Chapter22AmericanTheater：threemajorplaywrightsAmericanDramain20thcenturyA1920s:firstclimaxofAmericandrama—“SmallTheatreMovement”:—modernAmericandramatists:EugeneO’Neil,CliffordOdetsBPost-war:secondclimaxofAmericandrama—TennesseeWilliams,ArthurMillerC1960s:withfreshenergy—TheatreoftheAbsurd(荒唐派戲劇),EdwardAlbeeEugeneO’Neill(1888-1953)EugeneO’Neill

theforemostUnitedStatesplaywrightthefirstAmericandramatisttoreceivetheNobelPrizeforliterature(1936)founderoftheAmericanDramatheAmericanShakespeareEugeneO’Neill：HisLifewasbornOctober16,1888.hisfatherwasabsentmostofhischildhoodduetohisactingcareer,whilehismotherwasadrugaddict.spentmostofhistimeinhotels,neverknowingwhatatruehomefeltlike.attendedvariousboardingschoolandoneyearofcollegebeforedroppingout.Earlyoninhiscareer,hebegantodrinkmoreheavilyandbecameaddictedtoalcohol.Hefinallydecidedtostopdrinkingandbecomeawriter.AfterhisparentsdeathO’Neillbecameinterestedindramatizingthecomplicatedpatternofhisfamily’slife.ItisthenthatO’Neillbecame“thenation’sfirstmajorplaywrightandthefirsttoexploreseriousthemesinthetheater.In1920,hisfirstfull-lengthplay,BeyondtheHorizon,producedonBroadway;In1936,wontheNobelPrizeforliterature“forthepower,honestyanddeep-feltemotionsofhisdramaticworks,whichembodyanoriginalconceptoftragedy”;EugeneO'NeillaintroducerofrealismandexpressionismMorethananyotherdramatist,O'NeillintroducedthedramaticRealismpioneeredbytheEuropeanplaywrightsHenrikIbsenandExpressionismbyAugustStrindbergintoAmericantheater.btragedianofunderprivilegedO'Neillwasalsofamousforthebleakandtragictoneofhisplays,whichpersistentlyexaminethecrushedhopesanddreamsoftheunderprivileged.O’Neill’sexperimentsP286-287Gaveextendedandelaboratestagedirections.expressionistexperiments→sometimestheycalledforsets(布景)andperformancesthatdistortrealitytointensifyemotionandheightensymbolism.fusingancientandthemodernuseofmasksandGreekchorusExpressionism:generallyreferstoatwentiethcenturyartmovementthatbeganinGermany.Itisthetendencyofanartisttodistortrealitytoexpressemotion,especiallyangst(焦慮).expressionism,ageneraltermforamodeofliteraryorvisualartwhich,inextremereactionagainstrealismandnaturalism,presentsaworldviolentlydistortedunderthepressureofintensepersonalmoods,ideas,andemotions:imageandlanguagethusexpressfeelingandimaginationratherthanrepresentexternalreality.

TheScreambyEdvardMunch(1893)PortraitofEduardKosmackbyEgonSchieleMajorworksBeyondtheHorizon(1920)PulitzerPrize,1920

TheEmperorJones,1920TheHairyApe,1922MourningBecomesElectra,1931《悲悼》TheIcemanCometh,1946

