A Student Edition of Wedekind's classic 1891 expressionist play about adolescent sexuality.
Wedekind's notorious play Spring Awakening influenced a whole trend of modern drama and remains relevant to today's society, exploring the oppression and rebellion of adolescents among draconian parents and morals. This seminal work looks at the conflict between repressive adulthood and teenage sexual longings in a provincial German town.
Highly controversial and with themes of sexuality, social attitudes and adolescence, the play is a popular and provocative text for study, especially at undergraduate level.
This translation by Edward Bond first brought the play to English audiences when it premiered at the National Theatre in 1974. Receiving high praise ('scrupulously faithful both to Wedekind's irony and his poetry.' The Times), this version is now considered to be the definitive English translation.
This Student Edition features expert and helpful annotation, including a scene-by-scene summary, a detailed commentary on the dramatic, social and political context, and on the themes, characters, language and structure of the play, as well as a list of suggested reading and questions for further study and a review of performance history.
A Student Edition of Wedekind's classic 1891 expressionist play about adolescent sexuality.
"Must-haves for any students exploring these modern classics, or indeed anyone teaching Literature or Drama." – Teach Secondary
Methuen Drama Student Editions are expertly annotated texts of modern and classic plays designed for students' study.
Each one offers the complete text of the play as well as contemporary commentary, written by experts in the field, that provides students with an in-depth look into the background, themes and history of the play.
They include:
- An introduction giving a complete background to the play and a discussion of the social, political, cultural and economic context in which the play was originally conceived and created.
- A chronology of the playwright’s life and work, and review of the play’s production history.
- Questions for further study and preparation for examinations along with suggestions for primary and secondary materials for further study.