Essay Sample on Realism in Theater
Vaclav Have once said, “This is the moment when something once more begins visibly to happen, something truly new and unique…something truly historical, in the sense that history again demands to be heard.” Realism in theater is the truth of human existence. In 1890, Henrik Isben also known as the father of realism, published one of his most famous works, Hedda Gabbler. Isben’s portrayal of a restless housewife, condemned to an unsatisfactory life, trapped by the ideas of the unimaginative men, revolutionized theater. Isben crafted truth and reality and blended them into art unveiled on stage. Lifetimes later, in 2017, Dominique Morriseau's masterful play, Pipeline, premiered and portrayed the truth of a single black mother desperate and spiraling, as she tries to connect to, protect, and save her justifiably angry black son within a systemically oppressive society. Curiosity begs us to understand how two very different plays can connect to their audiences, reveal universal truths as well as, in a sense, honor humanity by completing their given endeavors. Futher, how can two vastly different plays find their own way to create something new and unique yet both demand our history and the truth of our existence be heard and never forgotten? And, with that, how does our past influence our future and most importantly, where does that guide us?
To define realism-based art, one must explore what realism is. What traits does the realism posess that if warranted, can transcend time and allow work from centuries ago to inspire work now? For example, the rawness and believability of Lovberg’s emotion in Hedda Gabbler captivates audiences to this day. He has lost his prized manuscript, and instead of telling the truth to his partner and muse, Mrs. Elvstead, he tells her, “I have torn my own life to pieces. So why should I not tear my lifework too---?” The power of shame and regret and how it causes us to hurt the ones we cherish the most in a failed attempt to protect them, feels undoubtedly human. The groundbreaking characterization of Lovberg and all characters of Hedda Gabbler created a path that future playwrights could explore, expand or simply walk upon. Morriseau ran, magnificently. Omari, in Pipeline, is filled with fear that when the world sees what he’s done, they’ll view him as a “monster” and ruin the “legacy” he was trying to leave. He fears his actions will only reinforce all the negative stereotypes and beliefs others have about him and hurt his mother. As Nya tries to reach him, beggingly “ I will take a bullet for you. I will suffocate the sun for you. I will steal the sky for you. I will blind Moses for you. I will strip the wind and the rain and the forests for you. Before I let you the or rot or lose your freedom, I will surrender my own. You know that? I wouldif you could be born again without this oppressive rage. I just...I don't know what to do. I need you to tell me. Tell me how to save you. Tell me how to give you another life. Tell me what will take this failure away. Because I have listened to everyone else. I'm ready to listen to you. Guide me. Give me the answer. Just give it to me and I'll do it. I swear.” And Omari, angry at the world which tears him apart and broken by the realizatin of the pain his mother feels, blamin lhimself as any child does, living in their own world trying desperately to make sense of pain and falling expectedly on self blame, he pushes her away yet offers to make her something to eat. To create reality, we must look to the present and future but mostly, to the past. We must understand ourselves and others. Isben’s character portrayal’s led the way for truth. Modern playwrights like Morriseau, characters reflect real human emotion, behavior as well but it can be argued modern theater would not be what it is without the significant influence of Isben. Isben brought theater from the purpose of entertainment into the realm of political, educational, thought-provoking experiences. Though, two very different works of art both are connected on their ability to showcase believable human behaviors and their real, powerful, and sometimes, unfettered emotions.
In addition, the beauty of realism on stage lies in creating of everyday. The everyday of our lives reflected back to us. Isben’s setting was Norway in the 1890s and the oppression women actively faced and suffered, influenced his work. He took the reality of his society and created a stark comparison on stage. Hedda’s “thirst for life” expressed through, at the time, concerned masculine behavior and Mrs. Elvsted to “take flight so openly” and leave her husband to find her own path shocked Isben’s audience. While, Morriseau brought the real and unjust reality of systemic oppression that black boys face in the American school system. Nya’s onerously tries to reason with Omari’s girlfriend, Jasmine to tell her where he is, “It's a gamble, Jasmine. All the time. You send your young man out into the world every day, or away for a weekend. A semester. A school year. But you don't know...you have no idea if they're safe. You have no idea if one day someone will try to expire them because they are too young. Or too black. Or too threatening. Or too loud. Or too uninformed. Or too angry. Or too quiet. Or too everyday. Or too cool. Or too uncomposed. Or too mysterious. Or just too TOO. You don't know, Jasmine. And it's frightening. It leaves a tremble in your heart on a daily. And if someone could ease that tremble by unveiling just a little piece of the puzzle... It would mean everything. You know what I'm--You get me?” Pipeline exposes the school-to-prison pipeline and how black boys face higher discipline than their white counterparts for similar behaviors and how that reality harms black families. Both plays. relatability lies in their setting and accurate social commentary. Isben used his art to create a catalyst for change. And, Morriseau has crafted her art into just that as well.
On another note, both Isben and Morriseau created characters with relatable problems. Pipeline’s Nya, a worried mother, fueled by vices, fears, and regrets beggingly asks her son for guidance, “I have tried...like religiously...like an ongoing prayer...to protect you. I have tried to buffer you from it all. Tried to flee you and free you. Follow instructions from your father. From other mothers. From my own mother. From whomever. And I still don't.........I don't have the answer.” While in Hedda Gabler, Aunt Tessman mortgages her “annuity” to give her beloved nephew an opportunity for a better life. She is willing to sacrifice her own wellbeing and her sister’s. A parent, trying desperately to reach her son and a guardian willing to sacrfice their own wellbeing to help and protect a loved one from harm rings true. As humans, we make choices, believing we can predict the outcome, hoping it is for the best and unwittingly causing ourselves irreparable harm. To take very real human behaviors and reflect them back to us on stage, forces us to question and to look within.
To conclude, Morriseua’s art is equally her own. It is captivating, groundbreaking, timeless, and powerful. Her use of realism mirrors Isben’s frrom believable characters and dialogue, relatable emotions and behaviors, everyday problems, settings, and strong critiques of their respectively lived-in societies. I can not speak for Morriseau, only admire her talent and relate it to the talent of Isben. The crafting of reality onto the stage is a gift that has the power to connect us to ourselves and each other, as well as, inspire active dialogue about our society thus ideally, promoting needed change. Morriseau realism is revolutionary. The work of Isben inspired and reinforced the need for equality by forcing his audience to see the truth of oppression women, mothers, and daughters suffered. Whereas, Morriseau’s work inspires and reinforces the need for equity by forcing her audience to understand the black male school experience and the fear his loved ones constantly carry.
Source:
Morriseau, Dominique: 2017 Pipeline. TCG Pipeline.. (n.d.) >The Free Library. (2014). Retrieved Dec 13 2021 from https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Pipeline.-a0519403812
Ibsen, Henrik, 1828-1906. ( 1907). Hedda Gabler. Charles Scribner's Sons retrieved from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4093/4093-h/4093-h.htm.
