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The Antiheroic Protagonists in Modern Drama: Leo Tolstoy’s Influence on Arthur Miller

  • Journal of Modern English Drama
  • Abbr : JMBARD
  • 2015, 28(2), pp.165-194
  • Publisher : 한국현대영미드라마학회
  • Research Area : Humanities > English Language and Literature > English Literature > Contemporary English Drama

Miseong Woo 1

1연세대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The Antiheroic Protagonists in Modern Drama: Leo Tolstoy's Influence on Arthur Miller Abstract Woo,Miseong This paper examines the dramatic influence of Tolstoy on Miller in terms of his characterization of antiheroic protagonists in his drama through analysing Tolstoy’s two plays, The Power of Darkness (1886) and The Live Corpse (1900). More attention is given to Fedya Protasov, a main character in Tolstoy’s play The Live Corpse to shed light on his gradual withdrawal from the society as well as his antiheroic traits in the transitional period of the modern drama at the turn of the twentieth century. In the time of economic, political and social turmoil in Russian history, Tolstoy turned into dramatic literature to communicate with larger audience through theater—a more effective medium to influence the public. His four plays capture how some characters reacted to the turbulent and drastic social changes in stark and revolting realism. The Live Corpse, posthumously produced by Stanislavky in 1911 at the Moscow Art Theatre lends itself to a significantly closer attention and broader analysis than it has been, in terms of breaking traditional heroism in characterization of the protagonists of nineteenth-century dramatic literature. The play features one of the most antisocial and antiheroic protagonists in modern drama, which inspired later generation of modern playwrights, particularly Arthur Miller. The antiheroic protagonist’s frustration and sense of displacement resonate the feeling of alienation and self-estrangement that are pervasive among people in today’s society, thus making the play a relevant subject to the twenty-first century readers and audience.

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