essay on british drama in the twentieth century wikipedia

DRAMA IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

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Zeeshan Ansari

Modern Drama

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Louis James

sameeul Haq Nazki

The present paper is an endeavour to show the development of Neo-naturalism as a distinctive dramatic mode of social representation. Neo-naturalism is unanimously seen as a unique appearance of theatricality in the 1950s. In order to understand this Neo-naturalistic drama and its unparallel contribution, it is worthwhile to see how it emanated at a crucial historical juncture. It was a point in time when drama had lost its direction and purpose. Neo-naturalism appeared as a major dramatic model to reverse the inaction and decadence during the second half of the twentieth century. This paper also highlights the role played by John Osborne in being an initiator of this theatricality and taking this Neo-naturalism to a zenith. This Neo-naturalism achieved what was beyond the expectations of the dramatic critics during 1950s. Neo-naturalism can be seen as a force of social transformation and a committed defence against all evils of the society

Mansoor Ahmed Khan

AAA - Arbeiten aus Anglistik und Amerikanistik

Sarah Frühwirth

The primary focus of this study is to highlight the contribution of Edward Bond and at the same time it defends his stance as an eminent British dramatist. The simple reason for this is that he staunchly and optimistically strived for a sane and just society at a time when dramatists had lost their purpose. His contribution to drama is enormous because he not only gave it a new and radical shape but fought against the decadence in British drama. This paper also takes a contrary stand against any preposition which deprives Bond's position as an avant-garde and forerunner of eradicating the inactivity and decadence in British Drama. As one of the greatest dramatist, he led a crusade against Lord Chamberlain's censorship in 1963. He ardently strived against the loss of political commitment in the theatre caused by chaotic socio-political conditions. He replaced the existing conventional drama with an innovative and political drama. Significantly, he talked about the importance of drama at a time, when audiences had lost faith in it. Bond, therefore, is a harbinger of modern British dramatic canon.

Lis Pustyni

Arnab Banerji

This course introduces student to the history of world theatre and corresponding dramatic literature from the eighteenth century to the present day. The student will be introduced to the ways in which the theatre played and continues to play a crucial social, political, and cultural role during this time. The course will also examine the various lenses that effect the writing of history and problematize the idea of a singular and linear historical narrative.

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British Literature Wiki

The Twentieth Century

On or about December 1910, human character changed . ~Virginia Woolf

It appears likely that poets in our civilization, as it exists at present, must be difficult. . . . The poet must become more and more comprehensive, more allusive, more indirect, in order to force, to dislocate if necessary, language into his meaning . ~T.S. Eliot

Introduction

I t’s safe to say (at least for a little while longer) that if you’re reading this page you were born in the twentieth century. Moreover most of your life to date has been lived during the twentieth century. While it is, thus, the period we are most familiar with in terms of our personal experience, the one closest to us in time, it is also a period that saw immense changes in society and literature. It was a period that was marked by two world wars, by a great, worldwide economic depression, by the dissolution of the British Empire, by increasing democratization of society, and by the advent of new technologies.

Not surprisingly, the literature of the century is just as varied. At the turn of the century the Georgians and the Decadent or Aesthetic movements were two streams of poetry that derived from, and were in reaction to, the poetry of the Victorian era. In fiction, the realistic novel was dominant. But just as World War I shattered many assumptions about society and humanity, the poetry of the first world war and the literature that came afterwards was often unsettling, disruptive and emphasized new interests and approaches. Imagism and Modernism (as distinct from simply modern) flourished in the period between the two world wars. In the post-World War II era, various reactions to Modernism (including Postmodernism) appeared. With all literary periods, what we later come to see as its signal characteristics is not always immediately evident and is not always neatly contained within a set of dates. As products of the twentieth century, we may find it even more difficult to make a definitive statement about the period, especially since in many ways the twentieth century is still with us and still part of us today.

