18th Century - 21st Century Plays

Introduction to Literary Context: Plays examines over 35 plays from pivotal playwrights from the 1700’s to the present day by providing in-depth critical analysis of each work, including its historical context and meaning. Works from over 20 authors like Lorraine Hansberry, T.S. Eliot, Samuel Beckett, Anton Chekov, and more are critiqued. Each essay, written by a literary scholar, offers readers invaluable insight into the author’s oeuvre.

Delve into George Bernard Shaw’s London social commentary play Pygmalion or American playwright Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, a realistic portrayal of 1940’s American life, and everything in-between with this comprehensive resource on notable plays created in the last 300 years. Instructors will welcome the discussion questions that encourage students to take the reading one step further while students will appreciate the essay ideas and in-depth look into societal, religious, historical, biographical, scientific and technological context within the most popular and most widely-studied plays throughout history.