Greek myth in four plays by James K. Baxter

Abstract

This thesis examines four plays by James K. Baxter: The Sore-footed Man, The Bureaucrat, and Mr. O' Dwyer's Dancing Party, all first produced in 1967 and early 1968, and Temptations of Oedipus, first produced in 1970. Each play has a Greek mythical structure, and consideration is given to the relevance and effectiveness of that mythical structure as a vehicle for Baxter's dramatic themes in general, and in each of the four plays under particular consideration. […]

In the analysis of each of Baxter's plays in the following chapters, attention is first given to the Greek play which provides the mythical structure for Baxter's version. Then follows an examination of Baxter‘s own play, and the working out, in dramatic terms, of the key themes discussed in this introduction. The relevance and effectiveness of the Greek myth as a vehicle for these themes is considered both from the thematic and structural point of view. The associated dramatic problems, such as the choice of a suitable language, and the playwright's tendency to identify with his characters, are also considered as they affect each play.