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A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama
... Atëherë, fakti që këto drama i kanë rezistuar kohës, vërteton se ato kanë 'përmbysur kohën -dhe kanë shkatërruar realizmin'. 26 Edhe pse ai ka hasur mjaft pengesa dhe kritika të ashpra gjatë fazave të ndryshme të krijimtarisë së tij artistike, Mileri sigurisht ka sjellë një numër të madh dramash të natyrave të ndryshme, me tematikë të ndryshme mbi fajin dhe përgjegjësinë. Edhe pse ato përshkohen nga moralizimi i pafund i autorit mbi personazhet e tij, në asnjërën prej dramave nuk gjejmë elementë të përsëritur, por gjejmë vazhdimësi idesh dhe ngjarjesh, larmi temash të cilat i bëjnë jehonë miteve më të vjetra. ...
... Mileri e shpjegon mjaft qartë synimin e tij për të krijuar një kohë universale, e cila nuk duhet ngatërruar me vegimet e Uilli Lomenit: 25 Miller, A.: Po aty fq. 6 26 Nuk ka asnjë vegim në këtë dramë por vetëm një bashkëjetesë të së shkuarës me të tashmen, dhe kjo, përsëri, nëpërmjet dëshpërimit të tij për të justifikuar jetën e vet, Uilli Lomen ka shkatërruar kufijtë midis të tashmes dhe të shkuarës, pikërisht siç do të bënte çdokush tjetër, duke ngritur telefonin, ai do të zbulonte se ky veprim aspak i dëmshëm ka shkaktuar në një farë mënyre një shpërthim në bodrumin e tij. Rezultatet e menduara dhe të besuara më parë mbi veprimet e zakonshme dhe të pranueshme, dhe efektet e tyre të befta dhe të paparashikueshme, por mjaft të logjikshme, krijojnë përplasjen kryesore në këtë dramë, dhe, ashtu siç mendoj unë, ironinë e saj përfundimtare. ...
... (E paske gatuar mirë me erëza..I.K) Këto fjalë Elisabeta i merr si kompliment për gatimin e saj, prandaj përgjigjet, "blushing with pleasure: 'I took great care".(CHCPB, 1970, p.184) (duke u skuqur nga kënaqësia: u kujdesa shumë...I.K) Në lidhje me këtë incident të vogël studiuesit e Artur Milerit kanë vënë në dukje se ky fakt tregon se Xhon Proktori është gënjeshtar i tërthortë, ose i nënkuptuar, gazmor, plot imagjinatë, tepër poetik, në fund të fundit është i rrezikshëm 26 . Studiuesit kanë vënë në dukje se më tepër rëndësi në rastin e këtij incidenti merr natyra gazmore dhe imagjinata e Xhon Proktorit, ndonëse Elisabeta nuk i kupton këto tipare të karakterit të tij. ...
This PhD dissertation analyzes, assesses, criticizes and compares various translation aspects into Albanian of Arthur Miller´s "The Crucible", "Death of a Salesman", "Incident at Vichy", and George Bernard Shaw´s "Widowers´ Houses", "Pygmalion" and "The Devils´s Disciple". The dissertation is divided into six chapters each with peculiar research methodology, theoretical framework, discussion, findings, recommendations and conclusions, offering insights into English and Albanian contemporary studies on stylistic systems and methods, and language of drama. The dissertation offers a detailed and solid stylistic analysis of Arthur Miller and Bernard Shaw´s plays, focusing on prevailing features of their individual writing styles, supported by various examples from ST into the TT, which make considerable references to idiolect, sociolect, idiosyncratic features, key words, theater signs, stage directions, dialogue and verbal signs. The dissertation provides detailed theatrical translation analysis full of various examples of translation criticism techniques relevant to stage performance. Contemporary performance and theatrical translation theories prevail throughout the analytical and comparative research work. The dissertation also explores contemporary deconstruction theories and practices regarding the readership interpretation of the plays and copyright and intellectual property claims. The dissertation "Aspects of Translation into Albanian and Stage Performance of Some British and American Plays" (Arthur Miller and George Bernard Shaw) is the first of its type in terms of theatrical translation criticism and stage performance because it contributes to the future young scholars and researchers to consider performance theories and practices in their translation analysis of different plays. This dissertation is a novelty among Albanian researchers and provides well-grounded, sound and detailed stylistic, translation, linguistic, semiotic, lexical analysis of contemporary British and American plays by paving the way towards more translation studies in the area of theater. It is a great contribution and an added value to theater and translation studies in terms of historical development of drama translation and stage performance theories and practices in Albania since 1945 when the communist regime, the introduction of socialist realism, censorship, auto-censorship and propaganda, put the translator´s work in an unimportant and invisible position. After the fall of communism drama translation conventions and cliches were broken and theatrical translators started to work in close cooperation with stage directors and playwrights making the success of the play performance the core element of the theater world. This dissertation is a novelty among Albanian researchers in terms of stage performance criticism and serves as a prime example to connect the "written play" with "theater performance". This dissertation establishes collaborative networks between researchers in the area of stage translation and performance and contributes to both future researchers and scholars in theatrical translation and practitioners in the area.
Key words: text/discourse analysis, methods of stylistic analysis, linguistic stylistics, idiolect, sociolekt, translation studies, translation criticism, translation assessment, theatrical translation, authorship theories and practices, code of professional conduct, functional equivalence, translation device/procedure.
... His characters yearn for their existence and identity while they are aware of its pain which has its mainspring in living in a meaningless void. "His fundamental theme is the collapse of communality, the Other as a threat…His subject is loss, desolation, spiritual depletion" [5]. Albee's people are overwhelmed by the sense of abandonment and alienation; thus, they show aggressiveness to the indifferent world which isolates and abandons them in a menacing situation. ...
... Albee shows "the polar opposites of freedom vs. imprisonment, conformity vs. confrontation" (Kolin 18). Closely paralleling Pinter's characters, his characters' "verbalization is indeed a response to their terror of a silence in which the real questions will assert themselves" [5]. Their bravado suggests the sense of insecurity and unwillingness for confrontation. ...