1901: Queen Victoria’s death 1902: Boer War ends with British Sovereignty, Publication of Joseph Conrad ‘s Heart of Darkness , Irish National Theatre Movement founded in Dublin 1903: Women’s Social and Political Union founded 1904: J.M.Barrie ‘s Peter Pan first performed, the Abbey Theatre opens its doors in Dublin 1905: Bloody Sunday massacre in Russia, Albert Einstein publishes his theory of relativity, the Dungannon Club starts (beginning of Sinn Fein) 1906: First women in the world get to vote in Finland, Henrik Ibsen dies 1907: J.M.Synge ‘s Playboy of the Western World opens and causes a riot in Dublin 1908: First airplane takes off from English soil, First Congress of Freudian Psychology occurs in Salzburg, Cubism is born 1909: Anton Chekov’s The Seagull is first performed in Britain 1910: Edward VII’s death, Filippo Marinetti (the founder of the Futurist movement ) speaks in Englan d at a women’s club, the first exhibition of the Russian Union of Youth, 1911: First Portuguese republic, first use of the term ‘expressionism 1912: Titanic sunk, Imagism introduced, August Strindberg dies 1914: World War I begins, Publication of James Joyce ‘s Dubliners 1916: The first Dada play is performed in France, the Kingdom of Poland is reinstated 1917: The October Revolution begins, Hogarth Press is founded 1918: World War I ends, women are allowed to vote in Great Britain, Russian royal family murdered, Wilfred Owen killed in battle 1921: Hitler becomes the leader of his party in Germany 1922: Publication of Joyce ‘s //Ulysses// (in France) and T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land , Mussolini rises to power, the USSR is officially established 1923: Yeats wins the Nobel Prize for Literature 1924: Lenin dies 1925: First Surrealist group art exhibition in France, the first part of Hitler’s Mein Kampf and Woolf ‘s Mrs Dalloway are published, Shaw wins the Nobel Prize for Literature 1926: Foundations laid for British Commonwealth of Nations (former territories of the empire) 1928: Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera premieres in Germany 1929: The Great Depression starts in the USA, resonates through Germany 1931: Economic crisis affects France 1932: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is published 1933: Hitler’s party comes into power, Lorca published three new works 1936-1939: Spanish Civil War 1936: George V dies, Ulysses is published openly in Great Britain, Lorca assasinated 1937: Guernica is bombed, The Great Terror occurs in the Soviet Union 1939-1945: World War II 1947: India and Pakistan become independent nations (beginning of decolonization) 1949: Republic of Ireland 1972: Britain joins European Common Market 1982: Falklands War 1998: Hong Kong returned to China

Twentieth-Century Literary Contexts

Drama in the Twentieth Century Modernists’ Perception of the Past The First World War and Literature Imagism and Modernism and Beyond The British Empire: Imperialism, Post-Colonialism, Literature The Celtic Revival and the Abbey Theatre

Twentieth-Century Authors

• Joseph Conrad
• Thomas Hardy
• Rupert Brooke
• Wilfred Owen
• Edward Thomas
• D.H. Lawrence
• James Joyce
• Virginia Woolf
• Ford Madox Ford
• Samuel Beckett
• John Millington Synge
• Derek Walcott
• Dylan Thomas
• Philip Larkin
• Photo byJoseph Beuys Hat. http://www.flickr.com/photos/joseph_beuys_hat/page25/
• Michaelides, Chris. “Chronology of the European Avant Garde, 1900 – 1937.” Www.bl.uk/breakingtherules . Dec. 2007. Web. 10 June 2011. < http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/breakingtherules/images/AvantGardeChronology.pdf >.

Essay on British Drama in the Twentieth Century

Students are often asked to write an essay on British Drama in the Twentieth Century in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on British Drama in the Twentieth Century

Introduction to british drama.

British drama in the twentieth century saw a dynamic shift. It moved from the structured Victorian plays to more realistic and challenging themes, reflecting societal changes.

