THTR1170 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, John Philip Kemble, Cotton Gin
Document Summary
Class struggle: series of revolutions throughout europe, partly because of all the world"s changes, primarily dealing with class, moving from agrarian and rural into industrial. Napoleon: ruling france at this time. Comedie francaise: the official theater, all neoclassical works, for the elite, wealthy, academy francais is a board that decides what qualifies as art, still exists today. Boulevard theatres: popular shows, for the masses, silly, mostly melodramas, not sanctioned officially as theatre by the academy. Melodrama: dominant dramatic style of the 19th century, basic characteristics. A virtuous heroin is relentlessly hounded by a villain. Typical plot: disguise, abduction, concealed identity and fortunate coincidence. Industrial revolution: train, steam engine, cotton gin, assembly line. Nationalism and urbanization: people throughout the country communicating and participating, people move away from rural areas and into the cities, massive population explosions happening. Romanticism and melodrama: the audience experience. Growing social acceptance of the theatre, differentiation occurs between prostitutes and actors.
