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Ruined Essay

959 Words4 Pages

Jacob Dunham
4/20/2023
McCalister
Styles Essay Revision

Lynn Nottage’s Ruined exemplifies modernist theater with its use of realism, portraying characters' struggles and hardships through vivid dialogue. The play critiques war and violence, giving it a political edge. In this essay, I will analyze the use of realism in Ruined, focusing on how Nottage portrays complex characters through their everyday struggles and circumstances. By examining the specific techniques and themes utilized in the play, I will show how the use of realism contributes to the play's overall effectiveness. Ruined itself portrays the suffering and tragedy of its characters within a contemporary context. The play takes place in a brothel, which serves as a symbol of the …show more content…

In her playwriting, Lynn Nottage masterfully presents the complexities of her characters' experiences. Her ability to dive deep into the emotional and psychological depths of her characters allows her to present a nuanced and empathetic view of their situations. This nuanced view is especially evident in her plays that address political and social issues. By presenting these issues in a way that highlights the complexities of the characters' experiences, Nottage encourages audiences to think critically about these issues. This approach challenges simplistic or one-dimensional views of complex issues, making her plays an important contribution to contemporary theatre. Through her writing, Nottage invites audiences to empathize with and consider the perspectives of those whose voices are often marginalized or overlooked in …show more content…

Realism is a style of theatre that portrays characters and situations in a manner that is true to life, with a focus on everyday struggles and hardships. In the play, Nottage masterfully employs this technique to bring to light the experiences of the women who work at Mama Nadi's brothel in war-torn Congo. For instance, Nottage uses strong dialogue and vivid stage directions to portray the daily struggles of the women as they try to survive in a war-ravaged society. Lines such as "How many times I got to tell you, the price of tea has gone up" (Act I, Scene I) and stage directions that describe the women's physical and emotional wounds vividly illustrate the harsh realities of their lives. By employing this technique, Nottage humanizes the experiences of the characters, allowing the audience to connect with them and empathize with their plights. This triple-layered analysis shows how Nottage's use of realism in Ruined portrays the characters' everyday struggles, the specific examples of dialogue and stage directions used to illustrate this, and how this portrayal humanizes their

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