... Sam Shepard is one of the products of Off-Off-Broadway theatre. This kind of drama as Bigsby (1985) says, "created a climate" for Shepard in which he could write his plays, and it did not take him long to become one of its greatest products. His renown continued to ascend as the cafe-house theatre scenes declined. ...
... From his earliest one-act plays to his realistic family plays, Shepard portrays characters that refashion themselves and improvise their identities within a matrix of constraints whether these constraints are cultural, familial or personal. In Shepard's drama his characters appear to be "unfixed" and "fragmented" as Bigsby (1985) says, or as Bottoms (1998) indicates are in "state of crisis." They are given opportunity to perform with voice and gesture on the theme of self. ...
There has long been a rash of research efforts in the field of EFL/ESL instruction
aimed at studying student critical thinking dispositions and performance. The present
research intended to investigate the extent to which critical thinking ability would
influence learners’ grammatical accuracy. In so doing, the present study was
conducted with 70 upper intermediate English learners. Based on quasi-experimental
design and by implementing Thesis-Analysis-Synthesis key (TASk), one
experimental group and one control group, namely high and low critical thinkers
respectively, were determined. The subjects had the same level of knowledge of
grammar prior to participating in the study. For ten sessions, both of the groups
received grammar instruction based on Cambridge Passages. After the course ended,
a post-test was run in order to figure out the extent of subjects’ post-instruction
knowledge of grammar. It was found that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in developing grammatical accuracy, so that the
participants in the former group significantly developed their grammatical accuracy.
Finally, the paper presents a number of practical ways to incorporate and improve
critical thinking ability in the EFL/ESL instruction.
Keywords: Critical thinking, Grammar, Accuracy, EFL instruction
... Además, es la primera compañía teatral en el país con un repertorio completamente nativo y que consideraba al teatro como un excelente medio para desvincularse de las imágenes negativas que se habían creado en torno a los indios. Como señala Bigsby (1985), el teatro era un gran género literario que se prestaba muy bien para escapar de los estereotipos y oponerse a esas imágenes irreales. Además, con la labor de esta compañía también se pretendía unir a las comunidades nativas, presentando sus historias y tradiciones, así como aquellos problemas en la vida de los indígenas en la sociedad contemporánea. ...
El teatro nativo-americano contemporáneo ha evolucionado gracias al trabajo de diversas compañías teatrales indígenas surgidas desde la década de 1950. Sin embargo, pocos estudios han abordado su historia y su impacto en el desarrollo de este género. Este capítulo presenta una visión concisa de su evolución, dividiéndola en tres períodos clave: los inicios, la edad de oro y la era actual. Además, destaca la labor de estas compañías en la promoción del teatro indígena y su relevancia para estudiantes y docentes de literatura nativo-americana.
... (Shepard, 1984, p.61) This epigraph shows that there is little hope of flying (Bigsby, 1985). The family members lack a strong connection. ...
Sam Shepard (1943-2017) was an acclaimed American playwright renowned for his exploration of familial themes. His works often examine the complexities and dysfunctions of family life, making him an important figure in modern theatre. Buried Child (1978), one of his most significant plays, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979. The play stands out for its dark, surreal portrayal of the family narrative, setting it apart from more conventional realistic family dramas. The disintegration of the family depicted in Buried Child serves as an example for broader societal issues, emphasising the family’s crucial role as the foundation of society. This study aims to analyse the psychological aspects of familial disintegration in Buried Child, focusing on the reasons behind the family’s breakdown and its psychological impact on its individual members. By applying Murray Bowen’s Family Systems Theory and Sigmund Freud’s concepts of remembering, repeating, and working-through, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of the characters’ dysfunctional behaviours. The research highlights the importance of addressing familial issues, as they influence societal health. Through this analysis, this study stresses the cyclical and multigenerational nature of trauma and the potential for psychological recovery.
... Theatre, the most public of arts offers the "opportunity of acting out anxieties and fears which are born in the conflict between private needs and public values" (Bigsby, 1984). Williams's characters are "so often destroyed because they offer love in a world characterized by impotence and sterility". ...
... According to Bigsby, "he has seemingly set himself both to expose those fragments as the components of a potential apocalypse and to close the gaps which breed alienation." [1] The divisions are presented less brutally here than in his previous plays with many of the characters actively involved in trying to bridge and heal the yawning gaps between the family members. Compared with other family plays, A Lie of the Mind not merely presents gender division and familial disintegration, but also attempts to repair estranged family relationships and build resilience to trauma. ...
... In discussing Sweet Bird of Youth, Falk (1961) contends that Williams' creativity began to decrease with the appearance of this sexually obsessive play. Conversely, Bigsby (1984) argues that the artistic impulse in Williams' early works did not wane, but instead, sexuality became a creative energy in his later plays. In particular, Siegel (2005) claims that sexual repressions in some plays are but manifestations of disturbing mother-son relationship. ...
This paper examines the interface of economic hardship, sexual repression, and fear of aging in Tennessee Williams plays of the 1950s. Set in modern capitalist society of America, The Rose Tattoo (1955) and Sweet Bird of Youth (1959) depict the characters who are thwarted in their search for freedom that can be equated with the celebration of material prosperity and eternal youth. Using Eric Fromms view of freedom-as-frightful in modern society, the discussion will reveal the entrapment of self-deception in the characters unrealistic hope to stay young and productive in a commercialised society where sex is a commodity.
... Bez obzira na to što se radnja ne odvija u Vijetnamu, prema mnogim svojim karakteristikama njena radnja podseća na ratno iskustvo (Vasić, 2020: 105). Dok je američko pozorište istraživalo granice između autentičnosti u ponašanju i tumačenja uloga u odnosu na identitet, koje su preovladavale sedamdesetih i osamdesetih, Bigzbi ističe da su počeli da osećaju efekti veoma snažnog uticaja najtraumatičnijeg istorijskog događaja koji je na američku kulturu i identitet imao Vijetnamski rat (Bigsby, 1998). Može se reći da je Vijetnamski rat bio podređen najhitrijoj reviziji u politici i medijima, ali pozorište ukazuje na još jedan oblik svoje revizionističke mitologije. ...
