This thesis provides a close reading of Friedrich Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy, with particular attention paid to his use of the “principle of individuation.” The major question this thesis confronts is whether Nietzsche’s text might provide illuminative insights for the study of contemporary dramatic literature. Another question addressed by the thesis is whether Nietzsche’s text may offer dramaturgical alternatives to the strictures of naturalism. These questions are considered in relation to the play Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl. In considering how Ruhl’s play might be reflective of Nietzsche’s own ideological and artistic investments, the author found that a deeper philosophical engagement with Nietzsche’s notion of the tragic helped to suggest new avenues for the study and the production of current dramatic literature.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis provides a close reading of Friedrich Nietzsche’s <i>The Birth of Tragedy</i>, with particular attention paid to his use of the “principle of individuation.” The major question this thesis confronts is whether Nietzsche’s text might provide illuminative insights for the study of contemporary dramatic literature. Another question addressed by the thesis is whether Nietzsche’s text may offer dramaturgical alternatives to the strictures of naturalism. These questions are considered in relation to the play <i>Dead Man’s Cell Phone</i> by Sarah Ruhl. In considering how Ruhl’s play might be reflective of Nietzsche’s own ideological and artistic investments, the author found that a deeper philosophical engagement with Nietzsche’s notion of the tragic helped to suggest new avenues for the study and the production of current dramatic literature.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sheaffer, Adam"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Communication, Media and Theatre Arts","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lee Stille, PhD, Chair","Craig Dionne, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:44Z","subjects":["naturalism","tragedy","Nietzsche","dramaturgy","principle of individuation","Theatre and Performance Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/313","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lee Stille, PhD, Chair","Craig Dionne, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sheaffer, Adam"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2011-05-20T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication, Media and Theatre Arts"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["naturalism","tragedy","Nietzsche","dramaturgy","principle of individuation","Theatre and Performance Studies"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/313"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis provides a close reading of Friedrich Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy, with particular attention paid to his use of the “principle of individuation.” The major question this thesis confronts is whether Nietzsche’s text might provide illuminative insights for the study of contemporary dramatic literature. Another question addressed by the thesis is whether Nietzsche’s text may offer dramaturgical alternatives to the strictures of naturalism. These questions are considered in relation to the play Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl. In considering how Ruhl’s play might be reflective of Nietzsche’s own ideological and artistic investments, the author found that a deeper philosophical engagement with Nietzsche’s notion of the tragic helped to suggest new avenues for the study and the production of current dramatic literature.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Nietzsche’s “Toys of Desperation” or The Birth of Tragedy as dramaturgical alternative"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lee Stille, PhD, Chair","Craig Dionne, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Sheaffer, Adam"],"dc:date.available":["2011-05-20T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis provides a close reading of Friedrich Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy, with particular attention paid to his use of the “principle of individuation.” The major question this thesis confronts is whether Nietzsche’s text might provide illuminative insights for the study of contemporary dramatic literature. Another question addressed by the thesis is whether Nietzsche’s text may offer dramaturgical alternatives to the strictures of naturalism. These questions are considered in relation to the play Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl. In considering how Ruhl’s play might be reflective of Nietzsche’s own ideological and artistic investments, the author found that a deeper philosophical engagement with Nietzsche’s notion of the tragic helped to suggest new avenues for the study and the production of current dramatic literature.
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