The Odd Couple

Oscar Madison is one of the main characters in The Odd Couple. He is the resident of a large apartment in New York City, which he lives in alone due to his divorce. Oscar is described as a “pleasant, appealing man” who “seems to enjoy life to the fullest” (8). He hosts his friends for a weekly poker game and is incredibly social. Simon mainly defines Oscar by his flaws to highlight the reasons behind his deteriorating relationships. One of his primary shortcomings is his slovenly nature. Oscar’s apartment is disgusting and littered with filth. He is also fiscally irresponsible, and frequently misses his child support payments to his ex-wife Blanche. While his friends try to remain supportive, they occasionally struggle to understand his actions. After hearing he is a month behind on child support, Murray asks, “It doesn’t bother you? That you can go to jail? Or that maybe your kids don’t have enough clothes or enough to eat?” (13). Rather than reflect, Oscar attempts to brush him off with a joke and resume the poker game. In this way, Oscar’s carefree nature frequently crosses into self-centered apathy. At the onset of the play, he would rather use his money to gamble and eat fancy dinners than keep up with his child support payments.