Some Platitudes Concerning Drama

The novel explores the lives of a group of people connected to a theatre company, examining themes of love, art, and social class through their experiences with drama. It critiques the conventions of melodrama and the societal pressures that influence artistic expression. The narrative delves into the personal struggles and relationships within the company, highlighting the tension between creative passion and commercial success.

By John Galsworthy · First published 1909 · Genre: Drama, Literary Criticism, Philosophical · 3,604 words

First lines

A drama must be shaped so as to have a spire of meaning. Every grouping of life and character has its inherent moral; and the business of the dramatist is so to pose the group as to bring that moral poignantly to the light of day. Such is the moral that exhales from plays like 'Lear', 'Hamlet', and 'Macbeth'. But such is not the moral to be found in the great bulk of contemporary Drama. The moral of the average play is now, and probably has always been, the triumph at all costs of a supposed immediate ethical good over a supposed immediate ethical evil.

What this Textopian page supports

Some Platitudes Concerning Drama is listed on Textopian as an essay by John Galsworthy, dated 1909 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Essay
• Author: John Galsworthy
• Date: 1909 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Drama, Literary Criticism, Philosophical, Theatrical Theory, Social Commentary
• Length: 3,604 words
• Structure: 1 section, 24 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for Some Platitudes Concerning Drama by John Galsworthy
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

• What should a reader notice first when entering Some Platitudes Concerning Drama?
• How does this essay by John Galsworthy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Drama first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

• Press Cuttings by George Bernard Shaw
• To George Cruikshank Esq by Matthew Arnold
• A Stoic by John Galsworthy
• The Higher Pragmatism by O. Henry
• A Plea For The Simpler Drama by Hilaire Belloc
• Wanted A New Background by Oscar Wilde

Genres

• Drama — The work discusses the principles and techniques of writing drama, emphasizing the importance of character, plot, and moral integrity.
• Literary Criticism — It critiques contemporary drama and offers insights into the nature of dramatic art and the responsibilities of the dramatist.
• Philosophical — The text explores deeper moral and ethical questions related to the purpose and impact of drama on society.
• Theatrical Theory — It presents theories on the structure and function of drama, including the relationship between character and plot.

Tags

Platitudes · Drama · Philosophy · Theatre · Literary Criticism · Realism · Social Commentary · English Literature · 20th Century Literature · Playwrights · Critique of Society · Human Condition

More by John Galsworthy

• The Forsyte Saga, Part 2: Indian Summer Of A Forsyte (1921)
• The Forsyte Saga, Part 4: Awakening (1921)
• The Forsyte Saga, Part 5: To Let (1921)
• The Forsyte Saga, Part 3: In Chancery (1921)
• The Forsyte Saga, Part 1: The Man of Property (1921)
• Buttercup-Night (1903)
• The Dark Flower (1899)
• The Freelands (1924)
• All works by John Galsworthy