Page 58 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

British Drama

Notes Reason : A statement presented in justification or explanation of a belief or action. Or the
mental powers concerned with forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences.

3.6 Review Questions

1. Define comedy of manners.
2. Mention any two qualities of absurd theatre.
3. What is meant by Existentialism?
4. Write short notes on the following terms:
(a) Comedy of manners (b) Absurd theatre (c) Existentialism
5. Write the two characters each of

(a) Nothingness (b) Death (c) Angst
6. Explain the themes in existentialism.
7. What are the theatrical features in Absurd theatre?
8. What are the characteristics of comedy of manners?
9. Illustrate the development of comedy of manners.
10. Elaborate origin of absurd theatre.

Answers: Self Assessment
1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (c)
4. constructed scenarios 5. comedy of manners 6. development
7. Much Ado about Nothing 8. True 9. True
10. True 11. (a) 12. (b)
13. (c) 14. human existence 15. innovators
16. unresolved mysteries 17. evasiveness 18. True
19. False 20. True 21. (a)
22. (b) 23. (c) 24. authentic existence
25. existentialism 26. freedom 27. nothingness
28. True 29. False 30. False

3.7 Further Readings

Crawford, J. 1984. Acting in Person and in Style. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown Publishers.
Martin Esslin. 1965. Introduction to Penguin Plays—Absurd Drama. Penguin.
M. Esslin. 1962. The Theatre of the Absurd.
Bennett, Michael Y. 2011. Reassessing the Theatre of the Absurd: Camus, Beckett, Ionesco,
Genet, and Pinter. Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
Earnshaw, Steven. 2007. Existentialism: A Guide for the Perplexed. Continuum, UK.

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