Povijesno se uglavnom ignoriralo pitanje uloge emocija, pa se u drugoj polovini 20. st. osjećala zabrinutost zbog zanemarenosti istraživanja emocija u akademskom svijetu (Oatley, Jenkins, 2003). Povećani humanistički interes za temu emocija u svijetu pojavljuje se potkraj 1980-ih. Uvodno će se predstaviti teza o (književnoj) emocionologiji kao novoj interdisciplinarnoj svjetskoj istraživačkoj paradigmi. S obzirom da podrazumijeva pitanje ekspresije, reprezentacije te recepcije emocija kao glavnih težišta u bavljenju odnosom književnog teksta i emocija u moderno doba (Brković, 2015), književna emocionologija bit će predstavljena na primjeru psihološke drame Nora danas (2005.) Mire Gavrana. Potpuno suprotno Ibsenovoj klasičnoj Nori/Lutkinoj kući (1879), Gavranova hrvatska Nora danas promiče , , antifeminizam“ (Čale Feldman, 2017). Stoga će diskurzivno emocionalno uvjetovana izgradnja depresivnog identiteta Gavranove dramske protagonistkinje, Nore, biti izravno povezana s antifeminističkim kriterijem. Ibsenova Nora i Torvald ovdje će zamijeniti (emocionalne) uloge, pa ćemo kod Gavrana istražiti suvremene književne identitete: Noru kao (anti)lutku, a njezina supružnika Tonija kao suvremenog (anti)lutka. Bit će to i prvi rad koji donosi definiciju lutka kao književnoteorijskog narativnog konstrukta. Definirat će se i novoosmišljeni pojam Tonijev sindrom, po uzoru na Norin sindrom (Muzaferija, 2006). Povezano s književnim identitetima, bit će predstavljena definicija emocionalnog tijela. Pomoću emocija koje u nama izaziva književno djelo možemo steći praktično znanje koje se tiče izoštravanja percepcije i boljega razumijevanja ljudskih postupaka i njihovih motivacija (Robinson, 2005.). Stoga razumijevanje depresivnog emocijskog identiteta u Nori danas M. Gavrana može biti gotovo terapijske naravi. Govoreći o Norinu (emocijskom) depresivnom identitetu, autorica smatra da se afektivno-kognitivnom naratologijom, putem svijeta književnosti, može ukazati na društvene probleme 21. stoljeća, a svakako (kroz biblioterapiju) pretpostaviti terapijski utjecaj otkrivanja emocija književnih protagonista u tekstu i njihov recepcijski utjecaj na čitatelje, čime se i znanost o književnosti, u interdisciplinarnom ključu, približava onome što se naziva znanost o životu (engl. life sciences). Kada je riječ o emocionalno kodiranoj emociji depresije u tekstu (kao čitatelju moguće srodnoj emociji), poželjan recepcijski kategorizacijski slijed jest: identifikacija pa averzija (isključuje se empatija i simpatija). Iako je I. Brković na Kliofestu (2015) emocionologiju najavila kao mainstream književnu znanost, pet godina poslije smatramo kako bi emocionologija mogla postati suvremena humanistička istraživačka paradigma, a svakako bi emocionološko čitanje teksta trebalo (p)ostati jedno od budućih temeljnih načela razumijevanja suvremene književne poetike, poglavito u svijetu masovne tehnologizacije i digitalizacije u kojemu emocije zauzimaju rubno mjesto. ENGLISH: Historically, the issue of the role of emotions has been largely ignored, so in the second half of the 20th century. felt concerned about the neglect of emotion research in academia (Oatley, Jenkins, 2003). Increased humanistic interest in the topic of emotions in the world emerged in the late 1980s. The thesis on (literary) emotionology as a new interdisciplinary world research paradigm will be presented in the introduction. Since it involves the issue of expression, representation and reception of emotions as the main focus in dealing with the relationship between literary text and emotions in modern times (Brković, 2015), literary emotionology will be presented on the example of psychological drama Nora Today (2005) by Miro Gavran. In stark contrast to Ibsen's classic Nora / Puppet House (1879), Gavran's Croatian Nora today promotes "antifeminism" (Čale Feldman, 2017). Thus, the discursively emotionally conditioned construction of the depressive identity of Gavran’s dramatic protagonist, Nora, will be directly related to the antifeminist criterion. Ibsen's Nora and Torvald will swap (emotional) roles here, so we will explore Raven's contemporary literary identities: Nora as an (anti)puppet, and her spouse Tony as a contemporary (anti)Man-doll. It will also be the first work to define a Man-doll as a literary- theoretical narrative construct. The newly conceived term Tony's syndrome will be defined, following the example of Nora's syndrome (Muzaferija, 2006). Related to literary identities, the definition of the emotional body will be presented. With the help of the emotions that the literary work evokes in us, we can acquire practical knowledge regarding the sharpening of perception and a better understanding of human actions and their motivations (Robinson, 2005). Therefore, M. Gavran's understanding of depressive emotional identity in Nora today can be almost therapeutic in nature. Speaking about Nora's (emotional) depressive identity, the author believes that affective-cognitive narratology, through the world of literature, can point to social problems of the 21st century, and certainly (through bibliotherapy) assume the therapeutic impact of discovering the emotions of literary protagonists in the text and their reception to readers, which brings the science of literature, in an interdisciplinary way, closer to what is called life sciences. When it comes to the emotionally coded emotion of depression in the text (as a reader possibly related emotion), the preferred reception categorization sequence is: identification and then aversion (empathy and sympathy are excluded). Although I. Brković announced emotionology as a mainstream literary science at Kliofest (2015), five years later we believe that emotionology could become a modern humanistic research paradigm, and emotionology reading of the text should certainly remain one of the future fundamental principles of understanding contemporary literature. poetics, especially in the world of mass technologicalization and digitalization in which emotions occupy a marginal place.
... Sam Shepard enacted a new concept in theatre in which action and language were subsumed in image. 4 Shepard was the real voice of the individual representing their private fears. His characters enact their repressed anxieties and depressed lives in a postmodernist set and setting. ...
