The Genesis of Modern U.S.-American Drama

Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 2,7, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Anglistik / Amerikanistik), course: Hauptseminar Gender, Race and Class in Modern American Drama, language: English, abstract: In terms of this essay I am going to explore the genesis of modern American
Drama.
This topic is quite extensive in scope, and that's why I want to focus my attention on
women authors who wrote about women and about their place in the society of that
time.
In the beginning of my essay I will explore the role of women in the society of the
USA at the beginning of the previous century. I will examine what made women
change.
In the next part of the essay I will examine the contribution of women writers in the
literature of the USA at that period of time and specifically the contribution of Lillian
Hellman on the basis of her play "The Childrens Hour". I am interested in topics and
issues that she takes under consideration in her play, and what actually Lillian
Hellman wanted to achieve by writing and staging it.
In the last part of my essay I will examine the gender and sexuality represented in
"The Children s Hour" by Lillian Hellman and, finally, I will present my thought about
the contribution of women writers and especially the contribution of Lillian Hellman to
the genesis of the modern American Drama.