Chapter 14 Early 20th-Century Drama

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Chapter 14 Early 20th-Century Drama

• From An Outline of English Literature by Thornley
  and Roberts

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Several General Tendencies

• I. The attempt to show on stage some parts of the
  daily lives of ordinary people in a realistic way
  that often contains social and political
  criticism. i.e. George Bernard Shaw (p.165)
• II. Of the individuals research for identity in
  an unfriendly outside world, and the difficulty
  and fear of communicating with other individuals.
  i.e. Samule Beckett and Harold Pinter (p.171)
• III. Language is not only the means by which the
  characters feelings and beliefs are expressed
  but an important part of the play in its own
  right, particularly when it is used for a witty
  or comic effect to contrast with the seriousness
  of the theme beneath. i.e. Oscard Wilde (p.174)

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George Bernard Shaw

• Shows on stage some parts of the daily lives of
  ordinary people in a realistic way that often
  contains social and political criticism
  (p.165-67)
• Shaws plays was to face his audiences with new
  points of view and ways looking at themselves as
  well as the society they lived in
• Effects shock and offence
• Saying and showing the opposite of what his
  audience expected
• Show in various ways the workings of his theory
  of the Life Force, the power that drives people
  to value life as a great gift and fight for a
  better world

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George Bernard Shaw

• Arms and the Man (1989)
• The Devils Disciple (1901)
• Man and Superman (1903)
• Caesar and Cleopatra (1901)
• Major Barbara (1905)
• Saint Joan (1924)
• Pygmalion (1912) made into film My Fair Lady

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Samuel Beckett

• Born in Ireland and spent his adult life in
  France
• Sees language as building a wall between human
  beings which stops them communicating
• Waiting for Godot (1954)
• Show true essence of the human condition
• Vladmir and Estragon waiting for the arrival of
  the mysterious Godot to give their lives some
  purpose and direction. But Godot does not come,
  and may not even exist.
• Shows the pain and fear as well as the humor of
  the two men as they try to use reason and
  argument to help them in a situation where reason
  is not enough
• Estragon is more determined that they should wait
  for Godot as they have been told to do so.

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Waiting for Godot
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Harold Pinter

• The central theme in his plays the impossibility
  of communication between characters in a closed
  situation.
• The Birthday Party (1957)
• The Caretaker (1960)
• The Homecoming (1964)
• His plays reflect the difficulty of communication
  between people.

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Oscar Wilde

• Language used for its witty or comic effect
• Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
• Witty language which leads to its comic effect by
  reversing what is usual or expected
• The appearance of things and people are in
  contrast with each other, and these contrasts are
  expressed in language of great wit