美国戏剧7、American-Drama.ppt

AmericanLiteratureDiversified:from1945the21stCentury,DramaintheModernEra,I.AmericanDrama,TheAmericandramatictraditionbeganwithYeBareandYeCubb(1665)byWilliamDarbyandothertwoauthor-performers.NativeAmericandramabegantogathersomemomentuminthe18thcentury.ThefirstAmericancomedytobestagedwasTheContrastwrittenbyRoyallTyler(1757-1826),andfirstplayedinNewYorkCityin1787.,A.Beginning,B.Dramainthe19thcentury,Inthe19thcentury,alongwiththewesternexpansionbetween1814and1824appearedsuchplaysasShewouldbeasolider(1819)byMordecaiNoah;or,ThePlainsofChippewa(1819)byJamesNelsonBarker.Poeticplayswereverypopularinthefirsthalfofthe19thcentury.ThemostsignificanttheatricaldevelopmentfromtheCivilWarto1900wasthemoveinthedirectionofrealismfromdomesticmelodrama.,C.Dramainthe20thcentury,Attheturnofthe20thcenturyAmericandramapointedthewayfromaseparationfromthe19thcenturytheatricality.ItmadeitstentativeattempttoplacerealisticplaysontheAmericanstage.Duringthe1920stheextravagantspendingandgenerallicenseoftheboomperiodencouragedtheuseoftheBroadwaytheaterasupperclassentertainment.ThemostfamousofthelittletheatersweretheWashingtonSquarePlayerswhichwasformedinNewYorksGreenwichVillagein1914andtheProvincetownPlayerswhichwasformedinCapeCod,Massachusettsin1915.,II.EugeneONeill(1888-1953),IntroductionLiteraryCareerCharacteristicsComment,A.Introduction,Eugene(Gladstone)ONeillwasborninaBroadwayhotelroominNewYorkCityonOctober16,1888.ONeillwontheNobelPrizeforliteraturein1936,andPulitzerPrizesforfourofhisplays:BeyondtheHorizon(1920);AnnaChristie(1922);StrangeInterlude(1928);andLongDaysJourneyIntoNight(1957).ONeilliscreditedwithraisingAmericandramatictheaterfromitsnarroworiginstoanartformrespectedaroundtheworld.HeisregardedasAmericaspremierplaywright.,B.LiteraryCareer,ONeillworkedonavarietyofone-actplaysdescribingthewayanindividualwillfullyconnivesathisorherowndoom.During1913-1914hewrotenineone-actplays,thenheattendedGeorgePierceBakers“47Workshop”atHarvardUniversityfrom1914to1915.Hewrotesixmoreone-actplaysduring1916-1917,andfourin1918.In1920hisfirstfull-lengthplay,BeyondtheHorizon,wasprofessionallyproducedonBroadway.Itquicklybecamepopular,andwonthePulitzerPrize,andthenameofONeillbecameknownthroughoutthecountry.,Asaresultofhistragicandnihilisticviewoflife,hisworksintotalityindicatechaosandhopelessness.Inthelate1930s,hewithdrewintoretirementandseclusion.Duringtheearly1940shebegantosufferfromanervousdiseasewhichpreventedhimfromcompletinghisgreatproject.Heremergedin1946withTheIcemanCometh.Hediedin1953.ThepublicationofLongDaysJourneyintoNightin1956revivedworldwideinterestinhiswork.,C.Characteristics,AsAmericasforemostplaywright,ONeillsuccessfullyintroducedtheEuropeantheatricaltrendsofrealism,naturalism,andexpressionismtotheAmericanstageasdevicestoexpresshiscomprehensiveinterestinhislifeandhumanity.Heoftenignorednormalplaydivisionsofscenesandacts,paidlittleattentiontotheexpectedlengthofplays,madehischaracterswearmasks,splitonecharacterbetweentwoactors,reintroducedghosts,chorus,monologue,anddirectaddressestoaudience.,Heemployedsets,lighting,andsoundstoenhanceemotionratherthantorepresentarealplace.Herepresentthenewtrendonthestagebyintroducingmodernandtimelycontent.Hegroundedhisworksinpersonalexperience.Hisworksreflectthelifeofhiscountryandhistime.Hewasabletodothis,notmerelybecausehehadatalentfortheaterbutbecausehewasgoodatusingthemodernthemesandstylesdevelopedabroad,andmakingthemservehisownpurpose.,D.Comments,ONeillwasnodoubtthegreatestAmericandramatistofthