Problem
I. In the form of an essay (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion) address one of the following topics. You should write about 1500 words. I will be grading this exam on how well you support your essay (with passages from the plays), how you frame your discussion (after all, these topics are broad), how well your discussion is organized, and the details you provide. Do not summarize the plots.
II. Emile Zola in the late 1800's determined three principles of "naturalism" and their use in theatre: a play should be realistic (based on the human behavior and psychology); characters should resemble "flesh and blood people"; characters' motivations should be derived from their heredity and, to a certain extent, their environment. What do the playwrights of the modern period achieve by deviating from naturalism? Consider The Homecoming, and Six Characters in Search of an Author, and A Streetcar Named Desire in your essay?