3.7 Modernist drama

Modernist drama emerged as a revolutionary force in theater, challenging traditional forms and reflecting the complexities of the modern world. Playwrights like Strindberg, Ibsen, and Chekhov pioneered new techniques to explore inner psychology, social issues, and the human condition.

These innovators rejected realism, embracing experimental techniques and nonlinear narratives. They focused on symbolism, abstraction, and the subconscious mind, paving the way for avant-garde movements like Expressionism and Surrealism. Modernist drama's legacy continues to influence contemporary theater and literature.

Origins of modernist drama

• Emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a response to the limitations of realism and naturalism in theater
• Influenced by broader modernist movements in art, literature, and philosophy that sought to break with traditional forms and conventions
• Reflected the rapid social, technological, and cultural changes of the modern era, including urbanization, industrialization, and the aftermath of World War I

Defining features of modernist plays

Rejection of realism and naturalism

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• Moved away from the detailed, lifelike representation of reality on stage
• Challenged the notion of objective truth and the idea that theater should mirror everyday life
• Embraced stylization, abstraction, and subjective experience as alternative modes of expression

Experimental techniques and forms

• Incorporated innovative staging, lighting, and sound design to create unconventional theatrical experiences
• Explored new dramatic structures, such as episodic or circular narratives, that departed from the well-made play formula
• Blurred the boundaries between different art forms, incorporating elements of dance, music, and visual art into performances

Focus on inner psychology vs external events

• Shifted emphasis from plot-driven action to the exploration of characters' inner lives, thoughts, and emotions
• Used monologues, stream-of-consciousness techniques, and dream sequences to reveal the complexities of the human psyche
• Portrayed the subjective experience of reality, often through the lens of memory, fantasy, or psychological states

Fragmented and nonlinear narratives

• Disrupted the chronological flow of events, using flashbacks, flash-forwards, and parallel storylines
• Presented multiple perspectives and interpretations of reality, challenging the notion of a single, objective truth
• Reflected the fragmentation and disorientation of modern life, as well as the workings of the subconscious mind

Use of symbolism and abstraction

• Employed symbolic elements (objects, colors, sounds) to convey deeper meanings and universal themes
• Created abstract or stylized sets, costumes, and characters to evoke moods, ideas, or psychological states
• Used language in a poetic, metaphorical, or nonsensical way to challenge conventional communication and meaning-making

Key playwrights in modernist drama

August Strindberg's dream plays

• Pioneered the use of dream logic, associative imagery, and subjective experience in plays like "A Dream Play" (1901)
• Explored the inner workings of the human psyche, blurring the boundaries between reality, fantasy, and nightmare
• Influenced the development of expressionism and surrealism in theater

Henrik Ibsen's social problem plays

• Addressed controversial social issues, such as women's rights, marriage, and heredity, in plays like "A Doll's House" (1879) and "Ghosts" (1881)
• Challenged the moral and social conventions of bourgeois society, exposing hypocrisy and oppression
• Laid the groundwork for the modernist critique of traditional values and the exploration of individual freedom

Anton Chekhov's subtext-driven realism

• Developed a new form of psychological realism that emphasized subtext, atmosphere, and the inner lives of characters
• Used dialogue, pauses, and silences to reveal the unspoken desires, fears, and conflicts of characters in plays like "The Seagull" (1896) and "The Cherry Orchard" (1904)
• Influenced the development of modernist techniques for portraying the complexities of human behavior and communication

Luigi Pirandello's metatheatrical works

• Explored the nature of reality, identity, and the relationship between art and life in plays like "Six Characters in Search of an Author" (1921)
• Used metatheatrical devices, such as plays-within-plays and characters breaking the fourth wall, to blur the boundaries between fiction and reality
• Challenged the conventions of traditional theater and the role of the audience in the creation of meaning

Avant-garde movements in modernist theater

Expressionism in German drama

• Emerged in the early 20th century as a reaction against realism and naturalism
• Used distorted sets, exaggerated acting styles, and symbolic lighting to express subjective emotions and inner states
• Explored themes of alienation, mechanization, and the dehumanizing effects of modern society in plays like Georg Kaiser's "From Morn to Midnight" (1912)

