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P.] nMJBTTTW REBTUTH US" CF^TSTOFH^ FRY by Lewis 'esley Thames Thesis presented to the Faculty of \rts of the University of Ottawa through the Department of English as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Ottawa, Canada, 1952 UMI Number: EC55503 INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI® UMI Microform EC55503 Copyright 2011 by ProQuest LLC All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 ACKNOWLEDGMENT This thesis was prepared under the guidance of the H*ad of the ISngllsfe Department, University of Ottawa, Professor Snuaett O1 Grady, Ph.D. Gratitude is herein expressed to both St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, and the University of Detroit for their courtesy in extending the use of their libraries. The Curriculum Studiorura Lewis Wesley Barnes, born January the third, 1916, served in the Canadian armed forces from 1940- 1946, granted the degree of Bachelor of Physical jand Health Education, University of Toronto, 1949, and the degree of Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto, 1951. T-\BI '>•: OF ÔKTIWTB Chapters paêa IN"nGTJCTI(;N xxl 3^TTTON cant "(" TT:?:T i.- T-iBnTn o? ULTZ'&IW.W Txyrmr nr F1Y 1 II,- Tîmi 0? HM^Bn/tTO! CO"'..'.DY XT FRY IS in.- REBIRTH OF ~: KVTTTHAH iwrn ura mc\r iv.- ToriTH ort jiLTSArrrnrr iiur"?v IK FTY 62 V.- .l';3JCRTH 0' THE ELIZAESTTTiVH MARCHES .".miT IN IHY. .•, 80 3''.CTI..H T<Q| 3TKJZ I,- IWBIHTH 0? 1SLIS-\lTSTR'tf¥ yj^TAPHOH B? FRY 101 II,- R;3IiTH OP jttJ/ATSTHvT HnTC\L T/'Wr TI"':". III,- PwBT'tTH OF KLTPIABBTHAIT imariY PT fHY 127 SUNTUW AKD CONCLUSIONS, ...,,.......,.,. 148 INTRODUCTION The nature of the subject of this thesis and the recent appearance of the playwright are such as to make requisitei a careful statement of purpose, a strict def initive section, a proof of the importance of the subject and author, and an analysis of what has been done thus far on the subject and author by others. I. - The Purpose of the Thesis The purpose of this thesis is to discover and to interpret the elements of Elizabethan content and style that Christopher Fry has given rebirth to in his dramatic works- his plays. The content will refer to the tragic and comic elements which resulted from both Pry's and the Elizabethan's outlook toward life and death. £*et It be carefully noted that the Elizabethans did not confine their concern with the problems of life to dramatic efforts} however, it is considered that the drama of their period more adequately revealed what was in their minds and hearts than did the prose. Furthermore, Pry, whose efforts thus far are in the dramatic medium, will be, for the purposes of this thesis on common ground with his Elizabethan predecessors, the playwrights. INTRODUCTION vi It is also a purpose of this thesis to show that Fry has not only seized and held the basic elements of Elizabethan thought but that he has interpreted it in Elizabethan style. Much of his metaphor and forms of verse are in the tradition of that period, tfhile the thesis,will concern itself with a comparison of tragedy, comedy, death, decay, humor and vitality, which this work will contend are harmoniously blended by both Fry and the Elizabethans, it is firmly stated that no political, educational, philosophical and theological systems are the specific subject and object. At the same time, it is not contended that Fry reproduces, either accidentally or by intent, an artlflcal copy of Elizabethan language, meter, rhythm or imagery. It is maintained that the style he uses is that which is the best vehicle for his thought? that best vehicle has strong Elizabethan style forms, II.- The Plan of the Thesis The plan of the thesis is, for the interests of unity, to break the thesis down into two main divisions. The first will concern itself with that element of Elizabethan rebirth in Fry that deals with the thought of the period. Under this will come chapters on tragedy, comedy, death, humor and the marching spirit. The second main division will deal with INTRODUCTION vii the elements which are common to both in the expression of that thought. The second pnrt of this work, therefore, deals with Elizabethan style found in Fry, It must be urged that it is realized that this separation of form and content involves some artificiality and implies a limitation ©n each. It is also realized that to do full justice t6 the author's thought, the expression of that thought with its overtones, suggestions, ironic and sincere moods, ligrht and serious touches should be necessarily combined, III Definitive Considerations it is