Liz+Scott

Modernism in European Theater – Script Narrator: When we think of plays, our minds go to famous ones like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Aida, Peter Pan, Oedipus Rex. But, do we realize what era some of our favorite plays come from? One of these is from a time period known as the European Modernism era. Peter Pan, the loveable tale of the boy who could never grow up, was written by the playwright James Matthew Barrie during the European Modernism age. Theater changes through time, through the works of people. Some authors of this time were Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, and Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. Known as father of modernism, the Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen, was born March 20, 1828, in Skien Norway. He attended the University of Christiania in the early 1850s. During his life, he was a poet, playwright, and essayists. In 1864, he used a government grant to travel to Rome, Italy, on a self-imposed exile for 27 years after nearly having a nervous breakdown from overwork. On May 23, 1906, He died in Oslo, Norway, from complications from a series of Strokes.

Some of his works are Catiline (Catilina) in 1850, Peer Gynt in 1867, A Doll's House (Et Dukkehjem) in 1879, The Master Builder (Bygmester Solness) in 1892, When We Dead Awake (Naar vi dode vaagner) in 1899.

Strindberg, a Swedish playwright, was born January 22, 1849, in Riddarholm, Stockholm, Sweden. In 1872-74, he was a journalist. He was an assistant librarian at the Royal Library in 1874. He founded Scandinavian Experimental Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1888, and the Intimate Theatre in 1907. In May 14, 1912, He died from stomach cancer. He is also known as one of the fathers of modern theatre. Some of his plays are Den Fredloese in 1871 (The Outlaw in 1881), I Rom (In Rome) in 1870, Miss Julie in 1881, Ett droemspel (The Dream Play). Chekhov, a Russian playwright, was born January 16, 1860, in Taganrog, Russia. He attended the University of Moscow a M.D. in 1884. He was a dramatist, short story writer, and novelist. He received Pushkin Prize for In the Twilight (V sumerkakh, a collection of stories) in 1888, and Griboedov Prize for The Three Sisters: A Drama in Four Acts (Tri syostry: Drama v chetyryokh deystviyakh). On July 2, 1904, He died of tuberculosis in Badenweiler, Germany. Another two of his plays were The Cherry Orchard and Uncle Vanya.

But, before we get too much more into the specific plays, let’s first learn more about the time period. European Modernism was set in the 1850s to the 1920s. During this time, a lot of social ideas and values were arising in European culture. Among them were socialism, expressionism, and naturalism. These all tied in to a lot of the playwrights’ moral messages that were instilled in their plays. Socialism is a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. T his movement is most evident in the writing of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. This movement was associated with the newly formed Bolshevik Government of Russia. In 1917, the Russian people revolted and got rid of the tzar and his family. The poverty and immense wealth of the royalty caused the common people to revolt against the Romanov regime. During this time the Bolshevik regime nationalized the debt of the nation and distributed the wealth equally between the people. Anton Chekhov's Cherry Orchard written before the revolt reflects the declining of the aristocracy and the sentimentalism of the past. In German theater expressionism became really popular as an art form. The first expressionist play is considered to be //Murderer, The Hope of Women.// An unnamed man and woman fight for dominance but at a deadly cost. The man slaughters everyone around him comparing them to mosquitoes. The heightened emotion and simplification to mythic characters becomes the standard for later expressionist plays. Spiritual awakenings of the main protagonist is a common theme in this type of theater and was made popular by August Strindberg's //To Damascus.// Naturalism is the movement towards the natural world away from the mythic world. The movement away from the bourgeois to common protagonists—that is, rich main characters to working class ones—parallels the movement of the social order from aristocracy to the common person. What is striking about this movement is the lack of the supernatural element in the plays. Unlike expressionism this movement does not sentimentalize but is commonly criticized for being to blunt. The common element in this type of theater is contemporary characters in real situations. Remember how I mentioned Peter Pan before? Well, the character of Peter actually originated in a section of a book by James Matthew Barrie, the same novelist and playwright who eventually adapted his story into a play. It is a famous story even in our time, being made into various movies like Hook, and even the popular Disney animated movie. To think, all of these modern adaptations originated from this European idea. Another playwright who made a name for himself during this era, August Strindberg, wrote a play called Miss Julie. He was very much into a naturalistic style of writing, and his style is direct and easy to understand. The play is about the love between a count’s daughter and his servant, and how the two of them aspire for independence. Scene:

MISS JULIE [enters; is disagreeably surprised; with forced jocularity). Charming partner you are, running away from your lady like that. JEAN. On the contrary, Miss Julie, as you see, I've hurried to find the one I just left.  MISS JULIE [changing her tone]. You know, you're an incomparable dancer.--But why are you wearing livery? It's a holiday! Take it off at once!  JEAN. Then I must ask you to withdraw for a moment, Miss Julie, my black coat is right here. . . [Gestures as he moves to the right]  MISS JULIE. Do I embarrass you? It's just a coat. Go into your room, then, and be quick about it. Or you can stay and I'll turn my back.  JEAN. With your permission, then. [Goes to the right; his arm is visible as he changes his coat  MISS JULIE [to KRISTIN]. Well, Kristin; he's very familiar, are you and Jean engaged?  KRISTIN. Engaged? If you like. We call it that.  MISS JULIE. Call?  KRISTIN. Well, your Ladyship, you've been engaged yourself, and. . . MISS JULIE. We were properly engaged. . . KRISTIN. But it still didn't come to anything. . . JEAN enters in black tail coat and a black derby hat. MISS JULIE. Très gentil, monsieur Jean! Très gentil! JEAN. Vous voulez plaisanter, madame! MISS JULIE. Et vous voulez parler français!* Where did you learn that? JEAN. In Switzerland while I was a sommelier!* at one of the biggest hotels in Lucerne.* MISS JULIE. You look quite the gentleman in that frock-coat. Charmant!* [She sits at the table JEAN. Oh, you're flattering me. MISS JULIE [offended]. Flattering you? JEAN. My natural modesty forbids me to believe that you would pay som myself to suppose that you were exaggerating, or as it is called, 'flattering'. As evidenced by this scene from Miss Julie, women were being portrayed as a more assertive role during this time in Europe. They were not just sitting idly in a corner somewhere, sewing or cooking dinner; they were count’s daughters, swept up in adventure and falling in love. This was a sign of the progress that the world was making during this time. The plays of this era reflected the changes going on throughout the world at this time. The playwrights simply adapted the hard facts into beautifully-written prose.