The Expressionism & Important Facts to Remember

A Brief Introduction

Expressionism is a modernist movement in drama and theatre in Europe, chiefly in Germany in the early decades of twentieth century and later in United states. It forms part of the broader movement of Expressionism in the arts. There was a concentrated Expressionist movement in early 20th century German theatre of which George Kaiser and Ernest Toller were the most famous playwrights. It was characterized by its intensely subjective expression of the writer’s deepest feelings. It was called the ‘drama of soul’. It expresses the rebellions protest (of a youth) against the structure of society by his stress on language often profoundly lyrical, at the expense of plot and psychologically drawn characters.

Important Facts to Remember

1. The ideas of German Expressionism influenced the work of American artists. The American Artists Marsden Hartley and. other American Artists of the late 20th and early 21th century have developed the distinct styles that may be considered part of expressionism. Norris Embry has been termed “The first American German Expressionist.”

2. The leading character in an Expressionist play often pours out his soul in long monologues, usually couched in an elliptical language that not so much framed to carry statements as to permit what is called the Expressionist scream to be heard.

3. The Secondary characters are seldom more than puppet figures representatives of the family or of those who confirm to be ideals of society.

4. C.K. Munro and Sean O’Casey belong to the ‘Expressionistic’ School. ohn Drinkwater and Clifford Box are the play wrights who wrote historical plays. There are number of playwright who enriched the theatre by their plays.

5. C.K. Munro and Sean O’Casey got inspiration from the German Expressionists and wrote their plays in their style when was characterized and continental munro’s “The Ramous’ and Sean O’Casey The Silver Tassie’ are the most celebrated plays in this style. Reginald Berkeley’s The Quest of Elizabeth’ and ‘The World’s End’ are important works.