Enron:A level english literature

Prologue

Starts off with a chorus:Allusions to greek tragedy

Skilling : We’re trying to change the world

prologue

it reflects his hamartia of ambition and belief that Enron’s actions are revolutionary. He sees himself and the company as forces for positive change, masking the ethical corruption behind their actions.lexical choice of “change the world” is conspicuously grandiose and abstract. This abstraction mirrors Skilling’s detachment from the world reinforcing the idea that his moral language is performative rather than sincere.

Faustus, like Skilling, is driven by a grandiose vision of himself . Faustus believes that by commanding supernatural forces, he will be able to change the world, to transcend human limits, and to gain immense knowledge and control. Faustus “as great as lucifer” (act 1 scene 5)

The audience, aware of the real-world implications of their actions, experiences dramatic irony,

Lawyer] "Now as a lawyer I choose my words carefully. So when we tell you his story, you should know it could never be exactly(italics) what happened"

Story told through the eyes of a capitalist everyman. It is through the eyes of someone who proclaims that he makes money from other people's loss, an entirely capitalist attitude. It does arguably problematise how authentic the characters are, but perhaps Prebble purposefully presents the lawyer's point of view to further criticise the capitalist mindset (broadway) - dark lighting

SD:”Three mice-men…feeling their way with sticks”

Blind mice-a metaphor for the employees at Enron.Blind followers and are reliant on support from the company

Brechtian stage direction

plague imagery, traditionally associated with corruption and divine punishment, reinforcing a sense of moral contamination.

SKILLING: "I'm f*cking smart"

ENRON: arrogance, believing intelligence gives you a licence to do whatever you want act one scene 3

• First-person declarative → absolute self-assertion, leaving no space for doubt or challenge.

• Colloquial register → contrasts with the supposed sophistication of finance, exposing intellectual bravado as crude and performative.

• Hubris.Context (AO3) → reflects late-capitalist culture that equates intelligence with entitlement and success

Parallel to Faustus → like Faustus’ faith in knowledge, Skilling’s belief in intellect blinds him to consequence.

Allusions to bill clinton

act 1 scene 3

Foreshadow Skilling’s divorce and his downfall

Contextual allusion (AO3):
this intertextuality evoke a postmodern allusion 1990s–early 2000s culture of political charisma, where personal charm often eclipsed ethical scrutiny. Clinton’s presidency became synonymous with image management, scandal survival, and public persuasion—qualities mirrored in Skilling’s rhetoric.

The play uses this to suggest that Skilling operates in a postmodern ethical vacuum, where wrongdoing only matters if it damages image.

“i believe in God,I believe in democracy and I believe in the company”

act 1 scene 3

Ken Lay

Anaphora (“I believe in”):
creates a creed-like rhythm, echoing religious confession or oath-taking. frames the company as something holy The metaphor of “the company” exposes how capitalism becomes a quasi-sacred institution in American culture. Prebble suggests that in the US, capitalism is not just economic but moral, treated as proof of virtue and success.

tricolon, with each clause beginning identically. This creates syntactic equality between God, democracy, and the company, suggesting they hold equal moral and ideological weight.

SKILLING: "we don't have to wait for the grapes to be grown (...) however the hell you make champagne"

act 1 scene 2

-colloquial, dismissive language to convey Skilling’s urgency and rebelliousness. His rhetoric embraces risk fetishisation — making risk sound like innovation.

Skilling’s persuasive language uses metaphor and persuasive rhetoric to normalise what is effectively economic irresponsibility.Skilling’s language reflects his belief that rules — whether financial or natural — are irrelevant. The dramatic irony is that the audience — armed with hindsight — knows that these practices are unsustainable and misleading

metaphor of grapes- tangible assets and real value, while champagne symbolises profit and prestige. Skilling’s claim suggests Enron can skip the material reality and still enjoy the rewards.This directly parallels Enron’s use of mark-to-market accounting, where profits are declared before they exist. The quote dramatizes Enron’s reliance on speculative capitalism.

link to -"by means of a swift spirit that I have, I had these grapes"

“i believe in God,I believe in democracy and I believe in the company”

Compare to Dr Faustus

“All things that move between the quiet poles
Shall be at my command.” (2.1)

cosmic imagery to articulate the limitless scale of his ambition. This hyperbolic language immediately establishes his hubris, a defining trait of the tragic hero.
positions Faustus as a god-like figure, inverting the natural hierarchy between humanity and God. Marlowe deliberately uses authoritative syntax to dramatise Faustus’s desire to replace divine authority with human will.

Both figures replace spiritual morality with self-serving systems of power.
Both Faustus and Lay create false gods — Faustus idolises magical power, while Lay idolises corporate capitalism.

"That's a parochial vision"

Skilling wants more than the physical world - act 1 scene 4

Skilling is constructed as hubristic, echoing the tragic overreach seen in classical tragedy.
Adjective “parochial” → connotes narrow-mindedness aligning traditional business ethics with backwardness.

• Semantic field of limitation → reinforces Enron’s ideology that regulation and caution restrict progress.

