity.  The fact is that Alan Strang commits a gruesome act of violence by blinding
the horses, but the reasons that have motivated Alan's actions are unknown.  His doctor
Dysart tries to figure out whether Alan is simply evil in nature or whether he is
mad--in the end, Dysart realizes that he might be able to cure Alan of his psychosis,
but he is not sure whether or not a cure will also kill Alan's personality.  What
appears as madness in Alan might actually be a bizarre manifestation of the boy's
personality, and the play questions whether or not it is right to make Alan conform to
societal expectations.