DRAMA OF REALISM IN 20TH CENTURY

Realism in 20th century English drama focused on representing subjects truthfully and without
artificiality. The movement was influenced by the ideas of Sigmund Freud and Charles Darwin,
and aimed to highlight the social and psychological issues of ordinary life.

Here are some examples of realistic drama in 20th century English literature:

 Poetic realism
Writers like John Millington Synge, W.B. Yeats, and Lady Gregory used poetic realism to
portray Irish peasant life. Their plays often had unpleasant themes, and used myths to allow
audiences to experience the plot without connecting to it.
 Verse drama
Playwrights like Stephen Phillips, John Masefield, John Drinkwater, Gordon Bottomley, and
Lascellas Abercrombie continued the tradition of verse drama in England. T.S. Eliot's Murder
in the Cathedral is considered a masterpiece of poetic drama.
 Co-authored verse dramas
W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood co-authored verse dramas, including The Ascent of
F6 (1936), which was influenced by Bertolt Brecht.
Other examples of realistic literature from the 20th century include: The Old Wives' Tale (1908)
by Bennett, Tono-Bungay (1909) by Wells, and Howards End (1910) by Forster.

Theatrical realism plays

Theatrical realism as a dramatic genre began to grow in popularity towards the end of the
nineteenth century. In literature, in general, realism had been commonplace for some time. In the
context of theatre, social conditions were a key factor in the demand for realism. There was
significant social unrest throughout nineteenth-century Europe.

For example, by this time, the Industrial Revolution had taken hold in much of the continent.
Industries had vastly expanded, and the majority of working-class people were now employed in
factories. However, there were few protections for workers, which led to widespread protests to try
to gain more rights for employees.

Realism is a literary genre that contains believable stories and plausible plots. Works in this genre
have realistic characters doing everyday things. These stories focus on an often
relatable protagonist struggling through their daily life. Examples of realist texts include The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain (1835-1910) and Middlemarch (1871)
by George Eliot (1819-1880).
The Industrial Revolution was a period from approximately the mid-18th century to the mid-19th
century, which took place across Europe, but perhaps had the most significant impact in Great
Britain. At this time, the industry began to move from mainly agricultural to heavily industrial and
mechanical. This marked a huge change in manufacturing, to which we owe much of our modern
industries.
The aftereffects of the French Revolution (1789-1799) were also being felt across the continent,
fostering an atmosphere of protest. The French Revolution was a period of violent social unrest and
change in France in which the population revolted against the corruption of unelected elites and
demanded democratic government instead.

Due to the social turmoil in Europe, theatrical realism became an important genre. Many ordinary
people attended the theatre as a form of leisure and entertainment and wished to
see themselves represented on stage.

Realism on stage depicts believable characters facing ordinary and relatable struggles. These plays
typically use down-to-earth and uncomplicated dialogue. Theatrical realist plays also use ordinary
set designs and backgrounds that are intended to mimic real life. Realist plays made a concerted
effort to represent whichever society they were written in and for.

Characteristics of theatrical realism

Also known as realistic drama, this genre of drama features characteristics that create the
impression of a credible world. Below are the key characteristics of theatrical realism.

Theatrical Realism: Characteristics

Characteristic Explanation

A realist play cannot be such without a realistic plot. These plays

Realistic plot depict a plausible story that the audience can relate to. This was
the primary demand of audiences of theatrical realism.

Characters in theatrical realism have to be someone one may

encounter in real life. They cannot be fantastical or extravagant
Believable
beyond the bounds of reality. Further, many characters in the
characters
genre were either from working or middle-class backgrounds,
making them relatable for many audience members.

Simple dialogue Theatrical realism avoids complex and flowery language.

Characters speak as the audience likely would. Playwrights of the
Theatrical Realism: Characteristics

genre also frequently use colloquial language that is particular to

the society the play is written in.

Realist plays usually focus on the challenges that real people

face. The events that happen to them during the course of the
Everyday
play are ones that often impact ordinary people. They do not have
occurrences
supernatural or fantastical encounters, as was common in other
genres in the nineteenth century.

Linked to the idea of representing relatable characters, realist

plays also deal with the pressing social issues of the time. Many
Discussion of
plays in the genre criticise social injustice, just as protest
prescient social
movements were doing during the nineteenth and twentieth
issues
centuries. However, others represented contemporary societal
norms by perpetuating certain stereotypes.

Theatrical realist plays do not use extravagant sets. The set

design in these plays is typically simple and it accurately portrays
Realistic sets
the type of life being presented. Realist plays have little on stage
other than the actors.

Realism in theatre: techniques

Multiple techniques are used in productions to communicate an atmosphere of plausible realism.

For example, actors will wear costumes appropriate to their background and social class. Those
portraying poorer characters may wear simple and unadorned clothing.