• Binary opposition → “parochial” vs Skilling’s implied global, innovative vision, reflecting neoliberal capitalism’s rejection of restraint.

dramatic irony as this ambition from both Skilling and Faustus leads to their downfall

“My Father was a valve salesman”

act 1 scene 3

Links to Dr Faustus “His parents base of Stock”

The American Dream: In the context of the American Dream, Skilling's reference to his father's occupation represents the ideal of rising above one's origins.

In Dr. Faustus, Faustus rejects the traditional path of study and religion in favor of corrupt knowledge and power. Similarly, Skilling's reference to his father's occupation may be taken as a metaphorical rejection of a more traditional and stable path. Skilling favours the financial worlds cut throat and more ambitious ventures. both Faustus and Skilling reject conventional paths for more grand ventures. Despite those being morally destructive.

anonymous pronoun - perhaps skilling feels his father does not even deserve a name

Brechtian theatre

Prebble’s influences of brechtian theatre is highlighted in act 1 scene 4 . with a character breaking the fourth wall at the end and The traders are holding puppets (Broadway version) and are presented as such.Puppets to the capitalist system

Hum of manly pursits

act 1 scene 5

"manly" implies power, dominance, and authority—traits celebrated in corporate cultures. However, the term carries a certain irony, The “pursuits” being described are not of morality, but are about self-interest, manipulation, and greed.

I’ll have them fly to India for gold, Ransack the ocean for orient pearl,
This line emphasizes Faustus’s desire for absolute power, mirroring the "manly pursuits" at Enron, where characters are driven by control in the corporate world. Both Faustus and the men in Enron believe that power (whether it’s magical or financial) defines their worth and it therefore fuels their actions

Darwinian attitudes at Enron

Lay would cut the bottom 10% of employees

“Money and sex motivate people”

act 1 scene 5: this metaphor encapsulates a reductionist view of human nature, where all actions and decisions are driven by the pursuit of these two desires. people are treated as tools or instruments, rather than as individuals - colloquial language reflecting complete honesty

Faustus's line "Hell is a fable" metaphorically reflects his disbelief in moral consequences. which parallels Skilling’s belief that people are only motivated by superficial desires In both cases, the characters demonstrate extreme cynical views regarding human nature and morality. Faustus rejects the idea of a higher moral realm and instead focuses on the immediate, material gains of power Similarly, Skilling dismisses the complexity of human motivation and desire ,

An unholy partnership

Act 1 - scene 8

The adjective “unholy” immediately sparks a religious connotation, implying something morally wrong, corrupt, or sinister.impling a is tainted and unethical paring, driven by personal gain rather than integrity or truth

Faustus’s partnership with Mephistopheles mirrors the corporate collusion in Enron because both involve moral corruption for personal gain.

How is the signing of the contract presented

Broadway version- Like a childish party,unprofessional , ironic ,impulsive and reckless

“The gap between perception and reality”

act 1 scene 8: dramatic irony: while Enron appears invincible to the public, its reality is one of corruption, deception, and inevitable collapse.

Skilling’s worldview is defined by his belief in the construction of perception over reality. where the value of Enron lies not in its actual performance but in its market representation, where Skilling's version of “truth” is subjective and he sees it as something to mould.

juxtaposition between the abstract nouns “perception” and reality

Which quote links to “The gap between perception and reality”

"Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it."

This quote is spoken by Mephistopheles when he begins to understand that Faustus’ pact with the devil has enslaved him in an "unholy" deal, but he is still trapped in the delusion of power, knowledge, and success. Faustus’ refusal to accept the reality of his spiritual damnation,parallels Skilling’s manipulation of perception to create an image of success while hiding the grim truth at Enron.

Clement on fatal flaws

“The interest in winning,power and an arrogant over-confidence becomes part of both Skilling and the Company’s fatal flaw”

“The photographer is beneath him,to make him seem God-like”

act 1 scene 9

(broadway)The photographer’s position on the floor can be seen as a metaphor of subjugation, emphasizing Skilling’s god-like status.

This invocation of divine imagery is significant because it ties Skilling to religious iconography, suggesting a near-messianic view of himself.hubris, where the character's belief in his own superiority becomes an integral part of his identity

reflective of faustus’ behaviour

“Like a religious cult,Skilling is messiah-like”

act 1 scene 9

the simile associating him with figures of divine authority. The divine term "messiah” refers to a savior or an anointed leader, By applying this term to Skilling, the stage direction suggests that he is not merely a corporate figure but someone who, in the eyes of his followers, transcends ordinary human flaws

“My heart’s so harden'd I cannot repent.” (Act 2, Scene 3)

The verb “cannot” is absolute, indicating a loss of free will. Faustus frames damnation as inevitable, revealing spiritual paralysis rather than genuine remorse.. drawing directly on biblical language, where a hardened heart metaphorically represents spiritual corruption and rejection of God and repentance. aligns with Skilling’s sense of invincibility. Both characters exhibit hubris, Faustus who seeks to transcend the limitations of humanity and become more powerful than anyone else.

