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STUDY OUTLINE SERIES 
 
 CONTEMPORARY 
 DRAMA 
 
 Many clubs are convinced of the advantage 
 of studying one subject thruout the season, and 
 for this work a carefully prepared program is 
 needed. Local or state committees and state 
 library commissions have spent time in preparing 
 outlines which would be suitable for use else- 
 where if they could be made available by print- 
 ing. It is proposed in this series to centralize 
 such work and to conserve the effort spent in 
 making a good outline by putting it in shape for 
 distribution. Clubs themselves by an actual test- 
 ing of the outlines thus offered will be able to 
 offer suggestions and criticism which will lead to 
 a revision of form. 
 
The Study Outline and Its Use 
 
 The series will include outlines on art, litera- 
 ture, travel, biography, history and present day 
 questions. 
 
 The outlines vary in length. If more topics 
 are given than the number of club meetings for 
 the season, those topics that are more difficult 
 to handle, or on which there is less available 
 material, may be dropped. If there are fewer 
 topics than the scheduled meetings, certain topics 
 may be divided. 
 
 Lists of books are appended to some of the 
 outlines. It would be well for the club to own 
 some of the recommended books. Others can 
 be obtained either from the local public library 
 or from the state traveling library. When very 
 full lists are given it is not necessary for any 
 club to use all the books, but the longer list leaves 
 more room for choice. 
 
 The best material on some subjects may be 
 found, not in books, but in magazines. These 
 may be looked up under the subject in the 
 Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. Maga- 
 zine articles and illustrated material may be ob- 
 tained from the Wilson Package Library. For 
 terms see fourth page of cover. 
 
 A list of the study outlines now in print will be 
 found on page three of this cover. For later 
 additions to the list write to publisher. 
 
STUDY OUTLINE 
 
 ON 
 
 CONTEMPORARY DRAMA 
 
 PREPARED BY 
 ARTHUR BEATTY, PH.D. 
 
 Professor of English, University of Wisconsin 
 
 for the 
 Wisconsin Library Commission 
 
 THE H. W. WILSON COMPANY 
 
 WHITE PLAINS, N. Y., AND NEW YORK CITY 
 
 1916 
 
STUDY OUTLINE 
 
 ON 
 
 CONTEMPORARY DRAMA 
 
 Plays are chosen not from the standpoint of popu- 
 larity, but from that of their importance in the develop- 
 ment of contemporary drama. A star designates the 
 plays of each dramatist that have been selected for 
 intensive study. The remainder are recommended for 
 supplemental reading, to gain an adequate idea of the 
 author's genius and characteristics. 
 
 HENRIK IBSEN, BIOGRAPHY AND DRAMATIC 
 METHOD (NORWAY, 1828-1906) 
 
 A. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 1. THE SOCIAL PLAYS 
 
 *A doll's house (1879) 
 *Ghosts (1881) 
 
 The wild duck (1884) 
 
 Rosmersholm (1886) 
 
 Lady from the sea 
 
 2. SYMBOLICAL OR ALLEGORICAL PLAYS 
 
 *Hedda Gabler (1890) 
 The master builder (1892) 
 John Gabriel Borkman (1896) 
 
ON 
 
 B. BIOGRAPHY AND DRAMATIC METHOD 
 
 1. BIOGRAPHY 
 
 Show from a study of Ibsen's biography how 
 he had his interest aroused in : 
 
 1. Social questions 
 
 2. The stage and theater 
 
 3. Literature in general 
 
 2. DRAMATIC METHOD 
 
 Study Ibsen's fight against "the well-made 
 play. Present the method of "the well-made play" 
 and the meaning of the modern struggle in opposi- 
 tion to it. In this connection study A doll's house, 
 and note the following features as characteristic of 
 the new drama : 
 
 1. Natural conversation (no soliloquy) 
 
 2. Ordinary people in ordinary home surround- 
 
 ings 
 
 3. Avoidance of the happy ending 
 
 Hedda Gabler also shows Ibsen's method very 
 completely 
 
 II 
 LEADING QUESTIONS DISCUSSED BY IBSEN 
 
 A doll's house deals with woman's right to individual 
 self-development. Show how this scheme is developed. 
 The play is also a correction of hypocritical sentimental- 
 ity, which stands in the way of what Ibsen regards as 
 real progress. 
 
 Ghosts is a study of heredity, to draw the attention 
 of men and women to their responsibility for disease in 
 their children. The last speech of the play "The sun 
 the sun," is an example of Ibsen's use of symbolical lan- 
 guage. The speech typifies the hope of the future. 
 
