Review of An Anatomy of Drama by Martin Esslin (1977)

Patrick Charsky

10/16/2019

An Anatomy of Drama by Martin Esslin is an excellent book about theories of Drama. The book is about one hundred eighteen pages long and is divided into eleven chapters. The chapters are rather short and are replete with examples from important plays of the Classical and Modern eras. Esslin is a writer and critic who has worked in radio, theater and has written books about Bertoldt Brecht, the theater of the absurd, as well as other topics.

The book delves into numerous topics ranging from definitions of theater to the effect of theater on society. His scope is wide and deep. He talks in theoretical concepts and makes them understandable by illustrating his theories with examples from plays. He also shows an exhaustive knowledge of plays and playwrights. Particularly Brecht, Beckett, Shaw, Ionesscu, and others. The main idea of the book is how Drama in contemporary times is found in so many different forms like radio, TV, Cinema, and theater as well as religious experience and political ritual. Drama has become so important to the way humanity communicates that to understand it is to understand humanity in an important way.

Esslin writes about drama in an understandable way. Many of his ideas show that drama is a mass communication device that has taken the form of advertising and many other forms. He talks about Brecht and his Marxist theories of theater. He also talks about Beckett and how these two dramatists were at odds over how to present theater. Brecht wanted to show humanity as it was. Beckett was an absurdist who wanted to fantasy as well as realism to show his ideas. They were at odds. Esslin illustrates this division well.

In line with doctrinal disputes between playwrights Esslin also talks about the greatest plays that were written in the twentieth century. He analyzes and summarizes great plays like Beckett’s Waiting For Godot. His analysis of this play is on target. Esslin also uses many Shakespeare plays to illustrate his ideas about theater. He states that people have seen Shakespeare plays many times over. Like MacBeth and Hamlet. So when audiences go see a new version they look for a famous actor’s new interpretation of the play rather than to hear the story again. This illustrates the power actors have in drama.

The most poignant part of the book is how Drama can affect society. Esslin makes clear how many plays have incited political movements in various times and geographic regions. He writes how theater was behind the thaws in Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia under the Soviet Union. It was theater that incited protesters to take to the streets and demand more rights in those countries. It was theater that brought about the French Revolution according to Esslin. Without theater society would never be able to air it’s grievances against the state.

In another telling examples Esslin talks about George Bernard Shaw and his effect on Britsh society in the early twentieth century. One of his plays brought about a change in how British society accepted the word “bloody.” Before the word “bloody” was taboo. When it was used on the stage the vulgarity of the word was lost and a collective sigh of relief went up from the crowd.

It is examples like these that make the book hard to put down. When Esslin talks about how Drama can have a positive psychological effect on audiences he makes another great point. The book is replete with great examples and language. Esslin picks out many famous phrases and uses them to illustrate his theories and opinions about drama.

The book has few negatives. If anything the concepts might be too theoretical for the novice reader. It certainly could be used in Introduction to Theater courses for its immense intelligence about the effects of drama on audiences and society. The examples are also for an experienced theater major. They are also a good introduction or review of great plays and playwrights like Shakespeare, Beckett, or Brecht. I was only lost one or two times. The rest of the book made immense and profound sense. I feel compelled to read it again.

This book would be great for a Theater major in college or an aspiring playwright who wants to learn more about dramatic theories and twentieth century theater. It is informative and knowledgeable about what theater can do. The power it has over audiences, the media, and the government. I would highly recommend this book.