Historical Context

About the lecture

In this module, we think about the historical context for the play, focusing in particular on: (i) the initial production of the play; (ii) its key themes; (iii) the importance of the play's setting in 1980s Liverpool; (iv) the play's success and its 'relevance' today; (v) the centrality of the family in tragic drama; (v) the economy of Russell's writing; (vi) the figure of the narrator and his relation to the Greek tragic chorus; (vii) the concepts of realism and 'the fourth wall'; and (viii) the extent to which a play's impact is driven by three key concepts: relatability, empathy, and sympathy.

About the lecturer

John McRae is Special Professor of Language in Literature Studies and Teaching Associate in the School of English at Nottingham University, and holds Visiting Professorships in China, Malaysia, Spain and the USA. He is co-author of The Routledge History of Literature in English with Ron Carter, and also wrote The Language of Poetry, Literature with a Small 'l' and the first critical edition of Teleny by Oscar Wilde and others.