| dc.description | During the 1970s and 1980s it became commonplace for critics of contemporary British theatre to sometimes describe new plays as "Jacobean." This dissertation focusses on plays by four contemporary British playwrights--Peter Barnes, Edward Bond, Howard Brenton, and Howard Barker--each of whom has produced adaptations of Renaissance plays. It is the aim of the dissertation to identify and discuss the correspondences between these Renaissance plays and original dramatic works by these four writers. The Introduction offers an account of the use of the term "neo-Jacobean" and contextualizes the discussion in terms of other twentieth-century British playwrights who have worked with Renaissance material. Chapter One discusses the development of theatre design during the twentieth century, and argues that the trend towards open stages without proscenium arches creates a physical relationship between audience and performance which encourages greater critical and emotional involvement on the part of audience members. Chapter Two offers an account of the adaptations of Renaissance plays by the contemporary dramatists, arguing that their adaptations focus on issues of power, sex, and money. Chapter Three discusses the implications of dramatic form for the depiction and analysis of politically-motivated violence in the four playwrights' original plays. Chapter Four discusses the depiction of interpersonal violence, especially rape, and argues that its use by the contemporary dramatists in their analysis of power issues on a larger scale echoes some of the uses of violence on the Renaissance stage. Chapter Five discusses violence in the language of the contemporary plays and considers the representation of artists. The Conclusion offers a summary of the main issues discussed, some thoughts on the reasons for the playwrights' attraction to Renaissance drama, and suggestions for further study. A Bibliography and Endnotes are included. | en_US |
