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Sir Saif

• Group Members
Nabeel Riasat S2F18BSEN0029
Azeem Shoukat S2F18BSEN0025
Shaan Ali S2F18BSEN0008
Sheharyar Yousuf S2F18BSEN0017
 Presentation Topic Is

Modern Drama
 What Is Drama
• Drama is a literary art which usually have Characters, Plot, Dialogue and acts on
stage.The difference between ‘traditional drama’ and ‘modern drama’ is actually
the THEME/STYLE.
• Traditional drama dealt with Supernatural elements, Fate, Heroic deeds etc
whereas Modern drama deals with Realism, Absurdism etc. Some of famous
Modern Playwrights are, HenricIbsen, George Bernard Shaw, Edward Albee,
Aurther Miller etc. Among them Henric Ibsen considered as “Father of Modern
Drama”.
 Modern Drama

Modern drama refers to plays written in the 19th and 20th centuries whereas
contemporary drama refers to plays written today. Modern dramatists
include such play wrights as Tennessee Williams , Oscar Wilde , and Henrik
Ibsen.
 History Of Modern Drama
English drama during the modernist period (1845-1945) A.D. fails into three categories:
1. The first and the earliest phas of modernism in English Drama is marked by the plays
of G.B. Shaw (road summary of Candida) and John Galsworthy, which constitute the
catogry of the social drama modelled on the plays of Ibsen.
2. The 2nd and the middle phase of Modernist English drama comprise the plays of the
Irish movement contributed by some elites like Yeats. In the contained the spirit of
nationalism.
3. The 3rd and the final phase of the Modernist English Drama comprise the play sof T.S.
Eliot and
 Modern Drama Characteristics
1. Realism
2. Play of ideas
3. Romanticism
4. Poetic plays
5. History and biographical plays
6. Irish movement
7. Comedy manners
8. Impressionism
9. expressionism
 Realism
• In literature, writers use realism as a literary technique to describe story
elements, such as setting, characters, themes, etc., without using elaborate
imagery, or figurative language, such as similes and metaphors. Through
realism, writers explain things without decorative language or sugar-
coating the events. Realism is something opposite to romanticism and
idealism. Read on to learn more about realism in literature.
• Example:- A DOLL’S HOUSE by (HENRIK IBSEN)
 Play Of Ideas

I. Modern drama is essentially a drama of ideas rather than action. The stage is used by
dramatist to give expression certain ideas which they want to spread in society.
II. Modern drama dealing with the problems of life has become for more intelligent than
ever it was in the history of drama before the present age.
III. With the treatment of actual language, drama became more and a drama is full of ideas
sometimes veiled in the ,ain action, sometimes didactically act forth.
 Romanticism

• The earlier dramatist of the 20th century were Realists at the core, but the
passage of time brought in, a new trend in modern Drama. Romanticism,
which had been very dear to Elizabethan Dramatists, found it sway in
Modern Drama found its way in Modern Drama and it was mainly due to
sir. J.M. Barrie’s effort that new wave Romanticism swept over Modern
Drama for some years of 20th century.
• Barrie keptn aloof from realities of life and made exursions into the world
Romance.
 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 biogeographical plays:

• Another trend, visible in the modern English drama is in the direction of using history and
biography for dramatic unique. There are many beautiful historical and biographical plays in
modern dramatic literature.
• Shaw’s Ceaser and cleopatra john drink Water’s Abraham Lincoln and Marry Stuart are also
historical plays.
 IRISH MOVEMENT

• A new trend in the Middle English Drama was introduced by the Irish
dramatics 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 realistics and became an expression of the hopes and
aspirations of the Irish people from remote ways to their times.
 COMEDY OF MANNERS

• There is a revival of Comedy of Manners in the modern dramatic

literature. Oscar Wild Maugham. N coward etc. have done much to revive
the comedy of wit in our days.
Impressionism:
• It is a movement that shows that effects of things and events on the mind
of the artist and to express his expressions. Impressionism constitutes
another important feature of modern drama.
 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 the naturalism.

Feminism:-
Today is the age of equality of men and women. Unlike past times, where women
did not have a right to vote. Now, they are activity participating in all national and
international issues. In this respect, is the dominant theme of modern drama.
• Example:- HEDDA GABLER by (Henrik Ibsen).
 SOME IMPORTANT DRAMATISTS

• Henrik Ibsen
• Tennessee Williams
• Oscar Wilde
• George Bernard Shaw
 MAJOR WORKS

• A DOLL’S HOUSE (HENRIK IBSEN)

• A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (TENESSEE WILLIAMS)
• THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST (OSCAR WILDE)
• PYGMALION ( GEORGE BERNARD SHAW)
 A DOLL’S HOUSE

As Henric Ibsen showed in his ‘A Doll’s House” that women are always dominated
by men and society as well. He showed that Nora was ordered to listen &
dominated by her father in her childhood. After her marriage she is also dominated
by her husband as well.
She cannot do anything without her husband’s permission. She has no will/right so
that she can do something by herself. Even when she did something for her
husband’s sake, she was marked as the guilty. Henric Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” is
clearly a reflection of naturalistic picture of society; how women are dominated by
men as well as the system of society.
PYGMALION ( GEORGE BERNARD SHAW)

• The portrayal of willfulness in Shaw’s plays is not the result of the feminist
agenda but rather part of the way in which his belief in the life of force and the
advent of a superman manifests itself. Discuss with reference to Pygmalion.
• in view of Shaw, both men and women has numerous positive as well as negative
traits.
• If man is “book learned gentleman” woman can also have “idiomatic notions”. If
women are compared with “bilious pigeon” and they are tamed “like parrot”, men
are also called “selfish pig”, “selfish brute” and “sentimental hog”.
 Elements Of Modern Drama

1. Character:
The people (sometimes animals or ideas) portrayed by the actors in the play.
It is the characters who move the action, or plot of the play forward.
- “dramatis personae” (persons of the play).
PLOT:

This is what happens in the play. Plot refers to the action. The
series/sequence of events in the story; the body of the play.

Theme:
It refers to the meaning of the play. Theme is the main idea or the lesson to
be learned from the play. In some cases, the theme of a play is obvious other
times it is quite subtle.
DIALOGUE:

Provides the substance of a play. Each word uttered by the characters.

Further the business of the play, contribute its effect as a whole.

Convention:
These are the techniques and methods used by the playwright and director to
create the desired stylistic effect.
Genre:

Refers to the type of play. Some examples of different genres include,

comedy, tragedy, mystery and historical play.

Audience:
• This is the group of people who watch the play. Many playwrights and
actors consider the audience to be the most important elements of drama.
 Conclusion

If one can preach, at the same time the other has also a right to teach. Both have
their own private imaginations. Both are born equal. It is the construction of society
to present women always negatively and always to give a positive glimpse of men
in all spheres of life. Otherwise, it is natural that men and women both possess good
and bad qualities. In view of Shaw, it is not the impact of feminist agenda due to
which he has portrayed a willful picture of women; rather he has just depicted the
natural situation in his play by keeping in mind the beliefs of Life Force and the
Superman. On account of willful or new glimpse of women equal to that of men,
his play also gives the concept of willfulness against the writings of previous eras.