Christianity and Social Power in the Works of John Arden, British Dramatist
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1993 Christianity and Social Power in the Works of John Arden, British Dramatist. Donald Travis Sandley Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Sandley, Donald Travis, "Christianity and Social Power in the Works of John Arden, British Dramatist." (1993). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 5543. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/5543 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. 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Ann Arbor, MI 48106 CHRISTIANITY AND SOCIAL POWER IN THE WORKS OF JOHN ARDEN, BRITISH DRAMATIST A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Theatre by Donald Travis Sandley B.A., East Texas Baptist University, 1982 M.A., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1986 May 1993 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author gratefully acknowledges the patience and teaching of Dr. Les Wade and the exceptional faculty of the Louisiana State University Department of Theatre. This work is dedicated to Lynette Moore Sandley whose faith and sacrifice made this project possible. PREFACE British dramatist John Arden evinces an enigmatic and distinctive voice in the ranks of twentieth century playwrights. Arden's career as a writer spans thirty-five years and includes plays, essays, short fiction and novels. Arden has achieved wide critical acceptance, if not commercial reward. Arden was born and reared in Barnsley, West Yorkshire in 1930, the son of a factory manager. He studied architecture at King's College, Cambridge and at Edinburgh University. While at Edinburgh Arden became interested in writing for the stage. In 1957 his unpublished radio play "The Life of Man" won a new plays award and attracted the attention of George Devine, the artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre. Over the next five years Arden wrote three plays that were performed at the Royal Court: The Waters of Babylon (1957), Live Like Piers (1958), and Serjeant Musgrave's Dance (1959). Following his association with the Royal Court Theatre, Arden became increasingly disinterested in the commercial theatre of London. In 1960 Arden married Irish actress Margaretta D'Arcy and the two began a writing partnership that produced plays for community theatre groups and plays for radio. Their collaborations presented strong political and social messages. In 1966 the Ardens moved to County Galway, Ireland iii and have made this their permanent home. John Arden's place in British dramatic history was described by theatre critic Martin Esslin as one of "a major poet" (Personal Interview, 19 July, 1990). But Arden's turn to political and social activism alienated many critics. Today Arden works as a novelist, and though he writes about the theatre, his efforts are not intended for stage production. In the years between his Royal Court association and his more recent work as a novelist, Arden and D'Arcy wrote plays that examined social structures and the distribution of power. This study will focus on the subject of Christianity as a political and social force in selected works from the years 1972 to 1990 (the political and socially conscious works co-authored by Arden and D'Arcy). Arden examines Christianity as a tool of subjugation for the controlling powers, and as a source of spiritual comfort for the oppressed underclasses. For Arden, the doctrine of "humble service" juxtaposed with a tradition of subjugation makes the paradox of the Christian church one of the most significant shaping factors in Western history, art, and politics. The history of Christianity is, however, one fraught with division, disagreement, and fragmentation. The church in Arden's work is exposed and revealed to be not divine, but human, fallible, and engaged as an organic iv participant in history. Arden's observations on Christianity are set forth in a descriptive not prescriptive manner, with a prose laced more with poetry than philosophy. Arden is not detached from his subject. His concern is genuine and his mourning over humanity's failures heartfelt. The examination of history in the works of John Arden is presented through the eyes of a sympathetic pragmatist. His position alternately assumes the vantage points of history's winners and losers, yet finally aligns with the unwitting victims lost in the fray. John Arden has been the subject of numerous critical studies and has been involved in the major surveys of modern British playwrights. The works most germane to this study include the following: (1) John Russell Taylor's Anaer and After (London: Methuen, ed., 1969, pp. 83-105). (2) Simon Trussler's John Arden (New York: Columbia University Press, 1973). (3) Glenda Leeming's John Arden (Harlow: Longman's for British Council, 1974). (4) Frances Gray's John Arden (London: MacMillan, 1982). These four studies, focusing primarily on the three plays written for the Royal Court, provide a concise overview of Arden's work to 1982. A dissertation, published in 1985 by Shah Jaweedul Malick for McGill University (Canada) entitled "The Dramaturgy of John Arden: Dialectical Vision and Popular Tradition," covers the work of Arden and D'Arcy from the Royal Court to The Island of the Mighty. It emphasizes the unique voice of Arden, his adherence to popular theatre conventions and his emphasis on non-commercial themes (grounded in a plebeian collectivist bias). Malick's study links Arden to a Brechtian tradition but does not explore the recurring theme of the Christian religion and the social power. Other studies have considered the Ardens' concern with community and power structures, with theatre and social organization. This study will be the first to look at the Ardens' use of Christianity in history as a theme for their works. The essay collections of Arden and Arden/D'Arcy will provide primary evidence concerning the authors' intent and the authors' thematic influences. Two collections of essays are in print at the time of this writing: To Present the Pretence (London: Eyre Methuen, Ltd., 1977) and Awkward Corners (London: Methuen, Ltd., 1988). This study will provide critical analyses of the six works that most clearly embrace the subject of Christianity authored by Arden or the partnership of Arden and D'Arcy. The study will focus upon the unique vision Arden has of the church/state relationship in Western society. The use of the term church is a generic usage. No specific denomination, vi faction or movement is implied unless otherwise indicated. Church in this discussion will refer to the broad category of Western peoples who call themselves Christians— a major preoccupation of Arden's thought concerns how these peoples have fragmented and formed additional sets and sub-sets of orthodoxy. An interview with John Arden will provide primary evidence of the author's intent. Much of the biographical information was provided by Arden in the personal interview as well. Interviews with theatre critic Martin Esslin and producer/artistic director Oscar Lewenstein will provide previously unrecorded views of the author's career from two important theatre figures of Great Britain (who are also contemporaries of Arden). The six works to be examined include: a church drama, two essay collections, a nine-part radio drama, a stage play, and an historical novel. The works