Masterpieces of 20th-Century American Drama

(Hardback)

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Discusses 10 major works of modern American drama American playwrights have made enormous contributions to world drama during the last century, and their works are widely read and performed. This reference work conveniently introduces 10 of the most important modern American plays read by students. The dramatists represented include women and African Americans, and their works frequently grapple with enduring social issues. An introductory overview of modern American drama begins the volume. Each of the chapters that follow is devoted to a particular work, and provides a biography, a plot summary, a discussion of themes, major characters, and dramatic art, and a survey of the play's historical background and critical reception. The individual chapters cite works for further reading, and the volume closes with a selected, general bibliography. Part of the Greenwood Introduces Literary Masterpieces series; An introductory essay gives a concise overview of modern American drama; Individual chapters treat particular plays; The volume covers women playwrights and playwrights of colour; Each chapter provides biographical, critical, contextual, and bibliographical information

Reviews

After a succinct overview, Abbotson presents 10 masterpieces by some of America's best-known playwrights, paying some small tribute to gender and ethnicity. From Thorton Wilder's Our Town to August Wilson's The Piano Lesson, each play is introduced with a short biography of the playwright and is followed by several pages of information on each: plot summary, character development, themes, historical background, literary style and devices, place of the work in the playwrights' oeuvre and 20th-century drama, critical reception, and suggested readings.[c]lear and concise analyses of these plays for libraries still needing such a reference source. * School Library Journal *

Author Bio

SUSAN C.W. ABBOTSON has taught English for more than 15 years, first at the high school level and now at Rhode Island College.