Sam Shepard (1943- ) is one of the most prominent modern American playwrights. Up till now he has written almost 50 plays. He has gained a reputation as one of America's foremost living playwrights. His works have found deep spirit in the nation’s cultural imagination as he has spoken in a convincing way to American theatre audience.
The family relationship is one of the American myths. Besides, Fathers escaping to another land, brothers fighting brothers and mothers as off-stage voices or oppressive presences are some of the themes dealt with in modern American plays. This study deals with sibling relationships as depicted in Sam Shepard’s play True West. This play is concerned with two brothers who strive to understand each other but they represent totally contrast types, so the play ends with a never-ending conflict.
The absence of the father, and the partial absence of the mother, besides the continuous struggle and misunderstanding of the two brothers show the broken or weak relationships between them.
... C.W.E. Bigsby (1984), in his three-volume study, A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama, referred almost to the contemporaries of Foote, but did not regard Foote or even mention his name. It seems that the previous discussions of Foote's plays are not thoroughly acquainted, as they often appear in journalistic interviews. ...
This paper examines intergenerational discrepancies and consequent sense of alienation in Horton Foote's theatre, where traumatized youth are brought to life by dramatizing their sufferings in coping with the elderly and transforming into positive and fruitful members in American society. Foote also explores respective tropes, like alcoholism, death, and racism. The subject matter of his plays illustrates the power of cohesion within the society. Foote's plays present a serious allegation of the parent's personal intricacies and selfish exploitation of their children; but their essential theme of alienation and intergenerational discrepancies deserves a deeper view and treatment socially and psychologically.The paper shows the varying manifestations of social status as a power (re)shaping the lives of young and old men. Foote visualizes society as a fragmented, disappointed and alienated. He has fought against sentiments of deprivation, deficiency, oppression, and alienation, advocating intimacy, adequacy, and harmony between the two generations. The 20 th cent. American playwright has recently received recognition and praise for his narrative plays about the nuances of negotiations and conflicts between the different generations within the same family. His talent emerged in developing conditions for a better world, a harmonious one that should start with the two generations by evoking real negotiations. His power came clear in illuminating the melancholic history of society around him where the gaps and differences between generations come to surface.
This article was explored Wegayehu Nigatu's approach to acting, highlighting key aspects of his craft that contributed to his success and influence in the Ethiopia Theatre. Wegayehu Nigatu, a father/prominent Ethiopian actor, Artist, a King, Star, Lord a stage and creator or opener of the Ethiopia stage. Wegayehu Negatu made significant contributions to arts as an Ethiopia prominent actor, comedian, mimer, teacher, director, journalist and narrator. Purpose this study to assessed brief biography, identified the acting techniques, explored the acting skills and examined the acting styles Wegayeh Nigatu. Methodologically, this study was employed qualitative approach. The data collection tools were interviews, observation, case studies, and document analysis. The finding of this study shows that Wegayehu Nigatu was known for his exceptional acting techniques, skills, and styles. Wegayehu Nigatu was possessed a wide range of talents that displayed his versatility and proficiency as an actor. His strong physical presence, expressive voice, and dynamic facial expressions were allowed him to convey a wide range of emotions and capture the essence of each character he inhabited. Finally, it was recommended that Wegayehu Nigatu's mastery of vocal modulation, body language, and stage presence enhanced his performances and drew audiences into the stories he told. Wegayehu Nigatu's acting style was characterized by its authenticity, emotional depth, and commitment to storytelling. It was also recommended that the concerned scholars should given acting training to the theater professionals and founded a School of thought and Acting academy.
This research explores of acting class that there were use as a tool to demonstrates a widening gap between verbal communication skills expectations of employers and the perceived abilities of higher education graduates. Recent studies have also suggested that the art of acting is an effective pedagogical tool for developing oral communication skills. This research using descriptive qualitative method with data collection techniques carried out by watching and documenting drama. The data validity technique used is source triangulation, while the data analysis technique uses interactive data analysis techniques, namely data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions or verification. The results of this study showed that there were 15 element of character development consisting of Oral Communication Skills, Creative Problem Solving Abilities, Motivation and Commitment, Willingness to Work Cooperatively, The Ability to Work Independently, Promptness and Respect for Deadlines, Acceptance of Rules, Respect for Colleagues, Adaptability and Flexibility, Self-Discipline, Concentration, A Goal-Oriented Approach to Work, Dedication, A Willingness to Accept Responsibility, Self-Confidence. This study also found the relevance of acting class to character improvement. The results of this study can provide important meaning for the development of a person's character through acting class activity.
Le Federal Theatre Project (FTP) constitue une aventure singulière dans l’histoire du théâtre américain, inédite à l’époque et jamais réitérée sous cette forme. Dirigé pendant ses quatre années d’existence, de 1935 à 1939, par l’autrice, dramaturge et metteure en scène Hallie Flanagan, il s’inscrit dans l’ensemble des mesures mises en place par l’administration Roosevelt dans le cadre du programme du New Deal, au sein de la Work Progress Administration (WPA) dirigée par Harry Hopkins. Federal Theatre Project (1935-1939) : contexte et enjeux constitue la première étude française d’envergure sur cette période essentielle de l’histoire du théâtre américain. En mêlant approches transversales et études de cas, ce volume rassemblant les contributions de chercheuses, chercheurs et artistes se propose de mettre en lumière les angles morts et les figures oubliées de cette période de l’histoire théâtrale américaine, faisant le pari que ces oublis eux-mêmes racontent quelque chose de l’historiographie de cette période et, en retour, des regards contemporains que nous pouvons porter sur elle. L’ouvrage s’inscrit dans une perspective résolument transdisciplinaire, à l’image de ce que fut le FTP, en proposant des articles sur le théâtre à proprement parler mais aussi la musique et le cinéma.
