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Analyzes how mid-20th-century plays critiqued domestic life and the accessibility of the American Dream.
If the American Dream is a guarantee of success for those who work hard, why does the 'Golden Age' of 1950s America produce plays where the hero ends up with nothing but a funeral no one attends?
$$Tragedy \propto rac{Will to Dignity}{Social Opportunity}$$Quick Check
According to Arthur Miller, what is the primary struggle of the modern tragic hero?
Answer
The struggle to gain or maintain their sense of personal dignity against a society that tries to displace them.
Post-WWII America saw an explosion of consumerism. The 'American Dream' shifted from the right to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' to the right to 'own, spend, and display.' Plays like Death of a Salesman and A Raisin in the Sun critique this by showing how characters become commodified—judging their self-worth based on their bank accounts or the products they own. This creates a 'treadmill effect' where social mobility is a mirage. If represents social status and represents consumption, the characters often find that , meaning their identity is entirely dependent on what they can buy, leading to spiritual bankruptcy when the money runs out.
In many post-war plays, characters struggle with 'buying on time.' 1. A character buys a refrigerator on an installment plan. 2. They work overtime to pay the monthly debt. 3. By the time the appliance is paid off, it is broken and obsolete. This cycle symbolizes the futility of the American Dream in a consumerist framework where consistently.
Quick Check
What does 'commodification' mean in the context of a character's identity?
Answer
It means the character's value as a human being is reduced to their economic worth or their ability to produce and consume.
Post-war drama moved away from total realism toward Selective Realism and Expressionism. Playwrights used stage directions and set design to reflect the internal minds of the characters. For instance, walls that are solid in the 'present' might become transparent during 'flashbacks,' symbolizing the blurring of memory and reality. Lighting serves as a visual metaphor: a harsh 'fluorescent' light might represent the cold reality of the office, while a 'leafy green' projection might represent a character's idealized, lost past. The set is not just a place; it is a physical manifestation of the hero's .
Consider a stage direction that describes 'towering apartment buildings' surrounding a small house. 1. Identify the visual contrast: Small vs. Large. 2. Determine the symbolic weight: The buildings represent the crushing pressure of urbanization and capitalism. 3. Connect to the hero: The hero feels 'boxed in,' showing that their environment is literally suffocating their dreams.
Analyze how a flute melody playing in the background of a scene functions as a symbolic element. 1. Context: The melody is linked to the hero's father, a pioneer. 2. Contrast: The hero is currently in a cramped city apartment. 3. Synthesis: The music represents the 'Old American Dream' (nature/freedom) which is mathematically incompatible with the 'New American Dream' (city/debt). The sound creates a cognitive dissonance for the audience, mirroring the hero's mental breakdown.
Which concept best describes a set where walls disappear during memory sequences?
In the 'formula' for modern tragedy, what is the 'fatal flaw' usually linked to?
Post-war drama suggests that social mobility is easily achieved through hard work alone.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to recall the three main differences between a Greek tragic hero and a modern tragic hero.
Practice Activity
Watch a scene from a filmed play (like 'Death of a Salesman') and mute the audio. Try to identify how the lighting or the placement of furniture tells you about the character's emotions.