Modern English Drama What is Modern English Drama

Modern English Drama

What is Modern English Drama? Modern Drama is a period of literature that can be difficult to place within a distinct beginning and end. Because history is never-ending, it can be hard to classify when one era starts and finishes; since literature does not change over night, there is no straight-lined, apparent transformation of thematic elements or style. Therefore, people must look at a wide range of literary elements to find patterns and gradual changes, in order to categorize a specific time of literature.

When did Modern Drama Begin ? Although the beginning of Modern British Drama has no specific starting date , most critics agree on that 1890 marks the beginning of Modern Drama with George Bernard Shaw’s attack on the most previous, Victorian era. Around this time, the arts were expressing the need for a change in the disposition and role of theatre. Britain no longer wanted to follow the traditional genres seen on stage; they rejected logical structures and reasoning. Rather, writers wanted to use an approach that went beyond sheer entertainment; something that generated a message and spoke about society.

The Characteristics of Modern Drama v Modern British Drama began to mirror every day life. It took on an "anti-illusionistic" portrayal of the world. v The characters tended to embody characteristics that epitomized humankind as a whole. v realism appears to be the ultimate driving theme throughout Modern British Drama. v Modern British Drama does not present these various social situations merely for the sake of exposure; instead, many writers take their political messages one step further in order to criticize and condemn the British social structure.

The Characteristics of Modern Drama v To many Modern British Drama writers, the idea of a man-made social system was so limiting and irrational that it must be mocked. v Another unique aspect of Modern British Drama is its portrayal of ethical and unethical situations, which pushes the audience to contemplate morality by using a humorous technique to ignite a "questioning of morals“. v The direct influence of one author on another was also an important aspect that shaped Modern British Drama.

Elements of Drama Plot Character Theme Point of View Dialogue Visual Elements Stage

Course Text Books Arms and the Man by Bernard Shaw Look Back in Anger by John Osborne