LongDay'sJourneyintoNight,1956PulitzerPrize1957THEHAIRYAPEAdramaineightscenes.producedin1922andpublishedthefollowingyear.consideredoneoftheprimeachievementsofExpressionismonstage.YankSmith,abrutishstokeronatransatlanticliner,bulliesanddespiseseveryonearoundhim,consideringhimselfsuperior.Heisdevastatedwhenamillionaire‘sdaughterisrepulsedbyhissimian〔類人猿的〕ways,andhevowstogetevenwithher.AshoreinNewYorkCity,Yankschemestodestroythefactoryownedbythewoman'sfather,buthisplansfail.Yankwandersintoazoo.There,feelingalienatedfromhumanity,hereleasesanape,andtheapekillshim.〔指指街對面正在修建的摩天樓——虛張聲勢地〕看見正在修建起來的那個建筑嗎？看見那種鋼鐵結(jié)構(gòu)嗎？我就是鋼鐵！你們住在那上面，以為你們算個人物。但是，在里面的是我，懂吧！我就是使它往上躥的起重機(jī)！我就是它的內(nèi)部和根底！對！我就是鋼鐵、蒸汽、煙和一切！它能活動，有速度，二十五層向上去——我就在那頂上和底層里——活動著！你們這些傻瓜卻活動不了。你們只不過是木偶，我給你們上了勁，你們才會轉(zhuǎn)。你們是廢料，懂吧——是我們堆在一邊的殘渣和爐灰！現(xiàn)在，你們還有什么可說的？[Butastheyseemneithertoseenorhearhim,hefliesintoafury.]Bums!Pigs!Tarts!Bitches![Heturnsinarageonthemen,bumpingviciouslyintothembutnotjarringthemtheleastbit.

Ratheritishewhorecoilsaftereachcollision.Hekeepsgrowling.]Gitoffdeoith!G’wan,yuhbum!Lookwhereyuh’regoin,’can’tyuh?Gitoutahere!Fight,whydon’tyuh?Putupyermits!Don’tbeadog!FightorI’llknockyuhdead![But,withoutseemingtoseehim,theyallanswerwithmechanicalaffectedpoliteness:]Ibegyourpardon.[Thenatacryfromoneofthewomen,theyallscurrytothefurrier’swindow.]THEWOMAN—[Ecstatically,withagaspofdelight.]Monkeyfur![Thewholecrowdofmenandwomenchorusafterherinthesametoneofaffecteddelight.]Monkeyfur!〔可是他們好似既沒有看見他也沒有聽見他，他勃然大怒了〕流氓、豬玀、婊子、母狗！〔他憤怒地轉(zhuǎn)身對著他們，惡意沖撞他們，但是一點也沒有碰到他們。相反，在每次接觸之后，后退的倒是他。他不斷怒叫〕下地獄去！滾開，你們這些流氓！看你們往哪里走，看不見嗎？躲開！你們?yōu)槭裁床粍邮帜?？舉起拳頭來！別裝狗熊！打吧，要不，我就揍死你們！〔可是好似沒有看見他似的，他們?nèi)加靡环N機(jī)械的、造作的客氣態(tài)度答復(fù)說：請您原諒。接著一位太太大叫一聲，他們?nèi)蓟呕琶γε艿狡へ浀甑拇扒啊！?/p>

那位太太〔欣喜假設(shè)狂、氣喘吁吁地〕猴皮！〔全體男女跟著她異口同聲用同樣造作的興高采烈的腔調(diào)：猴皮！〕YANK—[Glaringfromonetotheotherofthem—withaninsultingsnortofscorn.]Huh!Huh![Withoutseemingtoseehim,theymakewidedetourstoavoidthespotwherehestandsinthemiddleofthesidewalk.][Heapproachesalady—withaviciousgrinandasmirkingwink.]Hello,Kiddo.How’severylittleting?Gotanytingonforto-night?Iknowanoldboilerdowntodedockswekincrawlinto.[Theladystalksbywithoutalook,withoutachangeofpace.YANKturnstoothers—insultingly.]Scene5ofTheHairyApe

Ittakesplacethreeweekslater,whenYankandLongaresearchingNewYorkfortheirrevenge.Theypassthroughcrowdsthatignorethementirelyuntiltheendofthescene,whenYankpunchesanelderlygentleman.ThegentlemandoesnotreactatalltothepunchbutisangrythatYankmadehimmisshisbus,forwhichYankissenttoprisoninscene6.Expressionismin

