Literature Companion: Spring Awakening

By History World

The play primarily criticizes the sexually-oppressive culture that prevailed in the 19th century in Germany. Erotic fantasies have been very skillfully dramatized in this play.

The play explores several controversial themes such as sexuality, rape, child abuse, puberty, homosexuality, suicide, abortion, etc. Owing to these controversial subjects, the play was frequently censored and banned.

“Spring Awakening” in English was first performed in New York City in 1917. The Commissioner of Licenses in New York City threatened to close the play claiming that the play was pornographic, but the New York court after a trial issued an injunction to let the play proceed with its production.

Literature Companion: Spring Awakening
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Act One
Act Two
Act Three
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Feb 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311549952

Book preview

Literature Companion: Spring Awakening

Copyright

Literature Companion: Spring Awakening

History World

Copyright@2015 History World

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Chapter One: Introduction

Spring Awakening by German dramatist Frank Wedekind was first performed on 20th of November, 1906. It is said to have been written sometime between autumn 1890 and spring 1891.

The original German title of the play is Fruhlings Erwachen. In English it is also translated as Spring’s Awakening.

It was the first major play written by the author. The play is considered as a seminal work in the modern history of theatre.

The play was first performed at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin. Max Reinhardt was the director of the play. The subtitle of the play is A Children’s Tragedy.

The play primarily criticizes the sexually-oppressive culture that prevailed in the 19th century in Germany. Erotic fantasies have been very skillfully dramatized in this play.

The play explores several controversial themes such as sexuality, rape, child abuse, puberty, homosexuality, suicide, abortion, etc. Owing to these controversial subjects, the play was frequently censored and banned.

Spring Awakening in English was first performed in New York City in 1917. The Commissioner of Licenses in New York City threatened to close the play claiming that the play was pornographic, but the New York court after a trial issued an injunction to let the play proceed with its production.

Eventually, the city administration allowed only one matinee performance for a limited audience.

The play was produced in the United Kingdom in 1963. Unfortunately, only after two nights of performance, the play was told to be performed in censored form.

Likewise, several other productions ensued but there were frequent bans and censor orders.

In the year 2006, the play reached Broadway. It won eight Tony Awards, including the best musical when it was adapted into a musical there.

The play was also adapted for television. The television title was The Awakening of Spring. The television version was produced in 2008.

There are several loosely related themes which are addressed primarily through a series of dialogues. The plot is also loosely structured. Several of the characters are indistinguishable from one another.

Some scholars said that the playwright had shot arrows in all direction but lacked a single clear target.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

Act One

The opening scene of the play presents Wendla Bergmann with her mother. Wendla is arguing over the length of her skirt. She confides to her mother that she sometimes thinks about death.

Wendla asks her mother whether such a thought is sinful. The mother does not pay attention to the question. Wendla jokingly tells her mother that one day she may wear nothing under her long dress.

The scene shifts to Melchior Gabor and Moritz Stiefel.