Politics and theatre in twentieth-century Europe : imagination and resistance

Author / Creator

Morgan, Margot, 1979-

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Summary

"By examining four playwrights - George Bernard Shaw, Bertolt Brecht, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Eugene Ionesco - Politics and Theatre in Twentieth-Century Europe looks at how political theatre has unra...

"By examining four playwrights - George Bernard Shaw, Bertolt Brecht, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Eugene Ionesco - Politics and Theatre in Twentieth-Century Europe looks at how political theatre has unraveled in the modern era due to the 'art of separation, ' wherein political concerns have been removed from the realm of theatre. When political theorists often discuss theatre, they do so mainly within the confines of ancient Greek playwrights, overlooking the salient and meaningful political discourse within more contemporary literature. Focusing squarely on the political elements of Shaw, Brecht, Sarte, and Ionesco, Morgan reintroduces political discourse into discussions of theatre - linking playwright to political philosopher, and their literature to the greater field of political discourse"--

"Much has been written about the importance of ancient theatre for political theory. In Politics and Theatre in Twentieth-Century Europe, Margot Morgan broadens that discussion by focusing on four of the most important playwrights of the twentieth century: George Bernard Shaw, Bertolt Brecht, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Eug Ionesco. Against the threats of totalitarianism, war, and political isolation, they used theatre to champion the dignity of the individual, the strength of the community, and the power of the imagination. Morgan explicates the lives and works of these playwrights and sees their innovations in theatre as providing a model for political practice"--

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