Download The History of English Drama in 20 th Century

 The History of English Drama in 20th Century
The end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century is
quite a weak period. The most important authors started to appear
mostly after World War. During the 20th century, especially after
World War I, Western drama became more internationally unified
and less the product of separate national literary traditions.
Throughout the century realism, naturalism, symbolism, and
ekspresionism (and various combinations of these) continued to
inform important plays. Twentieth Century Drama covers many of
the key moments of innovation and revolution in modern theatre.
The full range of dramatic styles, genres and traditions will be
represented, from widely studied and frequently performed plays
to important examples of radical theatre, regional theatre,
postcolonial theatre, women's theatre and popular forms such as
farce and thriller that are often under represented in surveys of the
period.
 The Characteristic of English Drama in 20th Century
The characteristic of English drama in 20th century there are as
follows :
1. Drama are showing in theatrical performances.
2. The style, topic, theme and genre of drama more various.
3. There are mixing and merging of various kinds of media with
improvisational techniques, performance art, and other kinds of
avant-garde theater.
4. The player of drama more use modern costume.
5. Drama known the theater of the absurd and more modern by
abandoning traditional devices of the drama, including logical
plot development, meaningful dialogue, and intelligible
characters.
6. In drama use music instrument, the traditions of the music hall.
7. The majority of the plays contained in Twentieth Century
Drama are copyright works that have never before been licensed
for electronic reproduction (drama had copyright and licensed).
8. The authors not anonymous again, but it’s mentioned.
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Kinds of English drama in that period are various, more develop and the
topic and theme can be combine, because it is closed to modern era, the
example :
Problem play
Which explain about social problem in society like politic, culture, drama of
social criticism discusses social, economic, or political problems by means of a
play.
Naturalist play
Drama about relationship between human and their natural life.
Irish drama
It is landmark plays
Comedy or comedy of manners
Drama has satirical fantasies, more fun and enjoy lighter drama in which the
leading characters overcome the difficulties which temporarily beset them. A
type of drama in which the characters experience reversals of fortune, usually
for the better. Things work out happily in the end. May be romantic characterized by a tone of tolerance and for comedy of manners comedy are
wittily portrays fashionable life.
 Thriller
Drama like action with heroic genre
 Musical Drama
The majority of musical dramas of the 20th century were written
by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who dominated the scene during the
period. It use music instrument.
 Farce
When comedy involves ridiculous or hilarious complications
without regard for human values, it becomes farce. A light
dramatic work in which highly improbable plot situations,
exaggerated characters, and often slapstick events are used for
humorous effect. It is the situation here which provides the
humor, not the cleverness of plot or lines, nor the absurdities of
the character.
 Melodrama
Like farce, melodrama pays almost no attention to human values,
but its object is to give a thrill instead of a laugh. Often good
entertainment, never any literary value. A drama, such as a play,
film, or television program, characterized by exaggerated
emotions, stereotypical characters, and interpersonal conflicts.
One example of English drama in 20th century is Man and
Superman which can be performed as a light comedy of manners,
Shaw intended the drama to be something much deeper, as
suggested by the title. This title comes from Friedrich Nietzsche's
philosophical ideas about the "Übermensch" ("Superman"). The
plot centres on John Tanner, author of "The Revolutionist's
Handbook and Pocket Companion", which is published with the
play as a 58-page appendix. Tanner is a confirmed bachelor despite
the pursuits of Ann Whitefield and her persistent efforts to entice
him to marry her. Ann is referred to as "the Life Force" and
represents Shaw's view that in every culture, it is the women who
force the men to marry them rather than the men who take the
initiative.
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