The Story Of Drama: Tragedy, Comedy And Sacrifice From The Greeks To The Present

This highly readable book traces the history of tragedy and comedy from their earliest beginnings to the present. It argues that sacrifice, which in part expresses the human need to confront and overcome death, is central to both. It describes how the meanings of sacrifice change over time but never quite disappear. The book also explains why comedy but tragedy in particular decay and how some of their functions are taken over by reality TV and the blockbuster movie. The prime focus is on plays and how they reflect and respond to the great changes like the rise of Christianity, the Enlightenment and the coming of mass society. But a close study of these plays also reveals a number of continuities centred around sacrifice which illuminate aspects of human psychology and social organisation.

• | Author: Gary Day
• | Publisher: Methuen Drama
• | Publication Date: Aug 25, 2016
• | Number of Pages: 248 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Hardcover/LITERARY CRITICISM
• | ISBN-10: 140818415X
• | ISBN-13: 9781408184158