The Problem Play & Important Facts

A Brief Introduction

The Problem Play is one of that represents expounds a problem-social, political, domestic, economic, racial, moral, educational, etc. with the rise of Problem play began the realistic drama. The domestic tragedy and drama of ideas. The new century began with production of Ibsen’s “Quintessence of Ibsenism” was published. The new age of English drama realistic, intellecutal and critical of the state of society-opened with the production of Shaw’s first play ‘Widowers’ Houses.

Important Facts to Remember

1. The Problem play was undoubtedly a powerful and effective instrument of serious thought. Poverty, misery and class war were the social problems of contemporary society of modern age. Suddenly the playwrights became aware of the depressing circumstances in which the poor were fated to dwell. They viewed the sequalor and the miseries of cities. They looked around and saw the terror of modern age.

2. John Galsworthy was moved throughout by an acute sense of social justice though he aimed to hold the balance fairly between the rich and the poor between the powerless and the helpless, his emotions were always on the side of underdog. This is the theme of majority of his plays.

3. Harley Granville Barker started his service to the English stage in 1904 when he joined it as a producer and actor. His important plays about social life are the marrying of Anne Leete’, ‘Waste’ and ‘the Madras House’. Each of these deals with a dominant theme of Social life.

4. John Masefield was a confirmed a realist. He was a great dramatist of the domestic school. He has created into two important domestic tragedies “The Tragedy of Man’ and ‘The Tragedy of Pompey the Great’.

5. Saint John Hankin was the writer of the serious play. He was a dramatist of ideas. All his plays throw a searching light upon the society of his age. His important plays are……. the Return of the ‘Prodigal’ and The Cassils Engagement’.