Early Twentieth Century

The mid-century shift.

Mid-century brought the ‘Angry Young Men’ era. Playwrights like John Osborne challenged the status quo with raw, emotional plays.

The Late Twentieth Century

In the late 1900s, British drama became more diverse. Writers like Caryl Churchill explored themes of feminism and politics, broadening the scope of British drama.

250 Words Essay on British Drama in the Twentieth Century

Introduction.

The early part of the century saw the rise of playwrights like George Bernard Shaw and John Galsworthy, who used their works to critique societal norms and challenge the status quo. Shaw’s plays, such as “Pygmalion,” confronted class and gender issues, while Galsworthy’s “Justice” highlighted the flaws in the British judicial system.

The Mid-Century Transition

Mid-century British drama was dominated by the ‘Angry Young Men’, a group of writers who expressed their disillusionment with the establishment. John Osborne’s “Look Back in Anger” epitomized this movement, portraying the struggles of the working class in post-war Britain.

Postmodern Influence

Towards the end of the century, postmodern influences began to reshape British drama. Tom Stoppard and Harold Pinter emerged as influential figures, experimenting with narrative form and dialogue. Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” and Pinter’s “The Birthday Party” are examples of their innovative approaches.

In conclusion, twentieth-century British drama mirrored the social and cultural changes of the era. It evolved from the straightforward moral narratives of the past to a more nuanced, introspective examination of human existence, reflecting the complexities of modern life.

500 Words Essay on British Drama in the Twentieth Century

The twentieth century was a period of significant transformation in British drama, marked by a departure from traditional forms and the emergence of new genres and styles. The socio-political changes of the era, coupled with the influence of foreign drama and the advent of modernism, paved the way for a dynamic and diverse dramatic tradition.

Early Twentieth Century: The Edwardian Period

Interwar period: the advent of modernism.

The interwar period witnessed the advent of modernism in British drama, with playwrights experimenting with form and content. They were influenced by the continental European avant-garde, including Expressionism and the Theatre of the Absurd. For instance, Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” (1953) employed minimalist settings and fragmented dialogue, encapsulating the existential angst of the post-war era.

Post-War Period: The Angry Young Men

The post-war period saw the emergence of the “Angry Young Men,” a group of playwrights who expressed their disillusionment with the establishment. John Osborne’s “Look Back in Anger” (1956) is a seminal work of this period, portraying the frustrations of the lower-middle class. This era also saw the rise of the “kitchen sink” drama, focusing on the domestic and personal lives of working-class characters.

The Late Twentieth Century: In-Yer-Face Theatre

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• Corpus ID: 190749008

Twentieth Century British Drama

• Published 2002
• History, Art

3 Citations

The emergence of new medium.

• Highly Influenced
• 18 Excerpts

Kitchen Sink Drama and Naturalism: Trends of Post-War English Theatre

• 12 Excerpts

Peepli [Live]: A Social Satire on Contemporary India

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Modern (20th Century) Drama in English Literature: Characteristics & Features

Back to: History of English Literature All Ages – Summary & Notes

Table of Contents

What is Modern Drama

The drama of the Modernist Movement in England was much less innovative in technique than it was its poetry and novel .

History of Modern Drama

The three categories reflect the three different phases as well as the three different facets of Modern English Drama.

Modern Drama Characteristics

Realism is the most significant and outstanding quality of Modern English Drama. The dramatists of the earlier years of the 20th century were interested in naturalism and it was their endeavor (try) to deal with real problems of life in a realistic technique to their plays.

It was Henrik Ibsen, the Norwegian dramatist who popularised realism in Modern Drama. He dealt with the problems of real life in a realistic manner of his play. His example was followed by Robertson Arthur Jones, Galsworthy and G. B. Shaw in their plays.

The modern drama has developed the Problem Play and there are many Modern Dramatists who have written a number of problem plays in our times. They dealt with the problems of marriage, justice, law, administration, and strife between capital and labor in their dramas.

They used theatre as a means for bringing about reforms in the conditions of society prevailing in their days. Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House is a good example of a problem play .

The problem play was a new experiment in the form and technique and dispensed with the conventional devices and expedients of theatre.

Play of Ideas

Modern Drama is essentially a drama of ideas rather than action. The stage is used by dramatists to give expression to certain ideas which they want to spread in society.

Modern Drama dealing with the problems of life has become far more intelligent than ever it was in the history of drama before the present age.

With the treatment of actual life, the drama became more and more a drama of ideas, sometimes veiled in the main action, sometimes didactically act forth.

Romanticism

Poetic plays.

T.S. Eliot was the main dramatist who gave importance to poetic plays and was the realistic prose drama of the modern drama. Stephen Phillips, John Drink Water, Yeats, etc were from those who wrote poetic plays.

History and Biographical Plays

Another trend, visible in the Modern English drama is in the direction of using history and biography for dramatic technique. There are many beautiful historical and biographical plays in modern dramatic literature.

Irish Movement

A new trend in the Modern English Drama was introduced by the Irish dramatists who brought about the Celtic Revival in the literature.

In the hands of the Irish dramatists like Yeats, J.M. Synge, T.C. Murrey etc. drama ceased to be realistic in character and became an expression of the hopes and aspirations of the Irish people from remote ways to their own times.

Comedy of Manners

The drama after the second has not exhibited a love for comedy and the social conditions of the period after the war is not very favorable for the development of the artificial comedy of the Restoration Age .

Impressionism

It is a movement that shows the effects of things and events on the mind of the artist and the attempt of the artist to express his expressions. Impressionism constitutes another important feature of modern drama.

The impressionistic drama of the modern age seeks to suggest the impressions on the artist rather than making an explicit statement about the objective characteristics of things or objects.

Expressionism

It is a movement that tries to express the feelings and emotions of the people rather than objects and events. Expressionism is another important feature of modern drama. It marks an extreme reaction against naturalism.

Further Reading

Introduction: Poetic Drama and the Twentieth Century

Cite this chapter.

• Glenda Leeming  

Part of the book series: Macmillan Modern Dramatists ((MD))

31 Accesses

Poetic drama has a long and respectable history, so much so that surveys of its twentieth-century practitioners tend to begin with discussions of the parameters laid down by critics from Aristotle to Dryden. However, classical poetics is of limited relevance to modern practice: whereas the Renaissance dramatists in Britain were working within a strong tradition of verse drama, against the background of surviving classical works in verse and the native heritage of religious and morality plays, also in verse, this tradition did not persist to the present. Though verse drama continued to be written and revived after the seventeenth century, its dominance as a creative force declined, and this eclipse was of great importance to the Poetic Drama Movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. First, there was no vital, continuing verse drama form, so that would-be verse dramatists had no close models to develop or react against; and second, the nineteenth-century preoccupation with realism and naturalism in the arts undermined the conventions of theatre that were necessary for a non-naturalistic style of dramatic writing, which meant that verse dramatists had to reinvent conventions that would suit their work.

... the forms of drama are so various that few critics are able to hold more than one or two in mind pronouncing judgement of ‘dramatic’ and ‘undramatic’. T. S. Eliot (SE)

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Eliot, T. S., ‘The Poetry of W. B. Yeats’ in Hull, J. and Steinmann, M. (eds), The Permanence of Yeats (New York: Macmillan, 1950), p. 342.

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Fry, Christopher, ‘Poetry and the Theatre’, Adam , XIX (1951), 8.

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© 1989 Glenda Leeming

About this chapter

Leeming, G. (1989). Introduction: Poetic Drama and the Twentieth Century. In: Poetic Drama. Macmillan Modern Dramatists. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-19860-3_1

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