play of ideas in Russian Enlightenment theater, The
Elise Kimerling Wirtschafter
296 pages | ~8 hrs
play of ideas in Russian Enlightenment theater, The
By Elise Kimerling Wirtschafter
Through the lens of eighteenth-century Russian theater, this scholarly exploration reveals how enlightened minds grappled with profound questions of justice, equality, and social harmony within an authoritarian world. Historian Elise Kimerling Wirtschafter examines over 260 secular plays from this transformative period, uncovering how Russian dramatists used the stage as a forum for wrestling with society's deepest contradictions.
The book opens by tracing theater's emergence in eighteenth-century Russia, then delves into how playwrights addressed fundamental human concerns through their dramatic works. These theatrical pieces became vehicles for exploring the tension between Enlightenment ideals and political reality, examining questions that remain relevant today: What constitutes the common good? How should authority be exercised? What role does the individual play within larger social structures?
By analyzing how these dramatists portrayed patriarchal households, monarchical duty, and personal responsibility, Wirtschafter reconstructs the social consciousness of an era caught between old traditions and new philosophical currents. The plays serve as windows into how thoughtful Russians understood themselves and their place in a rapidly changing world.
For readers interested in how societies navigate moral complexity and social transformation, this work offers insights into the eternal human struggle to align ideals with reality, revealing how artistic expression can illuminate the path toward greater understanding of justice and community.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Social justice in literature
- ✓ Explore Russian drama, history and criticism
- ✓ Explore Russian drama
- ✓ Understand spiritual ethics
- ✓ Explore Theater and society
- ✓ Explore Intellectual life
- ✓ Explore Theater
Topics
Details
- Published
- 2003
- Publisher
- Northern Illinois University Press
- ISBN-10
- 0875803105
- Pages
- 296
- Language
- EN
- LC Classification
- PG3076.W57 2003