Surrealism and absurdist elements

• Drew inspiration from the Surrealist movement in art and literature, emphasizing the irrational, dreamlike, and subconscious aspects of human experience
• Incorporated absurdist elements, such as illogical dialogue, nonsensical situations, and meaningless actions, to challenge the coherence and purpose of existence
• Exemplified in plays like Guillaume Apollinaire's "The Breasts of Tiresias" (1917) and Roger Vitrac's "Victor, or The Children Take Over" (1928)

Epic theater of Bertolt Brecht

• Developed a new form of political theater that aimed to provoke critical thinking and social change
• Used alienation techniques, such as direct address to the audience and visible stage machinery, to disrupt emotional identification and encourage rational analysis
• Explored themes of class struggle, social injustice, and the need for collective action in plays like "The Threepenny Opera" (1928) and "Mother Courage and Her Children" (1939)

Theatre of Cruelty by Antonin Artaud

• Envisioned a visceral, immersive theater that would assault the senses and shock the audience into a new state of consciousness
• Emphasized the physical, ritualistic, and mythical aspects of performance, using primal sounds, gestures, and imagery
• Sought to break down the barriers between actors and spectators, creating a shared experience of catharsis and transformation, as outlined in his manifesto "The Theatre and Its Double" (1938)

Themes explored in modernist plays

Alienation and isolation in modern society

• Portrayed the sense of disconnection, loneliness, and existential angst experienced by individuals in the modern world
• Explored the breakdown of traditional social structures, the loss of community, and the search for meaning in an increasingly mechanized and impersonal society
• Exemplified in plays like Elmer Rice's "The Adding Machine" (1923) and Jean Cocteau's "Orpheus" (1926)

Identity and the subconscious mind

• Delved into the complexities of personal identity, the multiplicity of the self, and the role of the subconscious in shaping behavior and perception
• Explored the fragmentation of the psyche, the blurring of boundaries between reality and fantasy, and the struggle for self-knowledge and authenticity
• Portrayed in plays like August Strindberg's "The Ghost Sonata" (1907) and Luigi Pirandello's "Henry IV" (1922)

Breakdown of communication and language

• Examined the limitations and inadequacies of language as a means of human communication and understanding
• Portrayed the failure of words to convey true meaning, the isolation caused by the inability to connect with others, and the absurdity of conventional forms of expression
• Exemplified in plays like Eugene O'Neill's "The Hairy Ape" (1922) and Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" (1953)

Critique of bourgeois values and conventions

• Challenged the moral, social, and cultural norms of the middle class, exposing the hypocrisy, conformity, and oppression inherent in bourgeois society
• Questioned the validity of traditional institutions, such as marriage, family, religion, and politics, and the role they play in perpetuating inequality and suffering
• Portrayed in plays like George Bernard Shaw's "Mrs. Warren's Profession" (1893) and Bertolt Brecht's "The Good Person of Szechwan" (1943)

Impact and legacy of modernist drama

Influence on postmodern and contemporary theater

• Paved the way for the development of postmodern theater, which further challenged traditional dramatic structures, blurred the boundaries between art and reality, and emphasized the role of the audience in the creation of meaning
• Inspired contemporary playwrights to continue exploring experimental forms, nonlinear narratives, and the subjectivity of human experience
• Exemplified in the works of playwrights like Caryl Churchill, Tom Stoppard, and Sarah Kane

Contributions to acting and directing techniques

• Encouraged the development of new acting styles that emphasized physicality, emotional authenticity, and the exploration of the subconscious
• Inspired directors to take a more creative and interpretive approach to staging, using unconventional sets, lighting, and sound to create immersive and provocative theatrical experiences
• Influenced the rise of avant-garde theater companies and experimental performance spaces

Challenges to traditional dramatic structures

• Broke with the conventions of the well-made play, such as the three-act structure, the unity of time and place, and the resolution of conflicts
• Explored alternative dramatic forms, such as episodic, circular, or fragmented narratives, that challenged the linearity and coherence of traditional storytelling
• Emphasized the importance of visual, aural, and kinesthetic elements in creating meaning and evoking emotional responses

Lasting significance in world literature

• Established modernist drama as a major force in the development of 20th-century literature, alongside modernist poetry and fiction
• Contributed to the internationalization of theater, with modernist plays being translated, adapted, and performed around the world
• Continues to be studied, revived, and reinterpreted by scholars, artists, and audiences, testifying to the enduring relevance and power of modernist dramatic works