themes in american drama the 20 th century and beyond
TRANSCRIPT
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Themes in American Drama
The 20th Century and Beyond
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Early 20th century themes: The life of the common man (or woman) is
worth dramatizing.
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Early 20th century themes: The life of the common man (or woman) is
worth dramatizing.
Social norms need to be critiqued in order to bring about a (mostly) bloodless revolution.
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Early 20th century themes: The life of the common man (or woman) is
worth dramatizing.
Social norms need to be critiqued in order to bring about a (mostly) bloodless revolution.
The past looms as spectre over the present
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The 1920’s and 30s saw an additional theme:
Modern society requires
that man (or woman)
operates as machine
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People are alienated when they must become a part of the machine
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The mid-20th century added new themes:
We create illusions
for self-
preservation.
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But those illusions are almost always shattered:
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until we realize that the American Dream is itself an illusion.
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The mid-20th century added new themes:
As self-preservation, we create illusions, but those illusions are almost always shattered.
The American Dream is itself an illusion.
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As we move into the late mid-20th century, we learn that:
People are inherently incapable of meaningful communication.
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As we move into the late mid-20th century, we learn that:
People are inherently incapable of meaningful communication.
The mixing of the races almost always results in tragic repercussions.
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In Bouccicault’s Octoroon, Childress’s Wedding Band, and Baraka’s Dutchman, we see what happens when the races try to mix:
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As we move into the mid to late 20th century, we learn that: People are inherently incapable of
meaningful communication.
The mixing of the races almost always results in tragic repercussions.
Double-consciousness leads to an inherent division within the self.
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Double-consciousness results in the splintering of the mind:
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In the latter 20th century, we see that:
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The human body and mind are fallible and tragically flawed
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In the latter 20th century, we see that:
The human body and mind are fallible and tragically flawed
None of us is ever really whole
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BUT . . . Despite these flaws of body, mind, and
soul, we must carry on and learn how to integrate our splintered selves.
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This leads to a new optimism, where sometimes even we can mingle with angels: