History of Western Theatre: 17th Century to Now

Comedy and tragedy

‎

Introduction

Goals

The main purpose of the present textbook is to encourage the reading and writing of plays. The plays are presented in a way to emphasize how exciting they are, and why scholarly and public attention have been continuously paid to them. There is also another goal: helping to make better known plays too much ignored, especially in the non-English literature. A particular emphasis is laid on action, what are the characters doing, or not doing.

Plays available on the Internet

Links on the Internet are provided to the complete version of the plays not protected by Copyright, with modern spelling. A more complete list of plays in English on the Internet is given in the "Added material" subsection presented below.

Date of plays

The dating of the plays is referenced according to the year first published or presented on stage, whichever came first, more rarely the year it was written, in cases when neither the one nor the other occurred until much later. Included in Pre-World War (WW) II plays are plays up to 1945, as the main difference in style in 20th century plays occurs before and after that date.

17th century English

From the Elizabethan period, English theatre developed to Jacobean and Caroline styles, offering in general more cynical tragedies and darker comedies. Restoration theatre emphasized the satiric to the detriment of romantic comedy, unlike Shakespeare who featured both aspects.

• Jacobean
• Caroline
• Restoration

17th century French

• Baroque
• Classical

17th century Spanish

• Spanish Renaissance
• Late 17th Spanish

17th century Italian

• Italian Renaissance
• Late Italian 17th

18th century English

• Early English 18th
• Late English 18th

18th century French

• Early French 18th
• Late French 18th

18th century Spanish

• Early Spanish 18th
• Late Spanish 18th

18th century Italian

• Early Italian 18th
• Late Italian 18th

18th century German

• Early German 18th
• Late German 18th

18th century Scandinavian

• Early Scandinavian 18th
• Late Scandinavian 18th

19th century English

• English Romantic
• English Realist

19th century French

• French Romantic
• French Realist
• Boulevard of the 19th

19th century Spanish

• Spanish Romantic
• Spanish Realist

19th century Italian

• Italian Romantic
• Italian Realist

19th century German

• German Romantic
• German Realist

19th century Russian

• Russian Romantic
• Russian Realist

19th century Scandinavian

• Scandinavian Romantic
• Scandinavian Realist

19th century American

• American Romantic
• American Realist

20th century English

• English Pre-WWII or Edwardian
• English Post-WWII

20th century French

• French Pre-WWII
• French Post-WWII
• Boulevard of the 20th

20th century Spanish

• Spanish Pre-WWII
• Spanish Post-WWII

20th century Latin American

• Latin American Pre-WWII
• Latin American Post-WWII

20th century Italian

• Italian Pre-WWII
• Italian Post-WWII

20th century German

• German Pre-WWII
• German Post-WWII

20th century Russian

• Russian Pre-WWII
• Russian Post-WWII

20th century Scandinavian

• Scandinavian Pre-WWII
• Scandinavian Post-WWII

20th century East European

• East European Pre-WWII
• East European Post-WWII

20th century American

• American Pre-WWII
• American Post-WWII

20th century Canadian

• Canadian Pre-WWII
• Canadian Post-WWII

21st century

• English 21st
• French 21st
• Italian 21st
• Spanish 21st
• German 21st
• Russian 21st
• Scandinavian 21st
• East European 21st
• American 21st
• Canadian 21st

Added material

• Bibliography
• Complete list of plays in English on the Internet
• Complete list of one-act plays in English on the Internet
• Alphabetical list of playwrights (died 1855-1955)