Context and Setting

They are different!

Setting
Physical
Geographical
Temporal
Cultural
Context
Social Especially for social commentaries
o What is happening at the time that might influence the
author/content/theme/character?
Biographical
o How has the authors life and experiences influenced their writing?
o Ibsen rejected the conventional stylistic features of Scandinavian plays
Historical
o Are there are historical events that are important to the place the play was set in
that might also influence the content?
Theatrical
o Audience reception and response how the audience/actresses/media influenced
the play
A Dolls House
Social
o Victorian era was patriarchal, where women, depending on their class, had to
sacrifice less or more. The cultural norms are very conservative.
o Suffrage movement leading up to and on its way only way for the ending to
happen and to be eventually accepted. The seed was already planted for
women/suffrage movement, which is why it worked.
Biographical
o Stylistic choices he distinctly makes that allows the play to stand out
o Ibsen made the choice to tell the world what he though of the society he lived in,
and it was negative. Dolls House is a problem play, highlighting the problems in
society.
o He completely rejects romanticism does not conform
o Naturalism/Realism how the actors presented themselves, the language, the
clothes and the setting
Theatrical Alternate Ending
o Nora stays theres no power or challenge or societal question would harm its
importance over time and we would not be studying it
o Critics Hedwig and Niemann Robbe

Streetcar Named Desire

Social
o Mid 1940s, Despite America being a democracy is prevalent, however, people
were very scared of communism, to the point where people became scared and
fear creates conformity implications for the industry, economy and the rise of
the working class
o Old South vs New Orleans
Alabama, Mississippi The Old South exists through Blanches presence
in the play
Money defines your class in the Old South made you classy, and defined
everything women were expected to be passive and virtuous
Blanche portrays to be one thing on the surface, but is actually someone
else underneath
New Orleans where women want to be passive and are equal to men
they dont care about money and people just have what they can make
The social context leads to Blanche vs Stanley which causes the basis of
the central conflict where New Orleans is trying to eradicate the Old
South through industry, economy and the rise of the working class.
Historical
o Three years after WW2
o The reason Williams never mentions WW2, is that he sees it as a perpetuating
phenomenon, that humanity is inherently inclined to repeat evil he refuses to
acknowledge it.
Biographical
o The whole play is a reflection of his life
o Blanche mother and sister also represents him and his
vulnerability/alcoholism
o Stanley his fathers oppressive power
o Allan his homosexuality poet epigraph at beginning who committed suicide