In Amiri Baraka's 1964 comedy Dutchman, formally known as Le Roi Jones, a conundrum of racial themes and conflicts are glaringly exemplified in the short running time of the play. Baraka symbolically attacks the issue of racial stereotypes through the relationship of the only subjects of the work, Lula and Clay. Baraka uses theatricality and dynamic characters as a metaphor to portray an honest depiction of racist stereotypes in America through both physical and psychological acts of discrimination. Dutchman shows Clay, an innocent African American enraged after being tormented by the representation of an insane, illogical, and explicit white supremacist ideal known as Lula. Their encounter goes from sexual to lethal as the two along with others are all confined inside an urban subway car. Baraka uses character traits, symbolism, and metaphor to show the legacy of racial tension in America. The subway trolley setting is an example of American symbolism. The mysterious underground chariot is an element of the work's title; The Flying Dutchman's haunted ship, however, can also be seen as an illustration of American society. The subway car is the representation of a closed space in which people are forced to interact. Regardless of race, gender, and social class, the urban subway car is an area of ​​social stimulation. Passengers often enter and ride anonymously, we see in the list of “Riders of Coach, white and black” characters included in the dynamics of the subway car set. It is a small, limited space, trapped within a random sample of people at any given time. Baraka uses this setting as the perfect environment for two strangers to interact openly. A perfectly natural place to meet someone new, like Clay and Lula. A......middle of paper......generations. Racial tensions have resulted in tragedies; Clay's murder at the end of the play is the symbolic representation of an innocent man attacked because of the color of his skin and nothing more. The art of theater attacks the audience by forcing them to consider these social issues. At the end of Dutchman the audience is left uncomfortable, shocked, and forced to reconstruct Lula's role, Clay, and Dutchman's flying subway car are metaphors for problems larger than the play's conflict. Works Cited Baraka, Amiri. Dutch. New York, New York: Marrow, 1964. Print. 766-774Du Bois, WEB The Souls of Black People. Rockville, Maryland: Arc Manor, 2008.Print.Kumar, Nita N. “The Logic of Punishment: Amiri Baraka’s ‘Dutchman’.” African American Review 37.2/3 (2003): 271-279. JSTOR. Network. May 2 2012. .