THE PURGE (stage direction) - also what does it link to

The corporate culture at Enron, as depicted in the play, is characterized by a continual effort to "cleanse" the truth and deceive the public and shareholders.

act 2 scene 3 - I cannot repent [...] but fearful echoes thunders in mine ears'
. His attempts to purge his sins are meaningless because he has already sold his soul, which echoes the theme of being unable to escape one's moral failings.

In Enron, the characters are similarly trapped by their actions, unable to escape their greed and deception, Skilling, in particular, denies responsibility, which parallels Faustus' rejection of repentance

election reactions portrayal

act 2 scene 5

Broadyway-almost caricature like , over the top , desperation

“But we are a black box Jeff”

act 2 scene 8-Fastow - metaphor “black box” suggests something sealed implying that even those inside Enron do not fully understand its operations. This reflects Prebble’s critique of late capitalism, where complexity becomes a tool to evade accountability and create an illusion of control. conveyed how the executives, particularly Fastow, view deception as a tool of power

similarly Faustus believes knowledge will grant him mastery, yet his understanding is superficial and incomplete. While Faustus demands answers from Mephistopheles, he never truly comprehends the moral consequences of his actions. Both texts therefore expose the limits of human knowledge, but Marlowe frames this within a moral and theological tragedy, whereas Prebble presents it as a structural failure of capitalism. -Come, I think hell’s a fable.”

Skilling surrounded by wall street journalists whilst he is stood on a black box

Broadway version

act 2 scene 8

Black Box as Deception: The black box is also a representation of the fraudulent mechanisms Enron used to hide debt and inflate its value. Skilling's stance on it can be interpreted as an embodiment of his delusion and hubris

"Approaches it desperately trying to regain former glories"

act 2 scene 10-

In terms of dramatic irony, the audience knows that this effort is worthless, making Skilling’s actions increasingly tragic and humiliating as he attempts to regain what has already been lost adverb “desperately” is particularly significant, as it conveys panic and loss of control, undermining the capitalist myth of rationality and mastery that Enron publicly promoted. Instead of calculated dominance, Skilling’s actions are driven by fear, suggesting that Enron’s authority is performative and fragile

"O, I’ll leap up to my god"

Here, Faustus expresses his regret for his actions, but by then, he is unable to redeem himself. desperate verb “leap” and possessive pronoun of “my” indicates emotional volatility, where Faustus briefly turns towards repentance. Similarly, in Enron, the company’s collapse is the inevitable result of the characters’ failure to recognize the consequences of their wrongful actions.

Metaphor of 9/11

references are made in Act 3 scenes 1-3
allegory of the 9/11 attack to metaphorically to illustrate the total collapse of the system that seemed unshakable. the twin towers were symbols of American economic and political power, Enron was a corporate titan. Prebble links the fall of Enron to 9/11 as a moment of shocking realization about the fragility of the systems we depend on.

“I’ll burn my books! Ah, Mephistopheles!” (Act 5, Scene 2)

Faustus’ realization that his deal with Lucifer was a mistake, compounded by the destructive verb “burn” and the colloquial cry for help .Mirrors the realisation of vulnerability after 9/11. His ambition to gain ultimate knowledge and power crumbles, and he is left with the regret that the world he thought he could control was never stable.

What did Andy Fastow do?

He testified against the company & skilling

-for a shorter sentence

Broadway stage direction

-sentencing scene

Lay,Skilling and Fastow are being lined up to be handcuffed

Skilling is later seen to be taking off his clothes to put on orange uniform - he is being humiliated as many people that he wronged would have wanted

"Skilling (to us): There’s your mirror. Every dip, every crash, every bubble that’s burst. That’s you."

epilogue

The metaphor of the “mirror” suggests reflection and self-recognition-he’s saying: look at yourselves. This forces the audience to reflect on their own moral and economic behaviours, challenging them to confront their complicity in the system that allowed Enron to thrive and crash.(Brechtian)

forms a tricolon, creating a sense of accumulation and inevitability. reinforcing the play’s central argument that Enron is not an anomaly, but a mirror of society itself.

Link to faustus “Till swoll’n with cunning of a self-cocneit” Faustus functions as a didactic exemplum — a figure whose rise and fall reflects what happens when human ambition exceeds moral limits.

"Theres,Greed,theres joy,fath,hope...and the greatest of these... is money"

Prebble’s subversion of a biblical allusion exposes the ethical corruption of capitalist ideology

declarative “the greatest of these is money,” she critiques a system in which profit has depleted morality. This moment encapsulates the play’s central thesis: that capitalism, unchecked, becomes a kind of religion — and Skilling its most devout believer

casts Skilling as a modern Faustian figure. Like Marlowe’s Faustus, Skilling exhibits hubristic overreaching, privileging material power over moral responsibility. However, while Faustus is ultimately damned within a Christian moral framework, Skilling’s lack of repentance reflects a secular capitalist society in which ethical failure is normalised rather than spiritually punished.

the end

(He ends, his arms outstretched, crucifying himself before the market.)