The Idea of a Theater: A Study of Ten Plays, The Art of Drama in Changing Perspective 9781400875139

Table of contents :
CONTENTS
PART I
INTRODUCTION. THE IDEA OF A THEATER
CHAPTER I. OEDIPUS REX: THE TRAGIC RHYTHM OF ACTION
THE MYTH AND THE PLAY
HERO AND SCAPEGOAT
RITUAL AND PLAY
SOPHOCLES AND EURIPIDES, THE RATIONALIST
THE IMITATION OF AN ACTION
ANALOGUES OF THE TRAGIC RHYTHM
CHAPTER II. BERENICE: THE ACTION AND THEATER OF REASON
THE TRAGEDY OF REASON
RACINE'S DRAMATURGY: THE RATIONAL IMITATION OF ACTION
THE THEATER OF REASON IN ITS TIME AND PLACE
THE DIMINISHED SCENE OF MODERN RATIONALISM
CHAPTER III. TRISTAN UND ISOLDE: THE ACTION AND THEATER OF PASSION
FROM RACINE TO WAGNER
TRISTAN AS MYTH AND AS RITUAL
THE DRAMATURGY OF TRISTAN
THE THEATER OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE
RACINE AND WAGNER: UNIVOCAL FORM AND ACTION
CHAPTER IV. HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK: THE ANALOGY OF ACTION
HAMLET AS AN ARTISTIC FAILURE
HAMLET AS MULTIPLE PLOT
HAMLET AS RITUAL AND IMPROVISATION
THE GLOBE THEATER AND THE FESTIVAL OF DIONYSOS
RITUAL AND IMPROVISATION: HAMLET'S PLAY AS THE CENTER
AN INTERPRETATION OF THE ROLE OF HAMLET
ANALOGOUS ACTION: AN INTERPRETATION OF THE PLAY
HAMLET AND THE MODERN THEATER
PART II
INTRODUCTION. THE PARTIAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE MODERN THEATER
CHAPTER V. GHOSTS AND THE CHERRY ORCHARD: THE THEATER OF MODERN REALISM
THE PLOT OF GHOSTS
THE TRAGIC RHYTHM IN A SMALL FIGURE
THE TASTELESS PARLOR AND THE STAGE OF EUROPE
THE PLOT OF THE CHERRY ORCHARD
THE SCENE AS A BASIC ELEMENT IN THE COMPOSITION
CHEKHOV'S HISTRIONIC ART: AN END AND A BEGINNING
CHAPTER VI. THE THEATRICALITY OF SHAW AND PIRANDELLO
ON SHAVIAN THEATRICALITY: THE PLATFORM AND THE DRAWING-ROOM
ACTION AS THEATRICAL: SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR
CHAPTER VII. POETRY OF THE THEATER AND THE POET IN THE THEATER
THE PARIS THEATER BETWEEN THE WARS
THE INFERNAL MACHINE: THE MYTH BEHIND THE MODERN CITY
NOAH: THE THEATER-POETIC REALITY OF THE MYTH
MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL: THE THEOLOGICAL SCENE
THE UNREALIZED IDEA OF A THEATER
PART III
APPENDIX. ON CERTAIN TECHNICAL CONCEPTS USED IN THIS STUDY
PLOT AND ACTION
TWO ASPECTS OF THE PLOT: FORM AND PURPOSE
THE NOTION OF ANALOGY
THE HISTRIONIC SENSIBILITY: THE MIMETIC PERCEPTION OF ACTION