Chapter 1

George Bernard Shaw: Pygmalion 1

I Introduction 2

i e Author: George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) 2

ii Generic Context: Shavian Drama of Ideas or New Drama 5

II Appreciation of the Play 6

i Guided Reading of Pygmalion (1912) 6

ii Excerpt from Pygmalion with Notes 8

iii Questions for Discussion 28

III Resources 29

i Further Reading 29

ii Work List 29

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 32

Chapter 2

Tennessee Williams: The Glass Menagerie 33

I Introduction 34

i e Author: Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) 34

ii Generic Context: Plastic eatre 38

II Appreciation of the Play 39

i Guided Reading of e Glass Menagerie (1944) 39

ii Excerpt from e Glass Menagerie with Notes 41

iii Questions for Discussion 65

III Resources 66

i Further Reading 66

ii Work List 66

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 68

Chapter 3

Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman 69

I Introduction 70

i e Author: Arthur Miller (1915-2005) 70

ii Generic Context: Modern Tragedy 73

II Appreciation of the Play 75

i Guided Reading of Death of a Salesman (1949) 75

ii Excerpt from Death of a Salesman with Notes 77

iii Questions for Discussion 116

III Resources 117

i Further Reading 117

ii Work List 118

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 119

Chapter 4

Harold Pinter: The Caretaker 121

I Introduction 122

i e Author: Harold Pinter (1930-2008) 122

ii Generic Context: Comedy of Menace 126

II Appreciation of the Play 127

i Guided Reading of e Caretaker (1960) 127

ii Excerpt from e Caretaker with Notes 129

iii Questions for Discussion 154

III Resources 155

i Further Reading 155

ii Work List 156

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 158

Chapter 5

Edward Albee: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 159

I Introduction 160

i e Author: Edward Albee (1928-2016) 160

ii Generic Context: e eatre of the Absurd 164

II Appreciation of the Play 166

i Guided Reading of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962) 166

ii Excerpt from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with Notes 168

iii Questions for Discussion 194

III Resources 195

i Further Reading 195

ii Work List 196

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 197

Chapter 6

Caryl Churchill: Top Girls 199

I Introduction 200

i e Author: Caryl Churchill (1938- ) 200

ii Generic Context: Feminist eatre 204

II Appreciation of the Play 207

i Guided Reading of Top Girls (1982) 207

ii Excerpt from Top Girls with Notes 209

iii Questions for Discussion 234

III Resources 234

i Further Reading 234

ii Work List 235

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 238

Chapter 7

Sam Shepard: Buried Child 239

I Introduction 240

i e Author: Sam Shepard (1943-2017) 240

ii Generic Context: Family Play 244

II Appreciation of the Play 245

i Guided Reading of Buried Child (1978) 245

ii Excerpt from Buried Child with Notes 247

iii Questions for Discussion 269

III Resources 270

i Further Reading 270

ii Work List 271

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 272

Chapter 8

Timberlake Wertenbaker: Our Country’s Good 273

I Introduction 274

i e Author: Timberlake Wertenbaker (1944- ) 274

ii Generic Context: Metatheatre 279

II Appreciation of the Play 282

i Guided Reading of Our Country’s Good (1988) 282

ii Excerpt from Our Country’s Good with Notes 285

iii Questions for Discussion 303

III Resources 304

i Further Reading 304

ii Work List 305

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 306

Chapter 9

Martin McDonagh: The Beauty Queen of Leenane 307

I Introduction 308

i e Author: Martin McDonagh (1970- ) 308

ii Generic Context: In-Yer-Face eatre 311

II Appreciation of the Play 314

i Guided Reading of e Beauty Queen of Leenane (1996) 314

ii Excerpt from e Beauty Queen of Leenane with Notes 316

iii Questions for Discussion 332

III Resources 333

i Further Reading 333

ii Work List 334

iii Media/ Textual Adaptation 334

Bibliography 335

本教材选取重要的现当代英美剧作家的代表作品，通过指导性阅读、讨论，培养学生理解、赏析戏剧作品的基本能力和必要的技巧；借助不同的媒介帮助学生感受戏剧的魅力，了解戏剧这一文类的基本特征、要素、种类和风格。全书共九章，每章由三大部分构成：1. 简介：包括对剧作家的介绍，对作品所属流派或戏剧种类的介绍；2. 剧本赏析：对作品的导读、赏析，节选部分的详细注解（包括语言点、文化背景等方面的难点）和思考题（可用于课上讨论或课外写作）；3. 资源：包括拓展阅读（引导学生加深对剧本的理解）、作品列表及媒体改编或改写。