The 1930s was a decade of tremendous turmoil, which was reflected in the drama. Playwrights such as Maxwell Anderson and Lillian Hellman wrote plays calling for social or political reform. Yet the most popular form of play was the wise-cracking comedy, of which the playwriting team of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart were past masters. Kaufman and Hart's plays are frequently dismissed as escapist, which they undoubtedly are, but the plays also contain recurring messages that reveal the authors' concerns for America and her people, particularly the middle class and its belief in the "American Dream." These concerns, or social philosophy, are illustrated by a number of themes and devices that recur throughout their plays. / While one obvious reason to examine this philosophy is to understand Kaufman and Hart's plays better, there are other, more compelling reasons as well. First, and most important, by unifying the plays through a social philosophy, we see that they are not just escapist, but also socially critical. Further, nuances that do not necessarily come out in production of the plays become apparent by identifying the social philosophy within the texts, particularly through the authors' use of topicality. / George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart are adept at "reading" the American public from their very first collaboration, which is most apparent in an extensive use of specific environmental detail. Various themes that tie into their beliefs and attitudes regarding the United States are revealed through these specific topical details. Influenced by President Roosevelt, Kaufman and Hart's plays offer reassurance to people that the Depression would end with a stronger, better America. Big business, politicians, and the government are frequent targets for the authors' satiric barbs, but it is the men running the government that Kaufman and Hart are criticizing, not the democratic form of government or America itself. Indeed, there is a very strong patriotic theme running throughout their plays, which is not surprising since their audiences were not only worried about the Depression, but also about impending war. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2389. / Major Professor: Stuart Baker. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76944 |
| Contributors | Frederic-Nuzzo, Cheryl., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 203 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
Page generated in 0.0014 seconds