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Abstract

The writer's primary aim is to create a piece of literature. The playwright also aims to create literature by means of the techniques of playwriting Thus, constructing drama, this writer was concerned with plot and dialogue to produce literature. "The Stage Is Set" is a three act play which shows us the struggle of a drinking man and his relationship with other people. Alcoholics particularly have to admit their alcoholism to other people. The action of the play doesn't give us the idea that Rog Hancock, the main character, wants to quit drinking, even though he knows that an accident two years ago resulted from his drinking. His fear, the real conflict of this play, is resolved when Ben, his friend and fellow actor, convinces him to forget the accident. Yet his alcoholic mind later becomes independent of his wife Kathy, Ben, and other friends. Rog, then, is seen as the alcoholic who lives with fear and even pride. The dialogue of the play, particularly that of Rog and Kathy, shows a troubled mind of Rog Hancock, and a weary Kathy. Kathy has seen Rog in his weakened condition before, and yet she finds that her only defense is to nag him. She too, through dialogue, adds to his dejection from unemployment, for she has earned most of the money these past two years, and she's not afraid to tell him so. Rog simply yields to her in the conflict of his fear, and then he turns against her once the fear has been overcome. "The Stage Is Set" combines plot and dialogue to show us a part of a drinking actor's life. His fear and pride become the content of the entire play. It is with this play, a story of Rog Hancock, that literature has resulted through the techniques of playwriting.

Year of Submission

1971

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of English Language and Literature

First Advisor

James Hearst

Second Advisor

Grace Ann Hovet

Comments

The creative work referenced in this graduate thesis, consisting of pages 1-64, currently is not being made available in electronic format through UNI ScholarWorks.

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Date Original

1971

Object Description

1 PDF file (9 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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