 The wild duck is a satire on sentimentality, through 
 a study of contrasted types of character, as illustrated by 
 Hjalmar Ekdal, Gregers Werle, Gina, Hedvig. 
 
CONTEMPORARY DRAMA 3 
 
 Rosmersholm. The play arose out of a desire to in- 
 culcate the necessity of "a noble element" into life. "I" 
 am thinking, not of birth, nor of money, nor even of 
 intellect, but of the nobility which grows out of character. 
 It is character alone which can make us free," may be 
 taken as the subject matter, or main idea, of the play. 
 Show how this theme is worked out in the drama. 
 
 The lady from the sea is a plea for individuality. This 
 is the meaning of all Ellida's struggles. This is a sym- 
 bolical play, that it, the Sea and the Stranger are symbols 
 of the great natural powers about us, which mold us. 
 The idea of the play and the symbol unite in Acts III and 
 V, with the two appearances of the Stranger. 
 
 Hedda Gabler is one of the most remarkable of Ibsen's 
 plays. Hedda's tragic fate comes from two sources: 
 (i) her own defects of character, and (2) from the fact 
 that she found Tesman a very small man. Lovborg was 
 a much greater man, but she was unworthy of him, and 
 so was divided from him. 
 
 The master builder. A symbolical drama. Two 
 questions are discussed: (i) the new generation against 
 the old; (2) the progress of Solness from the building 
 of churches to the building of homes where men and 
 women may be happy. 
 
 John Gabriel Borkman. A study of a man who is 
 endowed with fine imagination, but becomes a criminal 
 because he bartered love for wealth. Contrasted charac- 
 ters: (i) father and son; (2) the two sisters. 
 
 Ill 
 
 MAURICE MAETERLINCK. BIOGRAPHY AND 
 EARLY PLAYS (BELGIUM, 1862-) 
 
 MOST IMPORTANT EARLY PLAYS 
 
 The Intruder (1893) 
 *Pelleas and Melisande (1893) 
 
 The Intruder. This is a fine example of the earlier 
 symbolical plays. Note the symbolism in 
 
 a the slowly expiring lamp 
 
 . b the sharpening of the scythe by the unseen mower 
 c the barking of the dog 
 
4 STUDY OUTLINE ON 
 
 d the wind and the cold 
 
 e the opening of the door 
 
 / the window which cannot be closed 
 
 g the striking of the clock 
 
 h the Intruder, who is Death 
 
 Observe the brevity of the dialogue. Much of the action 
 takes place off the stage. Connect this fact with Maeter- 
 linck's doctrine of silence as developed in his early essays. 
 Pellcas and Mclisande. Observe the following im- 
 portant features: (a) Arkel, the grandfather, is the 
 chorus of the play; (&) the situation is the triangle of 
 love. Each one has perfect love ; but, as the play teaches, 
 no such thing can be until the world has developed to a 
 state much nearer perfection. 
 
 IV 
 
 MAURICE MAETERLINCK. LATER PLAYS 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 *Monna Vanna (1902) 
 
 The blue bird (published in England, 1909; in France, 
 1910) 
 
 Monna Vanna. Is the philosophy of Marco Colonna 
 cynicism or fatalism ? Edward Schure regrets that the 
 escape of the hero and heroine should have been "through 
 a lie." Is this a sound criticism? 
 
 The blue bird is symbolical : The blue bird is happi- 
 ness, which all are seeking. His method is to make us 
 see his symbol through the eyes of children, animals, 
 material things, such as bread and sugar, and general 
 ideas. Work out the method of the play in detail, indi- 
 cating what each represents. 
 
 V 
 
 GERHART HAUPTMANN (GERMANY, 1862-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 Before dawn (1889) 
 *The weavers (1892) 
 The sunken bell (1896) 
 
CONTEMPORARY DRAMA 5 
 
 Before damn. A study in heredity. Compare this 
 play with Ibsen's Ghosts. Study the character of Helen. 
 Study Hauptmann as a dramatist of social questions. 
 
 The zveavers. The great interest of this play is that 
 it has scarcely any plot. Unity is preserved by the con- 
 tinuous presence of Famine and Injustice. Note that 
 two sets of characters appear, representing (a) the old 
 order, and (b) the new order or revolution. 
 
 The sunken bell. This play is a reaction from the 
 severe social themes of the other dramas. It is a pre- 
 sentation of the soul of the idealistic artist. It is cast in 
 the form of a fairy play, as the sub-title indicates. 
 Observe the motto which the author has chosen for this 
 play: "Open the windows Light and God stream in." 
 
