The Machine's Effect on the Psyche of the American Woman: A Dramaturgical Analysis of Machinal by Sophie Treadwell
Sophie Treadwell's style is often associated with the male contemporaries of her time: Eugene O'Neill and Elmer Rice. During the 1920s, these writers were being influenced by German Expressionistic theatre in a way that the American stage had not yet witnessed. Expressionistic drama is characterized by Jackson 15 of 26 heightened text that is often expansive, clipped, or musical. This type of dialogue connected the audience with a rhythm particular to the play. Expressionist drama is also characterized by the environment often being boiled down to its essence. This often involved bare-boned sets and dynamic levels. Sophie Treadwell' s style is marked with these ideas. Sophie Treadwell focuses on the inner-workings of the mind of the protagonist. She reveals this to the audience through lengthy speeches that express what they are feeling. These speeches are often illogical stream-of consciousness writings that represent an emotion rather than thought. This is very characteristic of Expressionist theatre. These often irrational speeches are a device Treadwell uses to "encourage theatre spectators to fill in the gaps so that, as Treadwell stated, 'the audience discovers - writes the play' " (Ozieblo 106). Treadwell's use of language is unique and heightens the words to a greater level than one might find otherwise.
Eugene O'Neill, Elmer Rice, German Expressionistic Theatre, Ozieblo and Dickey, History, Performance Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies, Theatre History
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