Edward Bond : a study of social morality in his plays (1968-1978)

Abstract

Since his first two controversial performances Saved and Early Morning on the theatrical scene in the 1960s, Edward Bond has been known as the most radical and distinctive playwright of Britain. This study will examine how Edward Bond's plays remain fundamental in the field of left wing socialist plays. As a leading writer on political theory, Bond's plays project themes such as violence, revolution, the cruelty of oppressive regimes (tyranny), justice, human consciousness, moral values, society, and probably most important of all is his belief that collapsing societies are able to change through man's will and strength. The dissertation gives a theoretical and concrete analysis of five of Bond's plays which have determined his development as a dramatist. Early Morning, Narrow Road to the Deep North, Lear, The Woman and The Bundle explore Bond's concerns on the issue of what it is to be a human being, and are the main focus of the following sections. However, prior to these investigations, there is an introductory chapter on Bond and the development of the Modem Political British Theatre. The selection of plays from such a wide field is subject not only to the author's interests but also to the portrayal of characters such as Lear, Wang and Arthur who are constantly challenged with choices. In fact, each chapter following the introduction attempt to explain and examine the moral, controversial development of such central characters, whilst also giving a brief account of what takes place in the plays. Written in a span of ten years, these plays were subject to criticism and appreciations. Most of them were taken into consideration however others had to be left out due to certain limitations including word limit and time available to conduct research. This short dissertation hopefully still remains a helpful guide to five of Bond's earlier plays.