In Kushner’s play (and in real life, at least in the late 80s and early 90s), AZT is a “miracle drug,” rumored to be able to save AIDS patients from death by staving off the effects of a ravaged immune system. Although AZT seems to be effective for some AIDS patients, such as Prior Martin (who’s still alive five years after contracting AIDS), it’s useless for others, such as Roy Cohn (who takes AZT around the clock but dies anyway). In this sense, AZT is a poignant symbol of the uncertainty of life, but it’s also a symbol of how power, wealth, and privilege affect every aspect of life, even issues (like healthcare) that should be universal. Thus the powerful, conservative Ray Cohn is able to hoard a huge supply of AZT for himself, while thousands of “outcasts” from society (particularly poor, gay minorities) are denied access to this same “miracle drug.”
AZT Symbol Timeline in Angels in America
