Realism and Beyond

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Realism and Beyond

• Genres and Movements in 20th Century American
  Drama

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Genres and Movements 1900-1965 (an overview)

• Realism
• Poetic Realism
• Expressionism
• Social Realism
• Theatre of the Absurd
• Surrealism (antirealism)

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Realism

• Reacts against the well-made play of the 19th
  century.

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Realism

• Reacts against the well-made play of the 19th
  century.
• Gives the illusion that the audience is looking
  in on the action, as if weve just happened upon
  this scene.

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Realism

• Reacts against the well-made play of the 19th
  century.
• Gives the illusion that the audience is looking
  in on the action, as if weve just happened upon
  this scene.
• Often focuses on the commonplace, the ordinary.

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Realism

• Reacts against the well-made play of the 19th
  century.
• Gives the illusion that the audience is looking
  in on the action, as if weve just happened upon
  this scene.
• Often focuses on the commonplace, the ordinary.
• Leaves loose ends that can be interpreted
  multiple ways.

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Realism

• Reacts against the well-made play of the 19th
  century.
• Gives the illusion that the audience is looking
  in on the action, as if weve just happened upon
  this scene.
• Often focuses on the commonplace, the ordinary.
• Leaves loose ends that can be interpreted
  multiple ways.
• Is preoccupied with verisimilitude.

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Poetic Realism

• Blends characteristics of realism with a
  heightened sense of aestheticism

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Poetic Realism

• Blends characteristics of realism with a
  heightened sense of aestheticism
• Draws attention to the representational aspects
  of the set and atmosphere.

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Poetic Realism

• Blends characteristics of realism with a
  heightened sense of aestheticism
• Draws attention to the representational aspects
  of the set and atmosphere.
• Characters often have their last chance at
  love, but are disappointed

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• scene from the Murfreesboro Metropolitan
  Theatres Glass Menagerie

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Poetic Realism

• Blends characteristics of realism with a
  heightened sense of aestheticism
• Draws attention to the representational aspects
  of the set and atmosphere.
• Characters often have their last chance at
  love, but are disappointed
• Has some of the trademarks of expressionism, but
  does not distort reality in quite the same way.

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Expressionism

• Seeks to represent an emotional or psychological
  truth by distorting reality.

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Expressionism

• Seeks to represent an emotional or psychological
  truth by distorting reality.
• Speech is either heightened or clipped

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Expressionism

• Seeks to represent an emotional or psychological
  truth by distorting reality.
• Speech is either heightened or clipped
• Characters are often types rather than fully
  developed

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Expressionism

• Seeks to represent an emotional or psychological
  truth by distorting reality.
• Speech is either heightened or clipped
• Characters are often types rather than fully
  developed
• Dramatizes the spiritual awakenings and/or
  sufferings of the protagonist

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Expressionism

• Seeks to represent an emotional or psychological
  truth by distorting reality.
• Speech is either heightened or clipped
• Characters are often types rather than fully
  developed
• Dramatizes the spiritual awakenings and/or
  sufferings of the protagonist
• Often dramatizes the struggle against
  middle-class values and established
  authority/institutions

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Social Realism

• A subset of realism that is sometimes called
  kitchen-sink drama

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Social Realism

• A subset of realism that focuses on realistic,
  often domestic situations

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Social Realism

• A subset of realism that focuses on realistic
  often domestic situations, sometimes giving it
  the term kitchen-sink drama
• Politically aware overtly presses for change.

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Theatre of the Absurd(1950s-1960s)

• Emerges from the philosophy of existentialism

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Theatre of the Absurd(1950s-1960s)

• Emerges from the philosophy of existentialism
• Expresses the idea that the human situation is
  devoid of purpose, and therefore futile and
  absurd

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Theatre of the Absurd(1950s-1960s)

• Emerges from the philosophy of existentialism
• Expresses the idea that the human situation is
  devoid of purpose, and therefore futile and
  absurd
• Little plot or logical structure

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Theatre of the Absurd(1950s-1960s)

• Emerges from the philosophy of existentialism
• Expresses the idea that the human situation is
  devoid of purpose, and therefore futile and
  absurd
• Little plot or logical structure
• However frantic the action, it often comes to
  nothing.

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Surrealism

• Sometimes referred to as antirealism

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Surrealism

• Sometimes referred to as antirealism
• Resembles expressionism, but draws its material
  from the subconscious (dreams, repressed
  memories, etc.)

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Expressionism vs. Surrealism
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Surrealism

• Sometimes referred to as antirealism
• Resembles expressionism, but draws its material
  from the subconscious (dreams, repressed
  memories, etc.)
• Highly theatrical and highly poetic

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Surrealism

• Sometimes referred to as antirealism
• Resembles expressionism, but draws its material
  from the subconscious (dreams, repressed
  memories, etc.)
• Highly theatrical and highly poetic
• Plots are often non-linear or even circular

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Genres and Movements 1900-1965 (a recap)

• Realism
• Poetic Realism
• Expressionism
• Social Realism
• Theatre of the Absurd
• Surrealism (antirealism)