The plays A Doll’s House (1879) and Raisin in the Sun (1959) have many similarities: they are set in the domestic sphere, examine a private marital relationship, and map how tensions and conflicts are handled between couples and in families.
These plays are different in terms of genre: A Doll’s House is a well-made 19th century play; Raisin in the Sun is an example of modern political realism. There are important differences in characterization, tone, and theme; these plays were written eighty years apart and offer distinct perspectives on identity, marriage, and personal happiness.
Using the live performance of each play provided in class (available on canvas) and the texts of each play as your primary sources, write a well-organized argumentative essay that analyzes one of the two following aspects of each production:
A) Staging Analysis: set design, props, music, lighting.
How do the choices of the director help to support one specific theme in each of these two plays?
B) Performance Analysis: actor line delivery, body movement, costumes, use of props.
How do the choices of one specific actor (excluding Nora and Ruth) help to support one specific theme in each of these two plays?
Sample Solution