Description

The course objective is to acquaint the students with selected trends and movements in the modern English drama. Moving from drawing-room comedy to absurdism, we will sample a wide range of the fascinating drama that has been composed during the past century. The course focuses on the representative works of the prominent 20th century playwrights. The readers will clearly differentiate between the techniques, structural and thematic aspects of earlier plays and the modern drama. The students will also be able to identify and discuss the theoretical and practical elements of drama. By the end of the course students are expected to get familiar with the predominant trends, genres as well as the main representatives of the British drama and assess their contribution to the European tradition of the 20th century drama.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

i. Identify the elements of drama, such as form and scenic contrast, symbol and myth, theme and message, language and dialogue, staging and performance, character and conflict.

ii. Articulate their understanding of the relationship between literature and the historical/cultural contexts in which it was written. Absurdism in drama was an aftermath of WWII. Students would understand the effect the war had on people at the time but also why some people may have felt it necessary to create theatre like this.

Course Contents

1. Devil’s Disciple by G.B. Shaw

2. The Caretaker by Harold Pinter

3. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

4. Juno and the Paycock by Sean O’ Casey

Recommended Texts

Beckett, S. (2012). Waiting for godot: A Tragicomedy in two acts.London: Faber & Faber.

O'Casey, S. (2011). Juno and the Paycock.London: Faber & Faber

Pinter, H. (2013). The caretaker. London: Faber & Faber.

Shaw, G. B. (2011). The devil's disciple. London:The Floating Press.

Suggested Readings

1.Bennett, M. (2011). Reassessing the Theatre of the Absurd: Camus, Beckett, Ionesco, Genet, and Pinter. New York: Springer.

2.Flynn, T. (2006). Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction. London: Oxford University Press.

3.Innes, C. (1998). The Cambridge Companion to George Bernard Shaw.London: Cambridge University Press.

4.Raby, Peter.(2009). The Cambridge Companion to Harold Pinter. London:Cambridge University Press

Class Timings (SFall 2020)

BS VII (S.S) Monday - Tuesday 11-12:30 pm

Assesment

• Mid Term :30
• Project :10
• Presentation: 05
• Class participation:05
• Final exam:50