The Making of Modern Drama

The Making of Modern Drama explores the evolution of theater from Henrik Ibsen through the twentieth century, examining key playwrights and movements that shaped dramatic literature. Through focused analysis of specific works and artists, Richard Gilman traces the transformation of drama into its contemporary forms. The book organizes its investigation around six major dramatists: Ibsen, Strindberg, Chekhov, Pirandello, Brecht, and Beckett. Each chapter provides historical context and close readings of representative plays, connecting them to broader developments in theatrical practice and dramatic theory. The narrative moves chronologically but maintains thematic threads about the nature of reality, the relationship between art and society, and the limits of theatrical representation. These philosophical and artistic questions emerge naturally from Gilman's examination of how each playwright contributed to drama's development. The work ultimately reveals drama's shift from naturalism to modernism to absurdism as a reflection of broader cultural changes in how humans understand themselves and their place in the world. Through its analysis of key dramatic works, the book documents theater's evolution from a medium of social critique to one that questions the foundations of reality itself.

Readers find Gilman's analysis thought-provoking but dense. Students and academics note his detailed examination of nine dramatists from Büchner to Beckett. Positive comments focus on: - Clear connections drawn between different playwrights' innovations - Deep analysis of how social changes influenced theatrical forms - Strong arguments about drama's evolution from romanticism to modernism Common criticisms include: - Academic writing style that can be difficult to follow - Limited scope that excludes many important dramatists - Dated perspectives (published 1974) on some theatrical movements Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (37 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (6 reviews) One professor wrote: "Gilman ties together complex theatrical developments without oversimplifying." A graduate student noted: "The chapter on Ibsen changed how I view modern theater, but I struggled through the dense prose." The book appears most frequently on graduate-level drama course syllabi and receives few reviews from general readers.

Modern Drama: A Critical Introduction by Christopher Innes This text traces the evolution of dramatic forms from Ibsen through postmodernism with analyses of social and cultural contexts.

The Death of Character by Elinor Fuchs The book examines the transformation of theatrical conventions and dramatic structure through modernism and postmodernism.

Theory of the Modern Drama by Peter Szondi This work provides a theoretical framework for understanding the shift from traditional to modern dramatic forms through examinations of nineteenth and twentieth-century plays.

The Modern Stage and Other Worlds by Austin E. Quigley The text explores the relationship between modern drama and changing concepts of reality through studies of major playwrights and theatrical movements.

A History of Modern Drama by David Krasner This book maps the development of modern dramatic literature through political, social, and philosophical perspectives from the 1880s to the present.

🎭 Richard Gilman taught drama criticism at Yale School of Drama for over 30 years and helped shape a generation of American theater critics 📚 The book challenges conventional wisdom by arguing that modern drama began with Büchner's "Woyzeck" rather than with Ibsen's works 🎬 Despite focusing on dramatic literature, Gilman wrote the book without ever having been a practicing playwright himself, bringing a purely critical and theoretical perspective 🌟 The work received the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism, one of the most prestigious honors in theater writing 🎪 The book traces modern drama's evolution through just eight playwrights, making controversial omissions of figures like Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller in favor of focusing on more experimental writers