The objective of this paper is to represent how the feelings of dissatisfaction with the present can lead the colonizer to recall the history of the colonized land. This is represented through the analysis of the American play Homebody/Kabul (2001) written by Tony Kushner (195-). The play depicts the suffering of the English protagonist, Homebody, from displacement within her homeland and family and her alienation from the present. Therefore, she decides to seek home and to recall history of Afghanistan, a country which is trapped between its glorious past and its traumatic present. Thus, nostalgia becomes a helpful mechanism for the colonizer to transcend those feelings of alienation and displacement. The analysis of this paper depends on the theories of Svetlana Boym through her book The Future of Nostalgia (2001,) and Dennis Walder throughout his Postcolonial Nostalgias: Writing, Representation, and Memory (2012), in order to examine how nostalgia for the lost time and the lost homeland may force the colonizer to recall the history and to seek home in the land of the colonized. Through a postcolonial lens, the analysis investigates Homebody's emotions of displacement from her home and her emotions of alienation from the present which forces her to search home in the land of the colonized, first mentally by recalling its history then by moving physically to Afghanistan. Nostalgia for Afghanistan's History in Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul مجلة بحوث المجلد 4 العدد 1 (2024) 2 Abstract The objective of this paper is to represent how the feelings of dissatisfaction with the present can lead the colonizer to recall the history of the colonized land. This is represented through the analysis of the American play Homebody/Kabul (2001) written by Tony Kushner (195-). The play depicts the suffering of the English protagonist, Homebody, from displacement within her homeland and family and her alienation from the present. Therefore, she decides to seek home and to recall history of Afghanistan, a country which is trapped between its glorious past and its traumatic present. Thus, nostalgia becomes a helpful mechanism for the colonizer to transcend those feelings of alienation and displacement. The analysis of this paper depends on the theories of Svetlana Boym through her book The Future of Nostalgia (2001,) and Dennis Walder throughout his Postcolonial Nostalgias: Writing, Representation, and Memory (2012), in order to examine how nostalgia for the lost time and the lost homeland may force the colonizer to recall the history and to seek home in the land of the colonized. Through a postcolonial lens, the analysis investigates Homebody's emotions of displacement from her home and her emotions of alienation from the present which forces her to search home in the land of the colonized, first mentally by recalling its history then by moving physically to Afghanistan.
The chapter gives an overview of the general attitudes towards theatrical representations of homosexuality in Estado NovoPortugal. As in many other countries of the era, same-sex activity was a criminal offence, and therefore, any depiction of homosexual themes or characters on stage was prohibited according to the laws in force. The chapter discusses how censorship authorities systematically banned homosexual content and references on stage but also explores plays that dared to defy societal norms and gender conventions, intriguingly bypassing censorship. The chapter seeks to answer whether theatre practitioners included these polemical plays in their repertoire in order to bravely address homosexuality as a subject matter such as in the case of Peter Shaffer’s Five Finger Exercise in the Teatro Estúdio de Lisboa founded by lesbian couple Luzia Maria Martins and Helena Félix (1966) or the plays were stripped off their central theme so as to be approved by the censors, as it happened with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams on the Portuguese stage in 1959.
This article examines the intersection of sexualities and identities, with a particular focus on the ways these elements can be transgressed in Western theater. The study postulates that theater represents a distinctive forum for challenging established societal structures, thereby enabling actors and, by proxy, spectators to perform multiple identities that challenge conventional constraints and break traditional expectations. The research demonstrates the dynamic nature of identity formation on the modern stage, illustrating that identity can both reflect societal norms and serve as an alternative to them. This allows for the expression of diverse sexual identities that deviate from the heteronormative order. Consequently, the theater becomes a site for subverting conventional codes and for negotiating with mainstream society the potential for exploring a plethora of non-standardized identities. This process culminates in the crystallization of norm-divergent gender identities.
The lack of communication and deficiencies in language are apparent themes in Sam Shepard's works. His characters representing modern man cannot communicate. At this point, a question arises: is it because language is missing and conveys no meaning, or his characters have no ability to communicate? The answer to this question is not that simple since various factors are at work. However, the recklessness and arbitrariness of the characters are only two reasons that could be counted among others. Shepard prefers a world of silence where language is stripped of meaning and monologues replace dialogues. To express themselves, his characters mostly use violence instead of words. Violence becomes a kind of language. This article aims to reveal how masterfully Shepard applies a language that brings the playwright closer to absurd playwrights.
Стаття демонструє у дуже репрезентативному, вузькому й ретельно обраному обсязі, як театральна сцена США поєднувала різні форми та функції імпровізації і через ці експерименти створювала зовсім нові, характерні для американського театру стилі та форми. З цієї суміші, завдяки різноманітним пошукам і колективним ідеям, народився імпровізаційний театр – окреме, складне художнє явище, що покладається виключно на імпровізацію не лише як метод, але й також як завершений результат
the article is available in page 508-512
Born in 1958, the Off-Off-Broadway movement revolutionised not only American theatre but also international theatre. Like any artistic movement, the Off-Off-Broadway theatre began as a reaction of the avant-garde artists of the period against the Off-Broadway theatre, which represented, in their opinion, only a reduced-scale version of Broadway productions, made without the pressure of producers eager to profit, but which repeated the commercialism and taste imposed by the Broadway establishment. Under the ambitious slogan "a complete rejection of commercial theatre," young poets, musicians, plastic artists, and writers gathered at the beginning around the cafes of Greenwich Village, a part of Manhattan that has kept the bohemian look to this day. Beginning as an innovative movement that proposed a revival of theatre as an art form to counterbalance the commercial Broadway theatre (or what is still called the "entertainment industry"), Off-Off Broadway theatre has undergone remarkable transformations over 56 years. Viewed more recently as a provocative, diverse, exuberant, and imaginative underground movement than as an avant-garde current corseted in a rigorously defined aesthetic, the Off-Off-Broadway movement, represented a new way of expression specific to the theatre in New York, but it was influenced and influenced the European theatre over time. This was contributed not only by the numerous tours undertaken in Europe by the representative companies of the movement but also by the activity of some important directors of the 20th century, such as Peter Brook, Jiri Grotowski, Andrei Șerban, and others, who brought a new breath to the productions Off-Off. We consider that a book on this topic (which is not only fascinating but also very personal since I have dedicated half of my professional life for over 34 years to this style of theatre) can represent an essential contribution to understanding the Off-Off-Broadway phenomenon, both from a theoretical point of view and from the perspective of a theatre practitioner who had the opportunity to practice what he writes.