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury.Hewasthefirstplaywrighttoexploreseriousthemesinthetheaterandtocarryouthiscontinual,vigorous,courageousexperimentswiththeatricalconventions.Hisplayshavebeentranslatedandstagedallovertheworld.,III.LongDaysJourneyintoNight(1956),A.Summary,TheplayissetinthesummerhomeoftheTyronefamily,August1912.Theactionbeginsinthemorning,justafterbreakfast.WelearnasthefirstactunravelsthatMaryhasreturnedtoherfamilyrecentlyafterreceivingtreatmentinasanatoriumformorphineaddiction.Edmund,meanwhile,hasinrecentweeksbeguntocoughveryviolently,andwelearnlateronintheplaythat,asTyroneandJamiesuspect,hehastuberculosis.,Thegradualrevelationofthesetwomedicaldisastersmakesupmostoftheplaysplot.Inbetweenthesediscoveries,however,thefamilyconstantlyrevisitsoldfightsandopensoldwoundsleftbythepast,whichthefamilymembersareneverunabletoforget.,B.Characters,JamesTyrone:ThehusbandofMaryandthefatherofJamieandEdmund,hewasonceafamousactorwhotouredtheU.S.withhiswife.BecausehisIrishfatherabandonedhimatage10,forcinghimtoworkimmediatelytosupporthimself,hehasastrongworkethicandanappreciationformoneythatleadstostrongfinancialprudence-borderingonstinginess.,MaryTyrone:ThewifeofTyroneandmotherofJamieandEdmund,shestrugglesfromamorphineaddictionthathaslastedovertwodecades.Whileshehasbrokentheaddictionseveraltimes,shealwaysresumeshermorphineuseafterspendingmoretimewithherfamily.Sheisonmorphineineachsceneoftheplay,andheruseincreasessteadilyasthedaywearson.AlthoughshelovesTyrone,sheoftentimesregretsmarryinghimbecauseofthedreamsshehadtosacrificeofbecominganunoraconcertpianist.,JamieTyrone:TheelderTyroneson,heisinhisearlythirties.Becausehesquandersmoneyonboozeandwomen,hehastorelyonhisparentsforsupport.Hedroppedoutofseveralcollegesandhasverylittleambition,muchtothedismayofhisparents.,EdmundTyrone-TheyoungerTyroneson,heistenyearsyoungerthanJamie.Anintellectualandromanticdreamer,helearnsduringtheplaythatheisafflictedwithconsumption(tuberculosis),whichmeansthathewillhavetospenduptoayearinasanatorium.Likehisbrotherandfather,heispartiallyalcoholic,andhehasatendencytosquandermoney,althoughheworksharderthanJamie.Maryalwaysholdsouthopethathewillbecomeasuccessoneday.,C.Analysis,a.LongDaysJourneyintoNightisundoubtedlyatragedy-itleavestheaudiencewithasenseofcatharsis,oremotionalrebirththroughtheviewingofpowerfulevents,anditdepictsthefallofsomethingthatwasoncegreat.,b.Theplayislargelyautobiographical;itresemblesONeillslifeinmanyaspects.ONeillhimselfappearsintheplayinthecharacterofEdmund,theyoungersonwho,likeONeill,suffersfromconsumption.,c.Theplayalsocreatesaworldinwhichcommunicationhasbrokendown.Oneofthegreatconflictsintheplayisthecharactersuncannyinabilitytocommunicatedespitetheirconstantfighting.,d.Theplayisallthemoretragicbecauseitleaveslittlehopeforthefuture;indeed,thefuturefortheTyronescanonlybeseenasonelongcycleofarepeatedpastboundinbyalcoholandmorphine.,DeathOfaSalesman,ArthurMiller,ContextCharacterlistStructureThemesMorals,Context,DeathofaSalesman,whichwonthePulitzerPrizeandtransformedMillerintoanationalsensationisMillersmostfamouswork.ManycriticsdescribedDeathofasalesmanasthefirstgreatAmericantragedy,andMillergainedeminenceasamanwhounderstoodthedeepessenceoftheUnitedStates.Itaddressesthepainfulconflictswithinonefamily,butitalsotackleslargerissuesregardingAmericannationalvalues.,TheplayexaminesthecostofblindfaithintheAmericanDream.ThebasisforthedramaticconflictinDeathofasalesmanliesinArthurMillersconflictedrelationshipwithhisuncle,MannyNewman,alsoasalesman.NewmanimaginedacontinuouscompetitionbetweenhissonandMiller.Newmanrefusedtoacceptfailureanddemandedtheappearanceofutmostconfidenceinhishousehold.,Characterlist,Willy,Linda,Charley,Bernard,Biff,Happy,Howard,Ben,Willy-Aninsecure,self-deludedtravelingsalesman.WillybelieveswholeheartedlyintheAmericanDreamofeasysuccessandwealth,butheneverachievesit.Nordohissonsfulfillhishopethattheywillsucceedwherehehasfailed.WhenWillysillusionsbegintofailunderthepressingrealitiesofhislife,hismentalhealthbeginstounravelandeventuallyhedied.Theoverwhelmingtensionscausedbythisdisparity,aswellasthosecausedbythesocietalimperativesthatdriveWilly,formtheessentialconflictofDeathofaSalesman.,Linda-Willysloyal,lovingwife.LindasuffersthroughWillysgrandiosedreamsandself-delusions.Occasionally,sheseemstobetakeninbyWillysself-deludedhopesforfuturegloryandsuccess,butatothertimes,sheseemsfarmorerealisticandlessfragilethanherhusband.ShehasnurturedthefamilythroughallofWillysmisguidedattemptsatsuccess,andheremotionalstrengthandperseverancesupportWillyuntilhiscollapse.,Biff-Willysthirty-four-year-oldelderson.Biffledacharmedlifeinhighschoolasafootballstarwithscholarshipprospects,goodmalefriends,andfawningfemaleadmirers.Hefailedmath,however,anddidnothaveenoughcreditstograduate.Sincethen,hiskleptomaniahasgottenhimfiredfromeveryjobthathehasheld.BiffrepresentsWillysvulnerable,poetic,tragicside.Hecannotignorehisinstincts,whichtellhimtoabandonWillysparalyzingdreamsandmoveoutWesttoworkwithhishands.HeultimatelyfailstoreconcilehislifewithWillysexpectationsofhim.,Happy-Willysthirty-two-year-oldyoungerson.HappyhaslivedinBiffsshadowallofhislife,buthecompensatesbyprofessionalambition.HappyrepresentsWillyssenseofself-importance,ambition,andblindservitudetosocietalexpectations.Althoughheworksasanassistanttoanassistantbuyerinadepartmentstore,Happypresentshimselfassupremelyimportant.Additionally,hepracticesbadbusinessethicsandsleepswiththegirlfriendsofhissuperiors.,Charley-Willysnext-doorneighbor.Charleyownsasuccessfulbusinessandhisson,Bernard,isawealthy,importantlawyer.WillyisjealousofCharleyssuccess.CharleygivesWillymoneytopayhisbills,andWillyrevealsatonepoint,chokingbacktears,thatCharleyishisonlyfriend.,Bernard-BernardisCharleyssonandanimportant,successfullawyer.AlthoughWillyusedtomockBernardforstudyinghard.BernardssuccessisdifficultforWillytoacceptbecausehisownsonslivesdonotmeasureup.,Ben-Willyswealthyolderbrother.BenhasrecentlydiedandappearsonlyinWillys“daydreams.”WillyregardsBenasasymbolofthesuccessthathesodesperatelycravesforhimselfandhissons.,Howard-Willysboss,whomWillyregardedas“amasterfulman”and“aprince.”ThoughmuchyoungerthanWilly,HowardtreatsWillywithcondescensionandeventuallyfireshim,despiteWillyswoundedassertionsthathenamedHowardathisbirth.,Structure,Theplayisdividedintothreemainparts,ActI,ActII,andtheRequiem.Eachsectiontakesplaceonadifferentdayinpresent-day.WithinActIandActII,thestoryispresentedthroughtheuseofWillysflashbacks.Thisuseofflashbackisfundamentaltothestructureandunderstandingoftheplay.Thestorystartsatpresent-dayandWillythenlapsesinandoutofthepast.Eachflashbackissomehowrelatedthepresent.Veryoften,thecontentsoftheflashbackofferessentialbackgroundknowledgeforunderstandingwhythepresent-dayproblemsintheLomanfamilyareoccurring.,Themes,1.TheAmericanDream.WillybelieveswholeheartedlyinwhatheconsidersthepromiseoftheAmericanDream-thatawelllikedandpersonallyattractivemaninbusinesswillindubitablyanddeservedlyacquirethematerialcomfortsofferedbymodernAmericanlife.Willysblindf