HairyApeYANK—[Seeingafight—witharoarofjoyashespringstohisfeet.]Atlast!Bus,huh?I’llbustyuh![Heletsdriveaterrificswing,hisfistlandingfullonthefatgentleman’sface.Butthegentlemanstandsunmovedasifnothinghadhappened.]GENTLEMAN—Ibegyourpardon.[Thenirritably.]Youhavemademelosemybus.[Heclapshishandsandbeginstoscream:]Officer!Officer![ManypolicewhistlesshrilloutontheinstantandawholeplatoonofpolicemenrushinonYANKfromallsides.Hetriestofightbutisclubbedtothepavementandfallenupon.Thecrowdatthewindowhavenotmovedornoticedthisdisturbance.Theclanginggongofthepatrolwagonapproacheswithaclamoringdin.]ThemesofTheHairyApe

asearchforidentityinYank,weseemodernmandesperatelyinsearchofhisidentitywithinindustrialsociety.balienationAsanexpressionistplay,TheHairyApemakesaprotestagainstthedehumanizationandalienationintheindustrializedworld."invisibleman"AnautobiographicalplayThestorytookplaceatthehomeoftheTyrone.LongDay'sJourneyintoNightMajorCharacters—JamesTyrone,thefather,afamousactor,anxioustobecomerichattheexpenseofhisowntalent;—MaryTyrone,themother,adrugaddict;—James(Jamie)Tyrone,theirelderson,anirresponsiblealcoholic;—EdmundTyrone,theiryoungerson,anintellectualandromanticdreamerMajorCharactersJamesTyrone,thefather,afamousactor,anxioustobecomerichattheexpenseofhisowntalent;MaryTyrone,hiswife,longlostinthehaze〔煙霧〕ofamorphineaddictionacquiredwhenthedifficultdeliveryofhersonEdmundwascomplicatedfurtherbytheincompetenceofherdoctor;James(Jamie),theirelderson,analcoholicne'er-do-wellbrother;Edmund,theTyrone'syoungestson,apoetsufferingfromtuberculosisanddeepdisillusionmentwiththeworld;LongDay'sJourneyintoNightSummaryTheactionbeginsinthemorning,justafterbreakfast.WelearnasthefirstactunravelsthatMaryhasreturnedtoherfamilyrecentlyafterreceivingtreatmentinasanatoriumformorphineaddiction.Edmund,meanwhile,hasinrecentweeksbeguntocoughveryviolently,andwelearnlateronintheplaythathehastuberculosistuberculosis.Thegradualrevelationofthesetwomedicaldisastersmakesupmostoftheplay'splot.Inbetweenthesediscoveries,however,thefamilyconstantlyrevisitsoldfightsandopensoldwoundsleftbythepast,whichthefamilymembersareneverunabletoforget.Thefatherisangrywiththemotherforherdrugaddiction,themotherwiththefatherforhisfailuretoofferherahome,thefatherwithhissonsfornotbeinggood.Theytormentoneanotherandthemselvesuntilmidnight.Thelongdaythusjourneysintonightwhenthetragedyofthefamilyisfinallyenacted.Lovegiveswaytohate,daytonight,andhopetodespair.TennesseeWilliams(1911-1983)TennesseeWilliams(1911-1983)

HeiswidelyconsideredthegreatestSouthernplaywrightandoneofthegreatestplaywrightsinthehistoryofAmericandrama.Attheirbest,histwenty-fivefull-lengthplayscombinedlyricalintensity,loneliness,andviolence.Histroubledfamilyprovidedinspirationformuchofhiswriting.

LifeBirthandFamilyBackground—borninColumbus,Mississippi;—hisfather,travelingshoesalesman,alcoholic,abusive,distantfromfamily;—hismother,Southernlady,educated,refined,snobbishandneurotic;—hiseldersisterRose,shy,sensitiveandfragile,sufferingfrommentalillnessLifeHomosexuality—In1948,metandfellinlovewithFrankPhillipMerlo(1922–1963),anoccasionalactorwhohadservedintheU.S.NavyinWorldWarII;—Therelationshiplasted14yearsuntilinfidelities(背信)anddrugabuseonbothsidesendedit.Histroubledfamilyprovidedinspirationformuchofhiswriting.