 VI 
 HERMANN SUDERMANN (GERMANY, 1857-) 
 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 * Magda 
 The joy of living 
 
 Magda. A fascinating study in character. Magda 
 claims the moral right to develop her individuality. Is 
 she selfish, or is she not? 
 
 The joy of .living. A tremendous study of members 
 of the political class who think they can transgress the 
 moral law with impunity. Beata is the great character; 
 and her relations with Richard are the center of the play, 
 
 VII 
 JOSfi ECHEGARAY (SPAIN, 1833-) 
 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAY 
 The great Galeoto (1881) 
 
 A powerful study of the force of slander, or gossip, 
 which causes the tragedy. The distinctive mark of this 
 drama is that slander rises to the force and reality of a 
 living character. 
 
6 STUDY OUTLINE ON 
 
 VIII 
 
 EDMOND ROSTAND (FRANCE, 1868-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 The Princess Far- Away (1895) 
 Cyrano de Bergerac (1897) 
 *Chantecler (1910) 
 
 The Princess Far- Away. This is romantic in tone, 
 and tells the old story of the love of Rudel the poet for 
 the Lady of Tripoli. 
 
 Cyrano de Bergerac. A fantastic romance in verse. 
 The hero's ideas and physical make-up are fantastic. His 
 last words are "My plume !" and his face is disfigured by 
 an abnormally long nose. Note how completely this 
 fantastic humor is carried out in the whole play. 
 
 Chantecler. A fantastic animal play, with Chantecler 
 for center. Study the part of each animal in the play 
 and the human type represented by each one. Study the 
 part of Chantecler, and note how his dignity and his 
 belief in himself are preserved. 
 
 IX 
 
 ANTON TCHEKOFF (RUSSIA, 1860-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAY 
 
 The sea gull (1896) 
 
 This play contains TchekofFs ideas on (i) literature 
 in general, and (2) on the Russian stage of his own day. 
 What are the main ideas of Tchekoff on society as given 
 in this play? Compare Nina with Ibsen's Nora and 
 Hedda Gabler, and with Sudermann's Magda. 
 
 X 
 
 EUGENE BRIEUX (FRANCE, 1858-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 The three daughters of M. Dupont 
 Damaged goods 
 ^Maternity (1904) 
 
CONTEMPORARY DRAMA 7 
 
 Each of Brieux's plays is built up around a central 
 idea. This is particularly true of Damaged goods, on the 
 theme of hereditary disease and its social consequences ; 
 and of Maternity, on the theme of the decline of the 
 birth-rate. 
 
 Maternity is a good example of Brieux's depressing 
 social studies. Julien Brignac, an official, is interested 
 in the birth-rate ; his sister-in-law is betrayed by Bernin ; 
 hence the tragedy. 
 
 XI 
 
 T. W. ROBERTSON AND THE NINETEENTH 
 CENTURY DRAMA (ENGLAND, 1829-1871) 
 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 Society (1865) 
 *Caste (1867) 
 
 Caste. This is a thoroughly representative piece of 
 Robertson's work. It is highly sentimental, and deals 
 with the romantic love of George D'Alroy and Esther 
 Eccles, the daughter of drunken old Eccles, and the 
 breaking down of caste before love. Caste is almost 
 everything in plot, spirit, and incident that The doll's 
 house and Ghosts are not. Contrast these two types of 
 plays ; and consider why the representation of Ghosts in 
 London in 1891 created such a sensation. 
 
 XII 
 
 HENRY ARTHUR JONES (ENGLAND, 1851-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 Saints and sinners (1884) 
 
 The triumph of the Philistine (1895) 
 
 Michael and his lost angel (1905) 
 
 Saints and sinners. Read the author's preface a 
 defence of his art against certain attacks. The play is a 
 frank discussion of questions of religion. 
 
 The triumph of the Philistines. Read the preface. 
 A study of the power of the social order in any com- 
 
8 STUDY OUTLINE ON 
 
 munity, against which even the landowner Sir Valentine 
 Fellowes is powerless. Compare the use of public opin- 
 ion in this play with the use made of it by Echegaray in 
 The great Galeoto. 
 
 Michael and his lost angel. Read Joseph Knight's 
 preface to the play for the author's purpose. The theme 
 is "Be not righteous over much." This play is perhaps 
 the finest of Jones's work. What are the elements of 
 greatness the story or the characters ? 
 
