【简介】

■What instructions does the written text give the actor?

■What can play text tell us about theatrical space?

■What is the difference between an illocutionary act and a perlocutionary act?

■How is the function of the writer being re-negotiated in twenty-first century theatre?

This third edition of Mick Wallis and Simon Shepherd's well-established and well-loved introduction to understanding plays discusses these questions and many more. The book examines and explains the key elements of drama by reference to a selection of judiciously chosen plays, both classic and contemporary, including Shakespeare's King Lear, Isben's A Doll's House and Timberlake Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good.

Studying Plays is a unique text in its ability to talk equally to students of literature and of drama. Its analyses of all aspects of the written play will also be of value to actors and other makers of theatre. Throughout the book, the authors stress the relationship between drama and performance. They show how to read a play text; they look at how to interpret stage directions; they examine character, dialogue, plot and action; they look at the body, space and theatre semiotics and they discuss culture and interpretation. All the major critical approaches to drama are introduced. The book is punctuated with exercises designed to allow students to refine their own analytical and creative abilities.

This third edition has been updated to take account of recent developments in drama including the design-led and post-dramatic text.

Mick Wallis is Pro-Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Performance, Visual Arts and Communications and Professor of Performance and Culture at the University of Leeds.

Simon Shepherd is Deputy Principal (Academic)and Professor of Theatre at Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London.

【出版说明】

近年来,英语语言文学专业在呼吁人文化转型的同时,也重视研究型人才的培养,鼓励学生在大量阅读的基础上,展开学术探索。上海外语教育出版社从英国Bloomsbury出版社引进的“文学研习丛书”正是一套旨在引领读者从基础“学习”迈向深入“研究”的学术读物。

丛书突出学术,兼顾普及,精选文学、戏剧诗歌、小说、电影等热点主题,更贴合现代读者的阅读兴趣。作者们用简明晓畅的语言、丰富多样的实例,提供一系列方法指引,指导读者在熟谙作品的基础上,从学术的视角切入,在文学文艺领域展开进一步研究。丛书在内容编排上

也颇具苦心,有的在正文后附上Glossary(术语汇总),有的详细列出建议读者研读的Further Reading(延伸阅读),有的则在参考书目中特别用星号标出特别建议阅读的书目,使丛书兼具可读性和实用性。

希望丛书的出版,既能满足对文学文艺研究感兴趣的读者的阅读需求,也能为当下大学生的学术发展指引方向,提升其人文素养,培养其思辨精神。

【目录】

 Acknowledgements

 Chapter 1 Getting started

 Reading the play

 Stage directions

 Chapter 2 Characters and persons

 Expectations about character

 Three aspects of dramatic character

 Mapping characters

 Developing the aspects of dramatic character

 Character articulation

 Further aspects of dramatic character

 Character at work

 Chapter 3 Dialogue

 The workings of dialogue

 The workings of conversation

 Speech acts

 The stylistics of theatrical prose and verse

 Dialogue, speaking position and the choices of reading

 Chapter 4 Plot and action

 Plot, action and situation

 Modelling action

 Story, plot and narration

 Character and scenes

 Chapter 5 The actor's body

 Stage directions

 etn9tno

 Limits and margins

 Chapter 6 Spaces

 Space and A Doll's House

 A systematic approach to space

 Models and maps of theatrical space

 Chapter 7 Culture and interpretation

 Writers

 Location

 Performers

 Audiences

 Interpretation

 Glossary

 Bibliography

 Index

Words in bold are in the Glossary, along with other useful words.