AmandaWingfieldinTheGlassMenageriecaneasilybeseentorepresentWilliams'mother.Manyofhischaractersareconsideredautobiographical,includingTomWingfieldinTheGlassMenagerie.

Rose:GreatinfluenceTennesseewasclosetohissisterRose,whohadperhapsthegreatestinfluenceonhim.Shewasaslimbeautywhowasdiagnosedwithschizophrenia(精神分裂癥)andspentmostofheradultlifeinmentalhospitals.Thecommon"madheroine"themethatappearsinmanyofhisplaysmayhavebeeninfluencedbyhissister.LauraWingfieldinTheGlassMenagerieisunderstoodtobemodeledonRose.SomebiographerssaythatthecharacterofBlancheDuBoisinAStreetcarNamedDesireisbasedonheraswellandasmallpartonWilliamshimself.MajorWorksTheGlassMenagerie(1950)《玻璃動物園》AStreetcarNamedDesire(1951)《欲望號街車》

CatonaHotTinRoof(1958)《熱鐵皮上的貓》

WritingFeaturesSubjects—violence,sex,homosexuality(taboosindrama)Characterization—defeated,unhappywanderers;—lonely,vulnerablewomenindulgedinmemoryofthepastorillusionofthefutureStyle—combinationofcoarsenessandpoetry,vividsouthernspeechRegionalandUniversalRegional:declineoftheSouthernaristocraticplantationclassHeisaregionalistinthathedramatizedthedecayedaristocratsofadecliningSouthernculture…Behindtheactionofmostofitsplaysisasocialprocess:theSouthernaristocraticplantationclassdeclineswiththeeconomicdeclineoftheSouth….Universal:Itshouldbesaidthathisregionalism,orhisinterestintheSouth,isincidentaltohiscentralconcernwiththehumanemotionsandthecrisisofpersonality.Southernladyorbelle(pure,innocent,graceful,subordinate,docile)MajorPlays

TheGlassMenagerie(1944)NewYorkDramaCritics'CircleAwardsAStreetcarNamedDesire(1947)PulitzerPrizeforDramaVivienLeighasBlancheDuBoisinAStreetcarNamedDesire(1951)AmandaWingfield(mother)anow-poor,formerSouthernbelleLauraWingfield(daughter)lamesufferingfromaninferioritycomplexTomWingfield(son)JimO'Connor(AfriendofTom)TheGlassMenagerieTheGlassMenagerieAmandaWingfieldisanow-poor,formerSouthernbellewithadaughterLaurawhoislameandsuffersfromaninferioritycomplex.Laura’spassionisacollectionofglassanimals.Nevertheless,AmandawishesforLauratohavetheromanticlifeshehad.Tom,herbrother,bringshomeJim,afriend;JimandLauradanceawkwardly;andherglassunicornisbroken.ButJimisengagedtosomeoneelse.Hetakesoff,Lauragetssad,andAmandayellsathersonandthencomfortsLauraduringTom’sclosingspeechtotheaudience.Tomrevealstousthatheabandonedhisfamilyshortlyafterthatnight,buthasbeenhauntedbyLaura,thesisterheabandoned,eversince.

AStreetcarNamedDesireCharactersBlancheDuBois:neuroticcentralcharacterwholivesinafantasyworldofOldSouthchivalrybutcannotcontrolhercarnaldesires;Stella:Blanche’sdown-to-earthsisterwhoseemssatisfiedwithherlifeasthewifeofafactoryworker;Stanley:Stella’schurlish(脾氣暴躁的)andoutspokenhusbandandthebane(禍根)ofBlanche’sexistence;Mitch:Stanley’spokerpartnerandbestfriend.HewoosBlancheuntilhefindsoutaboutherseamy(丑陋的)past.

