19.-American-Drama

AmericanDramaI.OverviewII.EugeneO’NeillIII.TennesseeWilliamsIV.ArthurMillerI.ASketchyOverviewofAmericanDrama17thcentury—YeBareandYeCubb(1665)byWilliamDarby18thcentury—TheContrast(1787)byRoyallTyler19thcentury—inthefirsthalf:poeticplays;—afterthecivilwar:realism,melodrama(情节剧),domesticmelodrama20thcentury1920s:firstclimaxofAmericandrama—“LittleTheatreMovement”:WashingtonSquarePlayers(GreenwichVillage,NewYorkCity),ProvincetownPlayers(CapeCod,Massachusetts);—modernAmericandramatists:EugeneO’Neil,CliffordOdetsPost-war:secondclimaxofAmericandrama—TennesseeWilliams,ArthurMiller1960s:withfreshenergy—TheatreoftheAbsurd(荒诞派戏剧),EdwardAlbeeAfter1960s:anewphaseII.EugeneO’Neill(1888-1953)theforemostUnitedStatesplaywrightthefirstAmericandramatisttoreceivetheNobelPrizeforliterature(1936)founderoftheAmericanDramatheAmericanShakespeareOutlineLifeLiteraryCareerandMajorWorksWritingCharacteristicsTextAnalysisHisPositionLifeEarlyLife—borninahotelonBroadwayin1888;—hisfather,awell-knownactor;—thefirstsevenyearsofhislifespenttouringwithhisfather’stheatercompanyEducation—in1906,enteredPrincetonUni.,butleftshortly;—in1914,studiedtheartofplaywritingunderGeorgePierceBaker(1866-1935)atHarvardUni.In1920,hisfirstfull-lengthplay,BeyondtheHorizon,producedonBroadway;In1936,wontheNobelPrizeforliterature“forthepower,honestyanddeep-feltemotionsofhisdramaticworks,whichembodyanoriginalconceptoftragedy”;Unhappymarriages,suicideofhisoldestson,drugaddictionandmentalillnessofyoungerson,daughter’smarriage;Withdrewintoretirementandseclusioninhislastyearsanddiedin1953Iwasborninahoteland,damnit,I'lldieinahotel.LiteraryCareerandMajorWorksTheearlyperiod(1913-1919):PeriodofapprenticeshipMajorwork:—BoundEastforCardiff（1916）《东航卡迪夫》Features:—sealife,one-actplays;—romanticism,naturalism,realismThemiddleperiod(1920-1938):SummitofhiscareerMajorWorks:—BeyondHorizon(1920)《天边外》PulitzerPrize—TheEmperorJones(1920)《琼斯王》—TheHairyApe(1922)《毛猿》—DesireUndertheElms(1924)《榆树下的欲望》Features:—withwiderscopeofsubjectmatters:racerelations,classconflicts,sexualbondage,socialcritiques,andthelimitsofthehumanpredicament;—moreexperimentalintechnique:unusualstagedevices,powerfuluseofsymbolism,andexperimentsinexpressionism表现主义（Expressionism）是20世纪初至30年代盛行于欧美一些国家的文学艺术流派。一战后在德国和奥地利流行最广。表现主义的特征:思想倾向上:不满社会现状，要求改革，要求“革命”，对西方社会对人个性的压抑、人的异化以及帝国主义战争进行揭露和批判;在艺术上:1）注重对世界主观感受的表现，特别强调内部视野，极力主张表现内在体验和心灵激情，揭示事物的内在本质。2）大量通过主观幻觉、梦境和错觉，以及扭曲变形等手法来表现生活。3）流露出一种普遍的抽象化倾向，作品往往具有浓郁深厚的象征意蕴。4）在语言风格上，常常表现出一种冷漠旁观和平淡冷静的客观态度，用电报式的简洁、冷漠的语言进行叙述描写，很少抒情议论。Thelateperiod(1939-1943):PeriodofmaturityMajorWorks:—TheIcemanCometh(1946)《送冰的人来了》—LongDay’sJourneyIntoNight(1956)《进入黑夜的漫长旅程》Feature:returningtorealism—TheIcemanComethisacomplex,ironic,deeplymovingexplorationofhumanexistenceandpredicament.Itisatragedy,realisticallysetinabar,symbolicallyportrayingthelossofillusionandthecomingofDeath.WritingCharacteristicsCharacterization:pessimistic—Hispurposeistogettherootofhumandesiresandfrustrations.Heshowedmostcharactersinhisplaysasseekingmeaningandpurposeintheirlivesthroughlove,religion,orrevenge,butallmetdisappointment.Style:mixed—HeintroducedtheEuropeantheatricaltrendsofrealism,naturalismandexpressionismtotheAmericanstageasdevicestoexpresshiscomprehensiveinterestinhislifeandhumanity.Techniques:beingexperimental—paidlittleattentiontothedivisionofscenes;—borrowedfreelyfromthebesttraditionsofEuropeandrama,especiallythestreamofconsciousness;—employedsets,lighting,andsoundstoenhanceemotionratherthantorepresentarealplace;—wrotelongintroductionanddirectionsforallthescenes,explainingthemoodandatmosphereTextAnalysis:LongDay’sJourneyIntoNightSetting—TheplayissetinthesummerhomeoftheTyronefamily,August1912.MonteCristoCottage,settingoftheplayMajorCharacters—JamesTyrone,thefather,afamousactor,anxioustobecomerichattheexpenseofhisowntalent;—MaryTyrone,themother,adrugaddict;—JamesTyrone,theirelderson,anirresponsible,womanizingalcoholic;—EdmundTyrone,theiryoungerson,anintellectualandromanticdreamerSummaryTheactionbeginsinthemorning,justafterbreakfast.WelearnasthefirstactunravelsthatMaryhasreturnedtoherfamilyrecentlyafterreceivingtreatmentinasanatoriumformorphineaddiction.Edmund,meanwhile,hasinrecentweeksbeguntocoughveryviolently,andwelearnlateronintheplaythat,asTyroneandJamiesuspect,hehastuberculosis.Thegradualrevelationofthesetwomedicaldisastersmakesupmostoftheplay'splot.Inbetweenthesediscoveries,however,thefamilyconstantlyrevisitsoldfightsandopensoldwoundsleftbythepast,whichthefamilymembersareneverunabletoforget.Thefatherisangrywiththemotherforherdrugaddiction,themotherwiththefatherforhisfailuretoofferherahome,thefatherwithhissonsfornotbeinggood.Theytormentoneanotherandthemselvesuntilmidnight.Thelongdaythusjourneysintonightwhenthetragedyofthefamilyisfinallyenacted.Lovegiveswaytohate,daytonight,andhopetodespair.AnalysisTheplayisundoubtedlyatragedy—itleavestheaudiencewithasenseofcatharsis(净化),oremotionalrebirththroughtheviewingofpowerfulevents,anditdepictsthefallofsomethingthatwasoncegreat.Theplayals