Defining Moments in Modern Drama
T.S. Eliot’s Revival of Poetic Drama
T.S. Eliot played a significant role in reviving Poetic Drama in the 20th century. At a time when realism and prose dominated theatre, Eliot argued that poetic expression could offer a deeper insight into spiritual and psychological truths. His critical essays, particularly Poetry and Drama, stressed the importance of verse in conveying the inner life of characters and enhancing the theatrical experience.
Eliot’s own plays, such as Murder in the Cathedral (1935) and The Cocktail Party (1949), demonstrate how poetry could be effectively used in modern theatre. In Murder in the Cathedral, Eliot revived the tradition of religious drama while addressing contemporary concerns like **martyrdom**, **free will**, and **political authority**. His poetic style incorporated both classical influence and modernist techniques such as **fragmentation** and **symbolism**.
He believed poetic drama could bridge the gap between ritual and entertainment, making theatre more intellectual and emotionally resonant. Unlike naturalistic plays, Eliot’s works focused on moral and metaphysical questions, using elevated language and choral elements.
Eliot’s contribution was not just artistic but also theoretical. He provided a framework for future playwrights to experiment with verse and symbolic structure. Although poetic drama never became mainstream, Eliot’s efforts inspired others like Christopher Fry and W.H. Auden, who continued to explore the lyrical possibilities of drama.
Abbey Theatre: Ireland’s Cultural Awakening
The Abbey Theatre, established in 1904, was central to Ireland’s cultural and political awakening during the early 20th century. Founded by **W.B. Yeats**, **Lady Gregory**, and others, it emerged from the Irish Literary Revival, aiming to create a national theatre that would reflect Irish life, folklore, and identity.
The Abbey became a platform for dramatists like **J.M. Synge** and **Sean O’Casey**, whose plays depicted rural hardship, national myths, and working-class struggles. Synge’s Riders to the Sea explored fatalism and cultural isolation, while Yeats’s Cathleen ni Houlihan served as an allegory for Irish nationalism.
The theatre also played a political role by giving voice to native Irish concerns during British colonial rule. Its productions stirred nationalist feelings and contributed to a growing sense of cultural pride and resistance.
Beyond politics, the Abbey promoted Irish language, traditions, and rural values, opposing the Anglicized urban elite. It created a distinct Irish dramatic style, rooted in local themes and speech patterns. Despite facing controversies, such as protests against Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World, the Abbey maintained artistic integrity.
In summary, the Abbey Theatre was not just a cultural institution but a catalyst for Ireland’s national awakening, inspiring both political consciousness and the evolution of modern Irish drama.
Shaw’s “New Woman” in Candida
In Candida, George Bernard Shaw presents a powerful portrayal of the “New Woman” through the character of Candida Morell. Unlike the traditional Victorian woman who was expected to be passive and submissive, Candida is **assertive**, **intelligent**, and **emotionally independent**. Shaw uses her to challenge conventional gender roles and redefine the dynamics of marriage and love.
The central conflict revolves around Candida choosing between her husband, Reverend James Morell, and the idealistic young poet Eugene Marchbanks. Both men perceive themselves as her protectors or saviors. However, Candida subverts this notion by revealing that it is she who protects and emotionally supports her husband. She is not a passive object of affection but the true source of strength in the household.
Shaw’s “New Woman” is not driven by romantic fantasy but by practical judgment and inner clarity. Candida’s decision to stay with Morell is based on the understanding that he needs her more—not because he is stronger, but because he is emotionally dependent. In doing so, she asserts her emotional agency and intellectual superiority.
Shaw also critiques traditional marriage by showing that love is not about possession or sacrifice but about balance, understanding, and mutual respect. Through Candida, Shaw advocates for women’s autonomy in choosing their paths and partners.
Thus, Candida represents a progressive vision of womanhood—self-aware, decisive, and resistant to male idealization. Shaw’s portrayal is both a **feminist critique** and a redefinition of female power in domestic life.