considered necessary to define certain terms which may connote more than one meaning. The first is that of ''Elizabethan Thought". It mny well be urged that the thought of that period was characterized by a puzzling diversity, that there are conflicting elements in politics, dramatics, poetry prose and religion, that there is no single clear stream that points the way to what can be called "Elizabethan Thought1'. The crucial point is that very vigorous diversity of opinion and thought, together with the action that sought to implement these, is the heart of the definition. Considerable study and research huve brought about certain objective evaluations of the INTRODUCTION viii essential thought of the period. This thesis will rest upon the common distillate of such authorities as Voode1 , Legonis imft Cazrmiin^, ^n6 Sampson** who consider the KHz- ftl^than period to mnge from 'ho lnnt our.rter of the six teenth century through the first fifth of thp seventeenth century. They characterize the thought of the period as one of richness, variety, experiment, love of life, concern with death, patriotism, courage and vigor. It Is considered to be an age whose thought and action reveal a hitherto un paralleled concern with all aspect® of rjl walks r nd ranks of life. " The term "Elizabethan Rebirth is to mep.n the rebirth, in the dramatic thought and style of Christopher Fry, for the first time since the seventeenth century, of the qualities of thought and style that characterized the Elizabethan period. The Puritan interlude from 1640-1660 squolched the flame entirely. Following the rwitan interlude cam© the licentious Restoration which marked man's concern with flesh alone, r T lGeorg® B, 'floods, et al, The literature of mg3mdr Chicago, icott, Foreman, 2 vols, IWljxIli-1200p, xiv-lir/> n. 2 Legouis and Cazaminn, A History of Rmrllsh - it- erature, London, J, It, Dent, 1926, xi-2400 p# 3Sampson, The Concise Cambridge History of KrurtiBh Literature, Cambridge, The University j'ress, 1941, xlv-1^94 p. "ITTHODUHTTON ix The Neo-Classic period of the eighteenth century enthroned the rational and denied the eclecticism of the Renaissance; the revolt of romanticism against the anthropoaentrism of this literature resulted in the pan theism of the first pprt of the nineteenth century. The Victorian period with Its concern with prose and poetic treatment of matters industrial, educational and political led a trend to the ultra-realism of the twentieth centtiry. This realism has advanced from individual discontent to the "isms" of social and group thought in literature. Fry, then, with his all around concern with man in his self-development through attitudes toward life, has brought back refreshing matter and form of the Elizabethan era particularly in drama. The dei?inition of the term "tragedy" will rest primarily on the concept implied in the morality play, later daveloped and refined by Marlowe and Shakespeare, 4 5 The authorities relied on, Bradley , Chambers and Caz- amian,6 consider tragedy to be a conflict of abstractions Â, C.iiradley, Shakespearian Tragedy. Hew York, MacKillnn, 1910, 1938, xiv-547 p. K.K. Chambers, 71111am Shakespeare. Oxford, Claren don Press, 1930, 2 vols, xvii-.r>76p, xix-f>87 P. ^Staile Legouis and Louis Cazamipm, op. citere. wraonucTioi* x in which the good contend with the evil for possession of man's immortal soul. The individual has within himself the free will to choose the one or the other and to abide the consequences. The conflict arises between the universal and the particular. The universal represents the law of God, the law of natur®, something Insautable, unchangeable and basic. The particular repreoente the will of the individual. The conflict arises and is resolved through man's attempt to intrude his will on and over the universal. In tragedy this must fail, This is precisely the sense in which tr«&edy is discussed in this thesis. Christopher Fry has formulated, without explanation, his o'vn definition of tragedy, US London's Vêlphft, Magazine, he writes...," In tragedy every moment is eternityf in comedy eternity is a moment...M? This theais will hold this statement tc be no contradiction to the definition given before but will consider th«* tragedy mentioned by Fry to mean that the dividing line between good and evil has been irrevocably crossed and that the tragedy he mentions is actually completed. In defining comedy as used in this thesis, the 7 Christopher Fry, quoted from an interview contained in the ^.delph;! Magazine of Lor.don, Vol, IT, ITo,7, issue of October, 1960, p.

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