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James Herne’s Principle of ‘Art for Truth’s Sake’ and Humanism: the Issue of Social Mulatto and the Women Question in Margaret Fleming

  • Journal of Modern English Drama
  • Abbr : JMBARD
  • 2009, 22(2), pp.39-69
  • Publisher : 한국현대영미드라마학회
  • Research Area : Humanities > English Language and Literature > English Literature > Contemporary English Drama

Jungman Park 1

1성균관대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

James A. Herne’s 1897 manifesto of ‘Art for Truth’s Sake’ was a revolt against the practice of contemporary American play-writing and stage production which was dominated by the popular genre of melodrama and spectacular extravaganzas in the stage business. Indicating that the existing melodrama and farce genres failed at reflecting the true human condition, Herne voiced that the higher purpose of drama is to expose social injustice so that the general public open their eyes to some large truth of life. Herne’s principle of ‘Art for Truth’s Sake’ is regarded as embodying the transition from the old convention of mindless melodrama and frivolous farce to a new tradition of realism and drama of ideas. Herne’s influence on American drama and theatre is often compared to that of European dramatist Henrik Ibsen, and in this respect Herne is even called the American Ibsen. Herne’s 1890 play Margaret Fleming is regarded as the best dramatic realization of the ‘Art for Truth’s Sake’ principle. What is worth noting is that the ‘Art for Truth’s Sake’ principle is fundamentally rooted in Herne’s deep sense of universal humanism, which is resonant in the author’s attitude toward dealing with the issues of the social mulatto and women question in Margaret Fleming. In the play, Herne exhibits his sympathy for the socially weak, especially the illegitimate children of the mixed-class and the general women in the patriarchal society. Meanwhile, Herne shows a sophisticated sense of reality by dealing with the issue of mulattoness as a complicated problem of social identity rather than just as a racial issue. In addition, Herne shows a modern perspective on the roles of women by presenting a female character who takes the initiative in judging her husband’s marital infidelity, managing the family business during her husband’s absence, and eventually suturing the breakdown of family bonds. Related to this, Margaret, the heroine of the play, appears as a new woman who is even differentiated from Nora, the representative radical woman character in literature until that time. Likewise, Herne shows both modern sensibility and originality in striking out at unequal standards and unjust system from a humanistic perspective, capturing some large truth out of this, and finally weaving the captured truth into a form of art.

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