Plot

TheplaycentersonadesolatedwomannamedBlancheDuBois.RearedinOldSoutharistocratictraditions,shelivedelegantlyinthefamilyhomestead,marriedamansheadored,andpursuedacareerasanEnglishteacher.Butherlifefellapartwhenshediscoveredthatherhusband,AllenGrey,washavingahomosexualaffair.Disgraced,hekilledhimself.Blanchesoughtcomfortinthearmsofothermen,manymen.Aftershehadrelationswithoneofherstudents,a17-year-old,authoritieslearnedoftheencounterandfiredher.Meanwhile,relativesdiedandshecouldnotkeepupthefamilyhome.Eventually,creditors(債權(quán)人)seizedit.TheplaybeginswhenBlanchearrivesinNewOrleanstostaywithhersister,Stella,andhercrude,outspokenhusband,Stanley.ThearrivalofBlancheupsetshersisterandbrother-in-law’ssystemofmutualdependence.Stella’sconcernforhersister’swell-beingemboldensBlanchetoholdcourtintheKowalskiapartment,infuriatingStanleyandleadingtoconflictinhisrelationshipwithhiswife.BlancheandStanleyareonacollisioncourse,andStanley’sfriendandBlanche’swould-besuitor,Mitch,getstrampledintheirpath.StanleydiscoversBlanche'spastthroughaco-workerwhotravelstoLaurelfrequently,andheconfrontsherwiththethingsthatshehasbeentryingtoputbehindher,partlyoutofconcernthathercharacterflawsmaybedamagingtothelivesofthoseinhernewhome,andpartlyoutofadistasteforherpretenseingeneral.TheclimaxoccurswhenStanleyrapesBlanche.Thisbrutalactmarksthecompletionofhermentaldeterioration,pushingherovertheedgefromsanitytomadness.ThemesThereluctanceorinabilityofpeopletoacceptthetruth;Thedespoliation(掠奪)ofthesensitiveandfemininebythewildandmasculine;ThefinaldestructionoftheOldSouth;ArthurMillerwithMarilynMonroeaftertheirweddingin1956ArthurMillerandMarilynMonroeAllMysons,1947;

DeathofaSalesman,1949;

(thePulitzerPrizefordrama)TheCrucible,1953;AViewfromtheBridge,1956;AftertheFall,1964;MajorWorksMajorThemes:thepressuresoftheAmericandream;dilemmaofmodernmaninrelationtofamilyandwork;

→Asseeninthemajorityofhisplays,Miller’sfavoritematerialistheconflictintheAmericanmiddle-classfamily,withthetensionoftenanchoredonthefather-sonrelationship….HisExpressionism:P294Mostofhistheatricaldevicesareborrowedfromexpressionism.Theseincludethefluidityofspaceandtime,thebreakingdownoftheaudiencebarrierasfoundinBrecht,theinnerpsychologicalanalysisasseeninO’Neil.DeathofaSalesman(1949)Itisthestoryofatravelingsalesman---ametaphorforAmericansociety---whochoosespopularityandgettingrichasthefalsegoalsforhislifeandisfinallydriventosuicide.Millerbelievesthatthecommonmanisthetragicheroofmoderntimes.WillyLoman,amiddle-agedsalesmanwhoisnolongerabletoearnaliving.Hereceivesonlyasmallcommissionasheages,andheslowlyloseshismindandattemptstokillhimselftogetanamountofinsurancepayment.Heisobsessedwiththepost-warinterpretationoftheAmericanDream.TheCrucible

ItdepictstheSalem(Massachusetts)witchcrafttrialsofthe17thcenturyinwhichPuritansettlerswerewrongfullyexecutedassupposedwitches.Itsmessagewasrelevanttotheerainwhichtheplaywasstaged,theearly1950s,whenananti-CommunistcrusadeledbyU.S.SenatorJosephMcCarthyandothersruinedthelivesofinnocentpeople.

DeathofASalesman:TragedyoftheCommonMa