Social Protest Versus Individualism In Selected Modern American Plays Of Eugene ONeill, Tennessee Williams And Arthur miller

The Individual in the Modern Age feels a deep sense of protest inside ; a protest against many factors in his society, against
Industrialism and Capitalism which destroy his dream of a better life. The American man, being part of humanity , is crushed by the idealization of the" American Dream", the dream of material advancement and success which have destroyed his sense of individualism and self-respect, thus he rejects this bitter reality in an attempt to improve his life. After 1918,American drama witnessed a huge change. There was a steady transformation from a style which imitates the European examples to that which is creative, Dream became very effective in diagnosing and describing the social life of American people, and Man in opposition to his society. The present study discusses the negative aspects of modern American society as revealed by modern American drama. Alienation, depression ,suicide, and the cry for self-respect are negative aspects, in addition to being results of the clash between the Individual and his society.
We would discuss the relationship between the Individual and the society in selected modern American plays written by Eugene O`Neill ,Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller.
O Neill s plays "The Hairy Ape" and" The Iceman Cometh" . The first play shows the problem of belonging; American Man can no more belong to anybody or anything in his society ,thus he is lost. Casteism destroyed human relationship, and this results in a strong rejection to the society. The second play represents Man s search of identity in a society which will never allow him to find it, thus he escapes into the world of illusions. In this play, Man is destroyed by his society, and when he recognizes his problem and tries to express his protest against his reality, he is rejected by everybody even his friends.
William s play A streetcar Named Desire and Camino Real. The first play describes Man as a self-destructive and as being corrupted by the violence in society. It deals with the dehumanization of the Individual by the so-called civilization and modernity. The second play shows Man s loneliness and his desperate attempt to escape this reality . It shows the two extremes of life, life as a battlefield of madly wild revels, the good and the bad, and Man stands in the middle protesting and suffering at the same time.
Miller s plays, the first is "All My Sons" which deals with Capitalism and its influence on the Individual, as well as, the social level. The second play, "The Crucible", presents a strong cry for self-respect, it shows Man search of personal dignity, and Individual in opposition to his society.

Rate the article
Bad	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Very good
Result : 42%							Participated in the vote : 6