Social Minds in Drama

This study provides a new model for the construction of mentalities and intermental thought of characters in playscripts. It introduces a model that facilitates the analysis of the construction of consciousness, instances of collective thought, and the dynamics of group formation in late-Victorian drama. It can be placed within the framework of cognitive studies because cognitive studies are interested in examining the mental state and the relationship between minds involved in cognitive interaction in narratives. For a long time narrative studies have neglected drama as a genre and, even after the long overdue acceptance of plays in the family of narratives, most critics were eager to focus on performance rather than on playscripts. This book introduces a model through which the analysis of playscripts will be rewarding and worthwhile.

Autorentext

Golnaz Shams was born in Tehran. She holds a PhD in English literature. She taught English and German most of her life. Her research has been about Victorian literature and especially on theatre and drama. She is also interested in narratology, theatre studies, and literary theory. She used to stage plays in an amateur theatre group at the ÖKI (Österreichisches Kulturinstitut) in Tehran and also took some acting classes with the late renowned theatre director Hamid Samandarian.

Inhalt

Introduction

Theoretical Background

Character and Consciousness in Drama

Mentalities and Fictional Minds I

Mentalities and Fictional Minds II

Intermentality and Group Formation in Ibsen

Intermentality and Group Formation in Wilde

Intermentality and Group Formation in Shaw