This study examines the empowerment of Mappila Muslim women in Malabar through socio-religious reforms. It challenges prevailing narratives that depict Muslim women as passive victims and highlights the need for nuanced perspectives within feminist discourse. Early historical writings and mainstream historiography have neglected the role of Mappila women, but their active participation in socio-political engagements is evident in historical events like the struggle against colonial powers.
The study explores the five phases of empowering Mappila women, tracing their journey from the 19th century to the present. It discusses the socio-religious reform movements and their impact on gender relations, incorporating elements of colonial modernity and the ideals of individual freedom. Mappilapattu, a rich literary tradition, and the influence of education on women's empowerment are also examined.
Despite advancements in female education, challenges persist in achieving professional and societal empowerment. Gender discrimination, poverty, social neglect, and traditional practices hinder socio-economic mobility for Muslim women. Patriarchal attitudes continue to shape the community's social psyche, limiting women's opportunities.
Nevertheless, Muslim women in Malabar have made significant strides in challenging conservative values and asserting their identity. They actively engage in the public sphere, offering a modern interpretation of Islamic teachings. Continued efforts are required to address remaining challenges and achieve gender equality within the Mappila Muslim community.
Keywords: Mappila Muslim women, socio-religious reforms, empowerment, gender equality, patriarchy, Malabar, Kerala. (Word count: 196 words)
Memory is an area of study in many academic domains, including sociology, cultural studies, psychiatry, psychology, and literature. It is a significant subject of discussion regarding the human dynamism of identity. As Miller thinks that the past is a misty spot and mirrors it consequently in his drama, he merges the past with the present. He shows how the past is embedded in the presence of his characters. Therefore, for Miller, past experiences constitute the present crises of his characters. Considering these experiences, this paper examines the themes of traumatic memory and identity within the scope of post-memory theory on the familial and social level in Arthur Miller's play The Price (1968). The play demonstrates a unique issue on family, memory, and identity, particularly picturing family as a site for memory, and a fundamental mechanism of transgenerational trauma transmission. It reveals the interweaving of traumatic family memory in the production of individual identity.
simmer issue of Kanpur Philosophers
Tennessee Williams is considered to be one of the three most renowned American dramatists of the twentieth century as well as one of the most distinguished playwrights in the history of American drama. Being a Southern writer, his plays are undoubtedly dominated by his personal experience and social realities of the modern materialistic world which established new norms and values. His plays are metaphorical illustrations of the clash between the Old and the New South, and most of them depict the traditional themes of Old South versus New South, agricultural versus urban society, and aristocrats versus nouveau riche. The new materialistic and utilitarian age evaluated people based on their resourcefulness, the ability to sell themselves profitably and their financial success, which intensified the feeling of society as threat, anxiety, insecurity and alienation, especially after the World War II. Lacking characteristics necessary for success, Williams' characters are the castaways of society, trapped by circumstances and unadapted to life in the contemporary world. This accounts for another major theme of his plays-the conflict between reality and the world of illusion into which his characters retreat in a futile attempt to escape from the harsh reality of life. The aim of this paper is to analyze the theme of conflict between reality and illusion in Williams' masterpiece The Glass Menagerie. Williams depicts characters who, having failed to adjust, attempt to escape cruel reality and suffering by seeking shelter and solace in their illusory worlds. These illusory worlds take a variety of forms. They retreat into romanticized past or into the artificial world of glass figurines, or indulge in art and frivolous pleasures. However, as it appears, the world of illusion can only offer transient comfort and protection, as clashes with implacable reality of the contemporary American society are inevitable.
Being the winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, August Wilson is an African American dramatist who mingles African American culture and heritage in his play “Two Trains Running” that was published in 1990. The play concentrates on the feelings of African American individuals in a time when those people start to stand against the inequality and justice in society. This paper focused on how Wilson separates between the two cultures; Black and White, and the struggle between the two cultures in society. The paper also studied how the character of Hambone suffers until death in order to understand the struggle of his ancestors in the past. The paper proves that Wilson’s play is a bridge between the Civil Rights movement and Black Power through the depiction of tensions between the characters who suffer the trauma of white exploitation and racism. The paper concludes that because of racism black individual should have a double consciousness in order to live peacefully in America.
Starting from the premise that contemporary crisis is a pervasive continuation of the modern “series of interrelated crises” (Fernández-Caparrós and Brígido-Corachán vii), this article examines the manner in which the US theater has responded to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously considering crises as “agents of change and transformation” (xvii) and bearing in mind the #MeToo, and Black Lives Matter movements, the article questions the likelihood of contemporary American theater overcoming its own crisis of representation. Relating modern and current crises, the essay first outlines twentieth century dramatic literature and theaters ⁱ against the backdrop of the World Wars, the 1918 health crisis, economic depression, and post-war (racialized) society, focusing on plays by American women of color. The study then centers on dramatic and theatrical developments brought about by the annus horribilis of 2020, surveying new genres, authors and performances, and discerning no significant improvement in systemic discrimination on Broadway stages. The essay also offers complementary reading of Trouble in Mind (1955), a meta-drama mirroring systemic racial and gender discrimination in American theaters, and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (2011) which unravels similar issues, albeit in the film industry.
Hope is one of the essential tools by which one can overcome the difficulties of life. As the injustice is among the most significant elements that interested the writers of twentieth century in their writings, so it is necessary to find a solution for this issue in order to save some social classes, such as working class, from oppression and persecution.
This chapter explores the correlation between memory, self, and culture in Tennessee Williams’s play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) through both the individual process of remembering and recollecting and the collective memorialization of the cultural myth of Southern bellehood. The individual and collective process of memorialization is in the play brought into being by the protagonists’ (Blanche DuBois, Stella Kowalski, Stanley Kowalski, and Harold, Mitch, Mitchell) snapshots of episodic memory, which are essentially autobiographical. In the dramatic space of A Streetcar Named Desire, the reader/audience gets to know not only the characters’ biographies but also the playwright’s, his mother Edwina’s and his sister Rose’s whose memories are to an extent identified as Blanche’s. A Streetcar Named Desire also records both the collective and cultural memory of Southern bellehood in the character of Blanche DuBois who both lives it and subverts it by escaping to alcohol, madness, and promiscuity, thus confirming the unsustainability of the Southern bellehood memory in the modern South.KeywordsMemoryIdentityEpisodic memorySouthern bellehoodTennessee Williams
A streetcar named desire
This essay reads Miller's adaptation of Ibsen's An Enemy of the People in light shed by the Waldorf Conference and the Peekskill Riot, two events in 1949 that likely influenced Miller's use of Ibsen's material. Miller's personal experience, recounted in his memoir and in Bigsby's biography, helps account for some differences in tone, characterization, and stage images between Miller's and Ibsen's versions of the play.
