After Julia gives up the role of Ophelia in Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, Mr. Heminges kindly offers her a job gathering money from members of the audience at the entrances to the theater. Although his intentions are good, the effect of his actions is unfortunate. Julia feels that she has been reduced to a "dung collector." In the end, she only keeps her new job for a week.
This scene shows the different levels of value attached to being a player and to being someone who merely works at the theater. The scene also shows that the theater is a hierarchical community in which some roles are conceived of as being more important than others. Most importantly, Gary Blackwood uses this scene to give readers insight into Julia's character.
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