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DRAMA
for Students
National Advisory Board
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DRAMA
for Students
Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on
Commonly Studied Dramas
Volume 17
David Galens, Project Editor
Foreword by Carole L. Hamilton
Drama for Students, Volume 17
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Table of Contents
GUEST FOREWORD
“The Study of Drama”
Carole L. Hamilton . . . . . . . . . vii
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . ix
LITERARY CHRONOLOGY . . . . . . . xiii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . xv
CONTRIBUTORS . . . . . . . . . . . xix
84, CHARING CROSS ROAD
Helene Hanff . . . . . . . . . . . 1
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI
John Webster . . . . . . . . . . . 20
ELECTRA
Hugo von Hofmannsthal . . . . . . . 44
GOLDEN BOY
Clifford Odets . . . . . . . . . . . 75
JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
August Wilson . . . . . . . . . . 100
MISS LULU BETT
Zona Gale . . . . . . . . . . . 126
ORPHEUS DESCENDING
Tennessee Williams . . . . . . . . 160
OVERTONES
Alice Gerstenberg . . . . . . . . 181
v
T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s
THE PETRIFIED FOREST THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES
Robert E. Sherwood . . . . . . . . 192 Frank D. Gilroy . . . . . . . . . . 231
THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG SUNRISE AT CAMPOBELLO
Wendy Wasserstein . . . . . . . . 211 Dore Schary . . . . . . . . . . . 251
THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE
William Saroyan . . . . . . . . . . 274
GLOSSARY OF LITERARY TERMS . . . . 301
CUMULATIVE AUTHOR/TITLE INDEX . . 335
NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY INDEX . . . 341
SUBJECT/THEME INDEX . . . . . . . 345
v i D r a m a f o r S t u d e n t s
The Study of Drama
We study drama in order to learn what meaning moments portrayed. Dramas (tragedies as well as
others have made of life, to comprehend what it comedies) may serve strictly “to ease the anguish of
takes to produce a work of art, and to glean some a torturing hour” (as stated in William Shake-
understanding of ourselves. Drama produces in a speare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream)—to divert
separate, aesthetic world, a moment of being for the and entertain–or aspire to move the viewer to action
audience to experience, while maintaining the de- with social issues. Whether to entertain or to in-
tachment of a reflective observer. struct, affirm or influence, pacify or shock, dramatic
art wraps us in the spell of its imaginary world for
Drama is a representational art, a visible and
the length of the work and then dispenses us back to
audible narrative presenting virtual, fictional char-
the real world, entertained, purged, as Aristotle said,
acters within a virtual, fictional universe. Dramatic
of pity and fear, and edified—or at least weary
realizations may pretend to approximate reality or
enough to sleep peacefully.
else stubbornly defy, distort, and deform reality into
an artistic statement. From this separate universe
It is commonly thought that theater, being an
that is obviously not “real life” we expect a valid
art of performance, must be experienced—seen—in
reflection upon reality, yet drama never is mistaken
order to be appreciated fully. However, to view a
for reality—the methods of theater are integral to its
production of a dramatic text is to be limited to a
form and meaning. Theater is art, and art’s appeal
single interpretation of that text—all other interpre-
lies in its ability both to approximate life and to
tations are for the moment closed off, inaccessible.
depart from it. For in intruding its distorted version
In the process of producing a play, the director,
of life into our consciousness, art gives us a new
stage designer, and performers interpret and trans-
perspective and appreciation of life and reality.
form the script into a work of art that always departs
Although all aesthetic experiences perform this
in some measure from the author’s original concep-
service, theater does it most effectively by creating
tion. Novelist and critic Umberto Eco, in his The
a separate, cohesive universe that freely acknowl-
Role of the Reader: Explorations in the Semiotics of
edges its status as an art form.
Texts (Indiana University Press, 1979), explained,
And what is the purpose of the aesthetic uni- “In short, we can say that every performance offers
verse of drama? The potential answers to such a us a complete and satisfying version of the work,
question are nearly as many and varied as there are but at the same time makes it incomplete for us,
plays written, performed, and enjoyed. Dramatic because it cannot simultaneously give all the other
texts can be problems posed, answers asserted, or artistic solutions which the work may admit.”
v i i
T h e S t u d y o f D r a m a
Thus Laurence Olivier’s coldly formal and discover the nuances of the play’s language, struc-
neurotic film presentation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet ture, and events at their own pace. Yet studied
(in which he played the title character as well as alone, the author’s blueprint for artistic production
directed) shows marked differences from subse- does not tell the whole story of a play’s life and
quent adaptations. While Olivier’s Hamlet is clearly significance. One also needs to assess the play’s
entangled in a Freudian relationship with his mother critical reviews to discover how it resonated to
Gertrude, he would be incapable of shushing her cultural themes at the time of its debut and how the
with the impassioned kiss that Mel Gibson’s mercu- shifting tides of cultural interest have revised its
rial Hamlet (in director Franco Zeffirelli’s 1990 interpretation and impact on audiences. And to do
film) does. Although each of performances rings this, one needs to know a little about the culture of
true to Shakespeare’s text, each is also a mutually the times which produced the play as well as the
exclusive work of art. Also important to consider author who penned it.