Social Critique in Osborne’s Look Back in Anger
John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger is a scathing critique of post-war British society. Through the character of **Jimmy Porter**, Osborne gives voice to the frustrations and disillusionment of the “**Angry Young Generation**” who felt alienated in a stagnant and class-ridden society.
Jimmy, a working-class intellectual, is bitter toward the upper classes, the Church, and even his own wife, Alison, whom he views as emotionally distant and representative of privilege. His anger stems from a sense of powerlessness in a society that promises opportunity but fails to deliver emotional or spiritual fulfillment.
The play also highlights **class conflict**. Despite being educated, Jimmy cannot rise socially, exposing the limitations of meritocracy. His emotional outbursts are symbolic of a deeper societal malaise—a generation caught between a lost imperial past and a meaningless present.
Osborne critiques traditional family structures, gender roles, and the cultural elite. The play’s setting—a cramped flat—symbolizes the emotional suffocation and stagnation experienced by many.
In conclusion, Osborne uses Look Back in Anger to reveal the dissatisfaction of a post-war generation. His realism, emotional rawness, and focus on working-class struggles mark a turning point in British drama, making it socially conscious and politically relevant.
Modern vs. Elizabethan Drama: A Comparison
Modern drama and Elizabethan drama differ significantly in themes, style, and purpose, though they also share connections. Elizabethan drama, flourishing during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, was marked by grandeur, poetic language, and a focus on human fate and moral questions. Playwrights like **William Shakespeare** and **Christopher Marlowe** created complex characters caught in political, psychological, or moral dilemmas, often in royal or noble settings. Verse, especially iambic pentameter, was the dominant form, and themes included ambition, betrayal, love, and power.
In contrast, modern drama (late 19th century onward) focuses on **realism**, **psychological depth**, and **social critique**. It abandons poetic form for prose and portrays ordinary characters in everyday settings. George Bernard Shaw, John Osborne, and Samuel Beckett, among others, used drama to critique social norms, political structures, and existential anxiety. Realism and absurdism are two major movements in modern drama.
While Elizabethan drama embraced universality and spectacle, modern drama emphasizes introspection and authenticity. However, both forms engage deeply with the **human condition**. Some modern playwrights, like T.S. Eliot, have even attempted to revive poetic elements, blending them with contemporary concerns.
Characteristics of the “Angry Young Man”
The “Angry Young Man” was a cultural and dramatic figure that emerged in 1950s post-war Britain. This character represented disillusioned, working- or lower-middle-class men who felt alienated by the establishment, the class system, and the lack of meaningful change in society. Jimmy Porter in John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger is the quintessential example.
Key characteristics include:
- **Emotional volatility**
- **Intellectualism without opportunity**
- **Frustration with traditional institutions** (like marriage, religion, or government)
- A deep sense of **betrayal by post-war political promises**
These men were often educated but unable to translate that into upward mobility. They resented the apathy of the middle class and the power of the elite. Their anger wasn’t just personal—it reflected a generational rebellion against hypocrisy, emotional repression, and class barriers. These characters marked a new, raw **realism** in British drama, rejecting polished, elite-focused theatre for something more grounded and confrontational.
Blending Classical & Contemporary Themes in Drama
Modern playwrights successfully blended classical elements with contemporary themes by adapting traditional forms to modern concerns. For example, **T.S. Eliot** incorporated Greek-style chorus and religious ritual in Murder in the Cathedral, while addressing modern dilemmas like political compromise and martyrdom.
Similarly, **W.B. Yeats** used myth, symbolism, and stylized dialogue drawn from classical drama, but to explore Irish identity and nationalism. **George Bernard Shaw**, influenced by classical rationalism, used Socratic dialogue and moral debates in his plays, but with a focus on modern issues such as gender roles and socialism.
These playwrights used classical structure—such as **unity of action**, **tragic heroism**, and **moral conflict**—while integrating modern topics like **class struggle**, **existential doubt**, and **psychological realism**. By doing so, they revitalized the dramatic form, bridging the past with the present and making ancient techniques relevant to contemporary audiences.