Henry IV is one of Pirandello’s works. What struck me the most was Henry IV’s quote during the second Act that discusses his ideas about a madman.  “I again appear to be mad! And, by God, you know it! You believed me! You believed all along that I was mad! Didn’t you? You see? This fear of yours?” (150).  We, as a society, fear those who appear to be eccentric because they differ from what society deems normal.  Control of individuals is apparent based on societal norms, keeping them in check.  Our everyday lives are influenced by current trends and values within society, determining what we eat, what we wear, how we act, and what we believe.  It even differentiates between right and wrong.  Throughout our primary and secondary levels of education, we as a society, are taught to believe everything to be true.  As college students we are now asked to expand our horizons and question what those in authority are presenting; easier said than done.  This discord is evident beyond the classroom.    When someone strays from the norm implemented within a society, they attract negative attention from others.  This behavior, of going against the grain, often results in neglect and isolation. 

            Pirandello’s plays Henry IV and Six Characters in Search of an Author share a similar theme of identity.   Pirandello writes “You must hold with all your might to what seems true today, and with all your might to what will seem true to you tomorrow, even if it’s the opposite of what you thought was true yesterday” (150). Our realities are ever changing.  In the past one may have been weak whereas today they are strong, but who knows what the future will hold.  We believe to be the same individual throughout but are constantly molded and shaped by life experiences, both that of truths or fabrications.  To maintain our identities we need to find what we believe is true and hold on to it.