 XIII 
 
 ARTHUR WING PINERO (ENGLAND, 1855-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 Sweet lavender (1888) 
 *The second Mrs. Tanqueray (1893) 
 Iris (1900) 
 Letty (1904) 
 
 Sweet Lavender. This play shows the tendencies of 
 the English theater before the influence of Ibsen and 
 during the sway of Robertson. Compare this play with 
 Robertson's Caste in (a) characters, (fc) incidents, (c) 
 sentimental situations. 
 
 The second { Mrs. Tanqueray. Study what Archer 
 says regarding the fine opening of this play (Play-Making 
 p. 128-9). Study the character of Paula Tanqueray. 
 This plav is regarded as the first written under definite 
 Ibsen influence. What are the peculiarly Ibsen charac- 
 teristics in it? 
 
 XIV 
 
 STEPHEN PHILLIPS (ENGLAND, 1864-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 *Paolo and Francesca (1899) 
 Herod (1900) 
 
 Paolo and Francesca. A fine example of a poetic 
 play. The situation is well worked out. Study the main 
 characters, and observe how each furthers the plot. 
 
CONTEMPORARY DRAMA 9 
 
 Herod. A fine study in the conflict between Herod's 
 love for his queen and his overmastering self-love and 
 ambition. Show how this is carried out. 
 
 XV 
 
 GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (IRELAND, 1856-) 
 
 Widower's houses 
 
 You never can tell (1906) 
 
 * Candida (1906) 
 *Arms and the man 
 
 Fanny's first play 
 
 Widower's houses. This is an example of Shaw's 
 "unpleasant" plays. The theme is the complexity of 
 modern society. 
 
 You never can tell. A merry comedy, with a funny, 
 wise waiter. 
 
 Candida. Shaw's first play. Candida is his greatest 
 creation in characters. Note the problem at the end. 
 Huneker (Iconoclasts, p. 254-5) gives the meaning of 
 the end of this play as Shaw himself explained it. 
 
 Arms and the man. An attack on the sentimental 
 idea of the bravery of soldiers. Contrast the characters 
 of Sergius and Bluntschli. Study Raina and compare 
 with other women characters of Shaw. 
 
 Fanny's first play. Humorous play but attacks rather 
 savagelv the dramatic critics who judge by standards 
 other than those of the play's real merit. 
 
 XVI 
 
 JOHN GALSWORTHY (ENGLAND, 1867-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 The silver box (1906) 
 *Sfrife (1909) 
 
 * Justice (1910) 
 The pigeon (1912) 
 
 The silver box. A specimen of Galsworthy's general 
 indictment of society. Here he deals with the inequali- 
 ties of the law. 
 
10 STUDY OUTLINE ON 
 
 Strife. The struggle between capital and labor, as 
 represented by John Anthony and David Roberts. Study 
 these two characters. 
 
 Justice. An indictment of the prison system. Does 
 Galsworthy show how we may provide a remedy ? 
 
 The pigeon. This play is an indictment of society in 
 general, and the hopelessness of it all. Study the various 
 types of character. 
 
 XVII 
 
 WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS (IRELAND, 1865-) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 The Countess Cathleen (1899) 
 The Land of Heart's Desire (1894) 
 The shadowy waters (1904) 
 *Cathleen ni Hoolihan (1902) 
 The pot of broth (1902) 
 
 The Countess Cathleen. The play is in poetry. The 
 theme is the sale by Countess Cathleen of her soul to the 
 demons and some others. 
 
 The Land of Heart's Desire. A Beautiful fairy play 
 on the theme of revolt from dull reality. 
 
 Cathleen ni Hoolihan. Cathleen is the symbol of 
 Ireland in the possession of the English. . Show how this 
 theme is developed. 
 
 The pot of broth. A tiny drama of peasant wit and 
 humor. 
 
 XVIII 
 
 LADY AUGUSTA GREGORY (IRELAND, 1852) 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 Spreading the news (1904) 
 "The traveling man, a miracle play (1907) 
 *The workhouse ward (1908) 
 *The bogie men (1912) 
 
 Spreading the news. A study of rumor or scandal. 
 This, like the other plays of Lady Gregory, is excellent 
 for reading in a club. 
 
CONTEMPORARY .DRAMA Tl 
 
 The traveling man. A beautiful allegory of the Kingly 
 Guest who was known by the little child. 
 
 The workhouse ward. A boisterously humorous play. 
 
 The bogie men. Contains a ludicrous situation ad- 
 mirably worked out, with good study of character. 
 
