Interpreting the play
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Man and nature
Man and society
Universal theme of an abstract nature
Family relationship
Special family relationships
Interpreting the play
• When we analyze a play we are not
merely concerned with the functioning of
its various necessary components such as
action, characters, structure, and pattern
of imagery.
• When we interpret a play for the first time,
it helps to keep in mind certain basic
human relationships which playwrights are
apt to explore.
Man and Nature
• Most playwrights explore the relationship
between man and natural world in one
way or another; obviously some plays do
not really touch on this relationship at all.
• Let us remember that some plays will
stress the benevolent or mutually
beneficial relationship between man and
nature.
Man and society
• While it is given assumption that all
playwrights of any significance have
something to say about man, the other half
of thematic equation changes.
• Thus many plays address themselves to
the nature of the relationship between man
and society.
Man and society
• Sometimes this is done in timeless, universal
terms—stating, for example, that man always
has, presently does, and always will hate
society because it restricts his freedom of
personal action. Other times the theme will be
more timely; the playwright will direct our
attention to the relationship between man and
the particular contemporary society in which the
playwright and audience presently live.
Universal themes of an abstract
nature
• The relationships between man and society and
between man and nature can be discussed in
fairly concrete terms; other themes are more
abstract and our interpretations of them are also
therefore more abstract. It is difficult to discuss
death as a theme in anything other than abstract
terms. Death is of course not the only universal
theme of an abstract nature. We can interpret
plays having to do with freedom, morality, love
etc.
Family and relationships
• There are countless plays that are aimed at the
delineation of common human relationships,
particularly those between particular members of
particular families.
• There are certain universal patterns of family
relationships such as the harmfully possessive
mother, the jealous brother etc…and our
interpretation of a play can be made more
accurate often simply by considering whether or
not a particular family relationship is typical or
highly different
Special family relationships
• There are some themes which only
concern themselves with very special
family relationships. Incest, for example, is
an atypical dramatic problem. A play
dealing with incest and delineating a
theme having to do with that incest is
immediately a special kind of play.