The Genesis of Modern U.S.-American Drama: Lillian Hellman, 'The Children´s Hour' (1934)

Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 2,7, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Anglistik / Amerikanistik), course: Hauptseminar 'Gender, Race and Class in Modern American Drama, language: English, abstract: In terms of this essay I am going to explore the genesis of modern American Drama. This topic is quite extensive in scope, and that's why I want to focus my attention on women authors who wrote about women and about their place in the society of that time. In the beginning of my essay I will explore the role of women in the society of the USA at the beginning of the previous century. I will examine what made women change. In the next part of the essay I will examine the contribution of women writers in the literature of the USA at that period of time and specifically the contribution of Lillian Hellman on the basis of her play 'The Children´s Hour'. I am interested in topics and issues that she takes under consideration in her play, and what actually Lillian Hellman wanted to achieve by writing and staging it. In the last part of my essay I will examine the gender and sexuality represented in 'The Children´ s Hour' by Lillian Hellman and, finally, I will present my thought about the contribution of women writers and especially the contribution of Lillian Hellman to the genesis of the modern American Drama.