Set design is also an important realist technique in theatre. Sets are an accurate depiction of the
world being created, but they are also typically simple in this genre. The focus is on the actors and
the realistic story they are constructing. Realist sets frequently consist of a home or space with three
walls shown, with one wall missing from the side that the audience is facing. This gives the
impression that we are looking in on a private and very real story.
Fun fact! The phrase 'fourth wall' comes from theatre sets with three walls. You may have heard this
term before in reference to a play, film, or television show that 'breaks' the fourth wall by
acknowledging its audience.

Theatrical realism: style

As a theatrical style, realism has had a significant and long-lasting impact on the medium of theatre.
Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, realism became one of the most prominent
theatrical genres. In times of political and social turmoil, audiences preferred characters they could
relate to. As protest movements fighting social inequality popped up around the world, many realist
dramas portrayed and challenged these same inequalities. Today, realist plays are still one of the
most common dramatic genres.

It is also important to recognise the difference between realism and another similar dramatic
genre, naturalism. While both genres create a believable world for their audience, naturalism
centres more around dissecting societal conditions and why things are the way they are. Naturalist
plays look for the reasons behind things, often taking a scientific approach.

Naturalism is a dramatic genre that focuses on portraying a realistic and plausible world. The
characters and plot lines are grounded and relatable. The genre developed in the late nineteenth
century and can be seen as an offshoot of realism.

Realism in theatre: examples

As a popular and influential theatrical genre, there is a multitude of examples of realist plays.
Examples of realistic dramas or theatrical realism include:

 A Doll's House by Henry Ibsen (1879)

 The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov (1903)
 A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (1947)
 Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (1949)
Each one makes a concerted effort to be both relatable to and representative of their contemporary
audience.

Theatrical realism: A Doll's House (1879)

A Doll's House by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) is today considered a

foundational play in the genre of theatrical realism. Ibsen's play follows Nora Helmer, a married
woman and mother living in late nineteenth-century Norway. She has been keeping a secret from
her husband, Torvald, about how she attained money to help him cure an illness he had. Nora has
told Torvald that she got the money from her father, but, in reality, she forged her father's signature
in order to borrow the money. At this time, women were not legally permitted to have any control of
finances.
Torvald works at a bank and has just been promoted to manager. His first act is to let go of an
employee who was once caught forging a signature. Torvald highly disapproves of this practice.
However, this is the man that Nora borrowed money from, and he threatens to expose Nora's
forgery to her husband if she does not get him his job back. Eventually, Torvald finds out what Nora
has done and is furious, despite her good motives. Nora comes to the conclusion that Torvald is not
good for her, and she leaves him.

Much of the realism in A Doll's House comes from its thematic focus. Torvald continually talks
down to Nora, seeing her as a doll and very much not his equal. Nora is trapped, stuck in the
domestic sphere as a wife and a mother. This was representative of the reality for many women at
the time. Ibsen also uses normal and recognisable dialogue in his play, as quoted below. This quote
also exemplifies how Torvald infantilises Nora with pet names. He does not view her as an
autonomous adult.

Theatrical realism: The Seagull (1896)

Anton Chekhov's (1860-1904) The Seagull is a key text in the tradition of Russian theatrical
realism. It centres around several complicated familial relationships and unrequited loves that all
eventually come to a tragic end. Konstantin Treplev is a struggling playwright who is desperate to
impress his mother, Irina Arkadina, a famous theatre actress, and her lover Boris Trigorin, a writer.
Treplev has written a play that he hopes will do this, but his mother only mocks his efforts. Treplev
is also deeply in love with Nina Zarechnaya, an aspiring actress. However, Nina does not return his
affection.

Instead, Nina falls for Trigorin, who she finds intriguing and charming. The two begin an affair
which Irina begs Trigorin to stop. At times, he is engaged in relationships with both women at once.
Treplev remains alone. Chekhov's story moves on by two years in its final act. During this time,
Trigorin lived with Nina before leaving her and returning to Irina. Nina also gave birth to Trigorin's
child, who died soon after. She never found success as an actress. Similarly, Treplev has not been a
literary success. He has also remained devastated over his unrequited love for Nina. The
Seagull ends with Treplev's offstage suicide.

As a realist play, the plot of The Seagull depicts plausible events that many people struggle with,
like family problems and unrequited love. Much of The Seagull's realism comes from what is left
unsaid and unseen. Several characters in the play have issues with communication, and many of the
most dramatic events in the play take place offstage, for example, Treplev's suicide. Chekhov is
interested in investigating how these things can impact the human condition.

Theatrical Realism - Key takeaways

 Theatrical realism is a dramatic genre that began in the nineteenth century.

 It can be defined as realistic stories with believable characters experiencing everyday things.
 Costumes and sets that accurately depict a particular kind of world are commonly used
techniques in theatrical realism.
 A Doll's House (1879) by Henrik Ibsen and The Seagull (1896) by Anton Chekhov are two
examples of theatrical realism.
 The genre has proven extremely influential and is still commonly seen in theatres today.