are the time periods in which each of these films was
Drama for Students supplies this material in a
produced: Olivier made his film in 1948, a time in
useful compendium for the student of dramatic
which overt references to sexuality (especially in-
theater. Covering a range of dramatic works that
cest) were frowned upon. Gibson and Zeffirelli
span from 442 BC to the 1990s, this book focuses on
made their film in a culture more relaxed and
significant theatrical works whose themes and form
comfortable with these issues. Just as actors and
transcend the uncertainty of dramatic fads. These
directors can influence the presentation of drama, so
are plays that have proven to be both memorable
too can the time period of the production affect what
and teachable. Drama for Students seeks to enhance
the audience will see.
appreciation of these dramatic texts by providing
A play script is an open text from which an scholarly materials written with the secondary and
infinity of specific realizations may be derived. college/university student in mind. It provides for
Dramatic scripts that are more open to interpretive each play a concise summary of the plot and charac-
creativity (such as those of Ntozake Shange and ters as well as a detailed explanation of its themes.
Tomson Highway) actually require the creative In addition, background material on the historical
improvisation of the production troupe in order to context of the play, its critical reception, and the
complete the text. Even the most prescriptive scripts author’s life help the student to understand the
(those of Neil Simon, Lillian Hellman, and Robert work’s position in the chronicle of dramatic history.
Bolt, for example), can never fully control the For each play entry a new work of scholarly criti-
actualization of live performance, and circumstan- cism is also included, as well as segments of other
tial events, including the attitude and receptivity of significant critical works for handy reference. A
the audience, make every performance a unique thorough bibliography provides a starting point for
event. Thus, while it is important to view a produc- further research.
tion of a dramatic piece, if one wants to understand a
drama fully it is equally important to read the This series offers comprehensive educational
original dramatic text. resources for students of drama. Drama for Students
is a vital book for dramatic interpretation and a
The reader of a dramatic text or script is not
valuable addition to any reference library.
limited by either the specific interpretation of a
given production or by the unstoppable action of a Source: Eco, Umberto, The Role of the Reader: Explorations
moving spectacle. The reader of a dramatic text may in the Semiotics of Texts, Indiana University Press, 1979.
Carole L. Hamilton
Author and Instructor of English
Cary Academy
Cary, North Carolina
v i i i D r a m a f o r S t u d e n t s
Introduction
Purpose of the Book This includes a historical context essay, a box
The purpose of Drama for Students (DfS) is to comparing the time or place the drama was written
provide readers with a guide to understanding, to modern Western culture, a critical essay, and
enjoying, and studying dramas by giving them easy excerpts from critical essays on the play. A unique
access to information about the work. Part of Gale’s feature of DfS is a specially commissioned critical
“For Students” literature line, DfS is specifically essay on each drama, targeted toward the student
designed to meet the curricular needs of high school reader.
and undergraduate college students and their teach-
To further aid the student in studying and
ers, as well as the interests of general readers and
enjoying each play, information on media adapta-
researchers considering specific plays. While each
tions is provided (if available), as well as reading
volume contains entries on “classic” dramas fre-
suggestions for works of fiction and nonfiction on
quently studied in classrooms, there are also entries similar themes and topics. Classroom aids include
containing hard-to-find information on contempo- ideas for research papers and lists of critical sources
rary plays, including works by multicultural, inter- that provide additional material on each drama.
national, and women playwrights.
The information covered in each entry includes Selection Criteria
an introduction to the play and the work’s author; a The titles for each volume of DfS were selected
plot summary, to help readers unravel and under- by surveying numerous sources on teaching litera-
stand the events in a drama; descriptions of impor- ture and analyzing course curricula for various
tant characters, including explanation of a given school districts. Some of the sources surveyed in-
character’s role in the drama as well as discussion cluded: literature anthologies; Reading Lists for
College-Bound Students: The Books Most Recom-
about that character’s relationship to other charac-
ters in the play; analysis of important themes in the mended by America’s Top Colleges; textbooks on
drama; and an explanation of important literary teaching dramas; a College Board survey of plays
commonly studied in high schools; a National Coun-
techniques and movements as they are demon-
cil of Teachers of English (NCTE) survey of plays
strated in the play.
commonly studied in high schools; St. James Press’s
In addition to this material, which helps the International Dictionary of Theatre; and Arthur
readers analyze the play itself, students are also Applebee’s 1993 study Literature in the Secondary
provided with important information on the literary School: Studies of Curriculum and Instruction in
and historical background informing each work. the United States.
i x