The aim of this study is to discuss use of language, existential anguish and despair and man’s self-quest for identity demonstrate lack of meaning in life in characters in the Slight Ache. Choice and responsibility are two important factors for human life.
This paper discusses selected plays by Arthur Miller and David Mamet. The focus is on the American business ethics and capitalism and its relation to the American Dream. The article does not aim to draw any comparison among the plays. The paper shows various representatives of business men or the capital system. Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949) portrays an individual salesman. Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross (1983) deals with a group of salesmen, and his play American Buffalo (1977) employs three simple drummers. This paper illumines the life and behavior of these salesmen and their relationship with each other, family, and society or the world around them. The article criticizes the capital system and the business ethics that those salesmen follow in dealing with agents and customers. The paper shows also how those salesmen are victims of this system.
The book pursues how the concept of tragedy is understood and developed and the way it was embodied on stage through ages. The start was with the Greek then the development was with the English Elizabethan and ultimately with the modern American theatre and more specifically with Eugene O’Neill.
Presenting such type of informative book to an interested literary scholar may lead to add something to his\her literary knowledge to satisfy their needs according to their own motives. The book also aims at expressing the importance of the real meaning of “Tragedy” through its phases as a concept that depicts a world, we may find around us. We do believe that a life with a tragedy can purify one’s heart and mind to be real human then to feel the sense of happiness when\ where it happens.
The characters, in Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh, are remarkably motionless, drinking and day dreaming. However, their portrayal as characters is based upon motion and continuous shift from one image to another. These images are meant to reflect the (post)modern psychological and sociopolitical conditions in which the derelicts are trapped, and probe issues related to human existence and human identity. This paper attempts to read the device of imagery as a dramatic and textual device and decipher its different meanings in O’Neill’s text, as far as the question of human identity is concerned. In the second part, more focus is addressed to animal imagery and its function in determining Man’s definition from a postmodern perspective, referring to notions suggested by postmodernist and post-structuralist thinkers like Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, and Jean François Lyotard.
Dutchman was read by many critics as Amiri Baraka’s nationalist manifesto advocating black unity to violently fight against white dominance. In fact, Amiri Baraka’s thoughts of nationalism in this period were not so fixed but rather paradoxical. Due to personal growth and social background, Baraka devotes himself to black nationalism as a means of solving his alienation from blacks. However, the revolutionary part of black nationalism blinds him of its shortcoming: exclusiveness, which runs counter to Baraka’s social concern. What Baraka is concerned about is the African Americans and the whole Americans who suffer oppression. His uncertain stance reflects itself in the artistic creation of Clay and Lula. Clay and Lula are not simply angry black nationalists and white racists. When Clay suffers from racial bullying, his defiance shows the revolutionary side of nationalism. Paradoxically, he is also an obedient middle class assimilated by white culture. Lula is both a racist and a member of the lower class, which reflects Baraka’s Marxism influence.
The structure and theme of Death of a Salesman have been separately studied by many critics. The structure’s various aspects such as events, time, plot, etc., have been identified and described by different but related terms. The themes, too, have been identified and described. This study, however, takes a new approach to Death of a Salesman and reads it to show how its structural elements interact to reveal the themes, i.e. to express the dramatist’s perspective of the drama of the principal protagonist.
As there are two events in the play: present events and past events, or the past time switches as we can also call them, we apply a reading strategy that involves evaluating the significance of each type of event separately, and then evaluating their significance together as a whole.
In our interpretation of events and situations of the play, we use the linguistic concept of ‘context of situation,’ as it shows the dramatic function of the past time switches. More specifically, our study understands the past time switches as the ‘context of situation’ for a proper perspective of present events. We should mention, however, that we apply the concept of ‘context of situation’ without using the technical jargon of field, tenor, and mode of discourse, because using the technical jargon would take the study’s focus to a linguistic level that would be distracting.
We first examine the structure of the play. Then, we read the present events alone, i.e. without the past time switches or the ‘context of situation.’ When we do so, we find that the present events of the play make an ineffective dramatic and thematic presentation though they chronologically present the last twenty-four hours of Willy’s life, i.e. the protagonist’s life. In a similar way, we read the past events by themselves. When we do so, we find them episodic. That is, we cannot impose a time order on them, because the play provides little or no clue for deducing a strict sequence. Then, we read the play as a whole, i.e. present and past events together. When we do so, we find that the play’s dramatic and thematic significance becomes evident.
The interaction between the present and past events, finally, paves the way for us to observe the impact of Willy’s value system on his own life ultimately leading to his death. That is, it makes clear the thematic issues of the play. All of Willy’s ideas about success and parenthood are found in the past time switches. We observe that the dialectical sequencing of Willy’s past in his present determines the attitudinal rubric of Death of a Salesman. The sum total of Willy’s value-system, as it is laid bare in the past time switches, unleashes forces that work against Willy himself and ultimately leads him to self-destruction. We identify these attitudinal underpinnings to be Willy’s self-defeating dream of success, his sense of possession, his sense of achievement, his agonizing guilt, his oversized self-image, and reality vs. illusion.
