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Essay On Journal Blues, History, And The Dramaturgy Of August Wilson

469 Words2 Pages

This journal Blues, History, and the Dramaturgy of August Wilson, by Jay Plum, provides a comprehensive analysis of August Wilson’s dramatic project, focusing on his exploration of African American history and culture through the lens of the blues. Wilson’s plays, including Fences, are placed within a broader context of the Civil Rights Movement. The author draws on Houston A. Baker Jr.'s ideas about blues music to explore how August Wilson’s plays bring attention to African American struggles. For Wilson, “the blues are the African American community's cultural response to the world; they are a music that breathes and touches. That is what connects us. That is in itself a way of being, separate and distinct from any other” (Plum 561). The …show more content…

The journal also explores Wilson’s use of characters and narratives to depict the struggles of African Americans searching for recognition in a predominantly white society. Additionally, Plum’s entry discusses Wilson’s position in African American history and his acceptance of both black and white theatrical communities. It also explores the tension between Wilson’s plays being an empowering form of documentation of African American history and their success within the white theaters. Within the genre of drama, August Wilson's works stand as powerful examples of the genre, blending characterization with social and historical commentary. Wilson's plays, including Fences, are characterized by their emotional depth, narratives, and characters that deal with complex issues of identity, family, and society. The genre of drama, popularized by Shakespeare, is known for its intentions of a more serious tone or subject, and in his dramatic works, Wilson uses aspects of the genre like conflict, characterization, and emotional impact to explore the struggles of African American life while depicting the human experience within the complexities of

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