 XIX 
 
 JOHN MILLINGTON SYNGE (IRELAND, 
 1871-1908) 
 
 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 In the shadow of the glen (1903) 
 
 Riders to the sea (1904) 
 
 The playboy of the western world (1907) 
 
 In the shadoiv of the glen. A play full of grim, 
 grotesque humor. The heroine, Nora, has been called 
 "a peasant Hedda Gabler." How does Synge resemble 
 Ibsen? 
 
 Riders to the sea. A moving, powerful, brief drama. 
 Study the character of Maurya. 
 
 The playboy of the western zvorld. This is consid- 
 ered to be the greatest of Synge's plays. Why? Note 
 (i) humor, (2) the grotesque, (3) pathos, (4) charac- 
 ter-drawing. Study the two chief characters, Christy 
 Mahon and Pegeen Mike. 
 
 XX 
 
 CLYDE FITCH (AMERICA, 1865-1909) 
 IVTosT IMPORTANT PLAYS 
 
 *The climbers (1901) 
 The girl with the green eyes (1902) 
 The truth (1907) 
 
 The climbers. A satire on the speculative set of New 
 York. Study the various sorts of ''climbers." 
 
 The girl with the green eyes. This play is a study 
 of the jealous temperament. Jenny is a fine character 
 and deserves study. Note the various social types in the 
 play. 
 
 The truth. A study of the habit of lying and its 
 consequences. Study the general characteristics of 
 Fitch's art. 
 
List of Study Outlines 
 
 Contemporary Drama. Prepared by Prof. Arthur Beatty 
 for the Wisconsin Library Commission. Ibsen Maeter- 
 linck, Hauptmann, SudermannEchegaray, Rostand, Tel e- 
 koff, Brieux, Robertson, Jones, Pmero, Phillips Shaw, Gals- 
 worthy, Yeats, Gregory, Synge, Fitch. List of plays, most 
 important ones starred. Interpretative notes and suggestive 
 ideas for discussion and study. I2p 250. 
 
 Contemporary English Literature. Prepared by Prof. 
 Arthur Beatty for the Wisconsin Library Commission. 
 Swinburne, Meredith, Hardy, Kipling Bridges Gissmg, 
 Conrad, De Morgan, Wells, Bennett, Galsworthy Yeat>, 
 AC. Benson, Chesterton, Noyes W. W. Gibson, Masefield. 
 List of most important works, Critical references. Certain 
 books studied with interpretative notes. 2ip 25c. 
 
 Dietetics. Programs for 10 club meetings The study is 
 based on four selected books and the Farmers Bulletins. lop. 
 Under one cover with "Home Economics. 
 
 England and Scotland: History and Travel. Prepared by 
 C E Fanning. Intended for travel study club which has a 
 historical foundation for its work. Bibliography. List of 
 additional topics. lop 25c. 
 
 Home Economics. Prepared by the Home Economics Di- 
 vision Agricultural Extension Department, Purdue Univer- 
 sity. 'Programs for 10 club meetings. The study is based 
 on three selected books and the Farmers' Bulletins, up. Un- 
 der one cover with "Dietetics." 25c. 
 
 Italian Art: A General Survey. Prepared for the Minne- 
 sota Library Commission. Chronological order of subjec 
 6p isc. 
 
 Mexico. Prepared by Study Club Department, Wisconsin 
 Library Commission. 2p. To be used in the same year with 
 South America Past and Present or Panama. Under one 
 cover with Panama. i$c. 
 
 Municipal Civics. Prepared by Anna L. Guthrie. A topical 
 outline with references by page to books and periodicals. 
 Bibliography. 32? 25c. 
 
 Panama. Prepared by L. E. Stearns for the Wisconsin 
 Library Commission. 4P- Under cover with Mexico. 
 
 Present Day Industries in the United States. Prepared by 
 the Study Club Department, Wisconsin Library Commission. 
 Topical outline without references. 6p isc. 
 
 Slav Peoples. Prepared by Gregory Yarros. The history, 
 present distribution and culture of the Slavs. A topical out- 
 line with references under each topic. Bibliography. 24?. 2Sc. 
 South America. Prepared by Corinne Bacon. Topical 
 outline with chapter and page references as a help in t 
 preparation of papers. Full bibliography. 32? 2$c. 
 
 United States since the Civil War. Prepared by C. E. 
 Fanning. Intended for clubs studying advanced American his- 
 tory and modern problems. Bibliography. lop 2$c. 
 
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