This study is an attempt to look for the conceptual factors of teacher assessment literacy among ESP instructors with TEFL and Non-TEFL backgrounds in the Iranian context. 50 ESP instructors with TEFL and non-TEFL backgrounds, including both genders, with university education (MA. or Ph.D. degrees) working in Islamic Azad University branches in Tehran province were selected non-randomly, based on convenience sampling. The participants took a piloted version of Teacher Assessment Literacy Questionnaire (Mertler, 2009). Then questionnaire was scored and a multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) was used to analyze the data. The results revealed that Iranian instructors both with and without TEFL backgrounds had the highest means on choosing the appropriate assessment method and decision making, while they had the lowest means on administrative issues and valid grading of scores. However, significant differences were found between these two groups of ESP teachers’ means on the components of assessment literacy. They differed in their degree of awareness toward other components and standards of assessment literacy (AL). Instructors with TEFL background had higher means on standard valid grading procedure, while instructors with non-TEFL background had higher means on standard developing assessment methods, followed by decision making, communicating the results, administration of the tests, and considering ethical practices.
Keywords: Assessment literacy; Components of assessment literacy; Teacher assessment literacy questionnaire
The paper deals with the study of the existential principle in Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize winning play “Three Tall Women”. Similar to his early plays, the playwright portrays the false existence of man in the modern world. The play makes the reader think about the meaning of life and its last stages in particular. The purpose of the research is to determine the existential principle in the play “Three Tall Women” by the American playwright E. Albee. The paper focuses on the connection between the playwright’s poetics and the philosophy of existentialism in the choice of themes and problems for creative work. The researcher also demonstrates the play’s connection with the playwright’s early works written in the vein of existentialist aesthetics. Scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that it is from the perspective of the play’s connection with the existentialist school of thought that the researcher approaches the study of “Three Tall Women”. As a result, the features connecting the play “Three Tall Women” with the existentialist school of thought have been identified.
Eugene O'Neill's one-act play Before Breakfast (1916) depicts a morning scene of a married couple living in a slovenly flat at Greenwich Village, New York City. There is no apparent dramatic action occurring in the play. Instead, the play is full of Mrs. Rowland's incessant complaints about her husband Alfred, a poet, and especially his loafing around bars with artist friends, neglecting his role as breadwinner. The most interesting in the play is that the husband is an 'invisible' character who stays in the bedroom and does not appear on stage throughout the play. This study focuses on O'Neill's intention to set the husband as an invisible man in the play, and asserts that this intention is not only as a theatrical device, but more importantly, it also functions as a self-reflection projecting the author's autobiographical life. This study explores many of autobiographical elements in the play, and consequently argues:1) Before Breakfast is O'Neill's autobiographical play of reminiscence and reflection on his 'unhappy' first marriage at the beginning of his new career as a playwright, 2) Before Breakfast, for O'Neill, can be a play of 'exorcism' that shake off his regrets for the carelessness and irresponsibility of youth as well as his confusion as a fledging writer at the crossroads of 'nothing' and 'an artist'.
The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the ways in which cruelty is used in the selected three plays by Edward Albee. All of the ways examined can ultimately be connected to the central purpose of the Theatre of Cruelty by Antonin Artaud, which is to reveal what is real, or, as Albee claims, to put up “an accurate mirror of reality” (Amacher 1969: 22). The first part of the paper covers definitions of cruelty and the Theatre of Cruelty, and also connects Edward Albee to Antonin Artaud. The following three sections provide the analysis of the plays by Edward Albee - “The Zoo Story” (1959), “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1962), and “The Death of Bessie Smith” (1960). There are different ways in which characters in these plays use cruelty; in “The Zoo Story” cruelty is combined with kindness in the shape of teaching emotion; in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” the characters use cruelty to annihilate the illusion and perform catharsis and exorcism; and, finally, in “The Death of Bessie Smith”, cruelty is presented in the form of psychological and verbal abuse.
This article aims to analyze Athial’s Hitler and the Decline of Shah Dynasty to prove that the author reimagines and rewrites official history in his novel with combination and blurring of fact and fiction. It is studied from theoretical parameters of historiographic metafiction. Through an amalgamation of fact and fiction, the novel challenges the traditional version of the official history of Nepal and Germany. The subjectivity inherent in historiographic narratives is further explored through Athial’s representation of historical character Hitler in the novel. The presence of major characters creates confusion about the nature of the novel as a work of fiction or as historiographic account. Through the use of irony and supernatural elements, Hitler and the Decline of Shah Dynasty becomes a parody of historiographic narratives which claim to be objective. The blurring of the boundaries between fiction and history and constructedness of history through discourse is the main idea in this paper. The writer imitates the genre of the historical novel but reveals its limitations and corresponds to what Linda Hutcheon calls historiographic metafiction. The novel mines the elements of the then history of Hitler, Germany, and Nepalese Shah Dynasty with the personal history of the author to revise and redefine the official version of history. This revisiting of mainstream history helps to establish the notion of plurality of historical accounts and a rejection of objectivity in historical writings. This novel has metafictional mode of writing, and the author represents metafictional parody in which historical incidents are repeated with a difference to show that history is discourse and is always open to interpretation.
This article reviews the Tantric influence in the traditional Mithila paintings and argues how Tantra’s emphasis on femininity can challenge the traditional patriarchal notion toward women in general. In doing so, firstly, the article examines the studies in Tantra and its views toward women in general. Secondly, it analyzes the studies in Mithila paintings and their connection with Tantra and the actual women context in the Maithil community. Lastly, it reviews some of the examples of Mithila paintings to study the presence of tantric symbols, as claimed by the studies in Mithila paintings, followed by a conclusion. The findings suggest that being a highly patriarchal culture, with limited authority to women even in their personal life decisions, Mithila culture yet contains seeds of resistance within itself. On the one hand, Maithil women lack the liberty of sexual expressions, decision makings, and involvement in outdoor activities as the veil in their head symbolically separates them from the rest of the society, except the traditional feminine chores. On the other hand, traditional Mithila paintings mocks the patriarchy through the feminine images and symbols as eminent cosmic power, a source of creation, and destruction. The Tantric images and signs in Mithila paintings shout out the power of femininity, challenging patriarchal beliefs of men as a center and women as a margin. This article stresses that Tantric dualism and its equal emphasis on femininity reflected in Mithila paintings can be used as a powerful religious, cultural, and artistic tool to empower women and subvert the general binary of men and women. Mithila paintings that have become a source of economic empowerment, emotional expressions, and means of awareness of women in the present-day, can also be used to harmonize the male-female tensions and as an effective religious, cultural, and artistic device to tear-off shackles of patriarchy.
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