KMRealism

There are important differences between __And the Soul Shall Dance__ and the video illustrations linked to the schedule page demonstrating "realism" in the European, English and American theatre. Briefly discuss a few of them that you consider the most important.

Kelly Mullen

THEA 2100H

Richmond

March 23, 2012

Module #4 Realism

Realism is a drama style that depicts real life, but real life for Asian Americans and Europeans and Americans are very different. Therefore, their portrayals of realism differ in a multitude of ways. One way that European, English, and American realist plays differ from Asian American plays, specifically //The Soul Shall Dance//, is that the former usually have servants as characters. For example, the excerpt from Checkov's, //The Cherry Orchard// and Ibsen's, //Hedda Gable,// show the realistic conversation between master/mistress and their servants (1). //The Soul Shall Dance// does not include any scene like this because new immigrant Asian Americans were very poor, especially during the Great Depression which the play is set. This demonstrates the differences in culture and socioeconomic status, which influences the differences in their realistic styles. Also, //The Soul Shall Dance// uses a conventional realistic set like many European and American play, but it also includes abstract objects as well. For example, the chimes and kimonos represent a tie to Japan and are supposed to evoke a sense of a place that the audience cannot see (2). This differs from European and American realistic plays where the set is usually designed to portray one region. Asian Americans who have recently immigrated to the U.S. still harbor feelings of closeness to the land their left behind, which is not applicable to Europeans and the English. Despite their many similarities, differences also emerge between European and American realism plays and Asian American plays.

Word Count: 246

1. Realism 1. Webpage. 2. Arnold. //The Creative Spirit//.