Understanding Drama (Paperback)

UNDERSTANDING DRAMA EIGHT PLAYS CLEANTH BROOKS ROBERT B. HEILMAN Yale University University of Washington i-ost Graduate of An Commerce, 0. c. HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY NEW YORK CONTENTS LETTER TO TEACHER AND STUDENTS IX PART ONE Problems of the Drama 1. DIALOGUE AND ACTION 3 j. Types of Dialogue 3 Courtroom Dialogue 3 The Conversation 5 The Difference between the Conversation and Drama 7 2 The Meaning of Action 8 Shooting-Script for The Great McGinty 8 The Script and the Com pleted Movie 9 Action and Character n The Relation of Dialogue to Action 12 2. DRAMA AND OTHER LITERARY FORMS 13 i Drama and Eiction 13 A Sum in Addition, William March 13 The Method of the Story 15 The Story as Drama 16 The Difference between Story and Play 17 Another Story 18 2. Drama and Poetry 19 To a Mouse, Robert Burns 19 The Method of the Poem 20 The Climax 22 The Poem Compared with Other Forms 23 3. The Elements Common to Drama and Other Forms 24 4. The Difference Between Drama and Other Forms 24 3. SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF THE DRAMA 27 Iroblerns of Scope 27 The Dramatic Situation 27 Number of Characters 28 Place 29 roblems of Dialogue 29 Progression 29 Exposition 30 The Use of Informative Devices 30 Plausibility 31 Naturalness Poetic Drama 32 Tempo 33 4. HOW THE PROBLEMS ARE MET 34 i. Lady Windermeris Fan Oscar Wilde 34 Act I 35 Notes on Act I 43 Characterization 43 111 IV CONTENTS Exposition 43 Motivation and Pro gression 44 Concentration 45 Act II 46 Notes on Act II 54 The Structure of Act II 54 Evidences of Melo drama 56 Act III 57 Notes on Act III 63 The Rhythm of Act III 63 The Melodramatic Tendency Motiva tion 64 The Mother-Daughter Coincidence 65 Act IV 66 Notes on Act IV 73 Wildes Problem Fur therMelodramatic Effects 73 Mrs. Erlynnes in Act IV Part The Play as a Whole The Limitations The Symbolic Situation The Authors Attitude The Treatment of Society Treatment of Mrs. Erlynne The Theme Other Evidence The Epigrammatic Style The Nature of Comedy The Authors Choice The Well-Made Play The Problem Play Other Questions 73 74 74 75 75 76 76 77 78 78 7 79 80 81 81 PART TWO Simpler Types 1. INTRODUCTION 2. EVERYMAN NOTES ON Everyman 1. The Nature of Parable The Problem of the Para able-Writer the Re lationship of Theme and Form How We Become Aware of the Meaning 2. Theme and Drama in Everyman Characterization Structure Parti 86 IOO IOO 101 102 103 103 104 105 Part II Part III Part IV. The Compli cation of Theme The Growth of Every mans Character Significant Variation Summary 3. Everyman as Tragedy Questions 106 107 107 1 08 1 08 109 3. PLAUTUS, THE TWIN MENAECHMI 112 NOTES ON The Twin Me naechmi 136 I. The Nature of Farce 137 CONTENTS 2. The Quality of Plautuss Farce 140 Conventions 141 Variety 141 Climactic Arrangement 142 Language 142 Probability 142 Conclusion 144 Questions 145 4. LILLO, THE LONDON MERCHANT 146 Act I 147 Questions on Act I 153 Act II 154 Questions on Act II 160 Act III 1 60 Questions on Act III 166 Act IV 167 Questions on Act IV 173 Act V 173 Questions on Act V 179 NOTES ON The London Mer chant 1 80 1. Lack of Focus 180 2. Multiplicity of Objectives 181 3. The Treatment of Barn well 184 Barnwells Language 185 The Problem of Acts IV and V 187 Conclusion Questions 188 189 PART THREE More Mature Types 1. INTRODUCTION 193 2. SHERIDAN, THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL 194 Act I 196 Questions on Act I 203 Act II 204 Questions on Act II 211 Act III 212 Questions on Act III 221 Act IV221 Questions on Act IV 232 Act V 232 NOTES ON The School for Scandal 243 7. Sheridan and Other Drama tists Structure and Mechanics 244 Theme and Form 244 Characterization 244 Focus 245 Sheridan and Farce 245 Melodramatic Ten dencies 246 2. Sheridans Attitude Theme The Sentimental Tendency 248 Sir Olivers Reward 249 The Treatment of Charles 249 3. Other Influences on the Tone 252 Summary 254 Questions 254 3...