Setting in drama refers to the time, place, and social environment in which the events of a play unfold. It encompasses not only the physical location (like a castle or a city street) but also the historical period, the prevailing social customs, the cultural atmosphere, and even the specific time of day or year. Essentially, setting provides the backdrop against which the characters interact and the plot progresses, profoundly influencing the mood, themes, and even the dramatic action itself. It is not merely a static stage decoration but an active element that shapes the characters’ experiences and the audience’s understanding of the narrative.
The evolution of setting in British drama, and indeed in Western theatre, reflects broader changes in society, philosophical thought, and theatrical conventions.
In early British drama, particularly in Shakespearean tragedies like Macbeth, the setting is often grand, symbolic, and somewhat fluid, yet deeply integral to the play’s thematic concerns. While specific locations like “Fores. A heath” or “Dunsinane. A room in the castle” are indicated, the emphasis is less on realistic depiction and more on creating an atmosphere that mirrors the internal turmoil and supernatural forces at play. The desolate heath sets a chilling tone for the witches’ prophecies, while the foreboding castle of Dunsinane becomes a physical manifestation of Macbeth’s tyranny and his growing isolation. The setting often serves as a metaphor for the psychological state of the characters or the moral landscape of the play. The dark, stormy nights and the bloody battlefields are not just backdrops but active participants in the unfolding tragedy, reflecting the chaos and moral decay.
Moving to Shakespearean comedies, such as Twelfth Night, the setting takes on a different function. Illyria, the play’s primary setting, is presented as a somewhat fantastical, romanticized land of mistaken identities and playful confusion. While it is a specific place, its charm lies in its liminal quality – a place where social norms can be temporarily subverted, where disguise and gender fluidity thrive. The ducal palace, Olivia’s house, and the street scenes provide distinct yet interconnected spaces for the various plotlines to intertwine. The setting of Illyria, with its melancholic Duke and vibrant revellers, allows for the exploration of love, desire, and folly in a setting that is just detached enough from reality to allow for comic extravagance without losing its emotional resonance. The fluidity of movement between these spaces facilitates the intricate web of relationships and misunderstandings.
As drama progressed into later periods, particularly with the advent of more realistic theatrical movements, the depiction of setting became increasingly detailed and socially significant. George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man (1894), a notable example of late 19th-century “new drama,” showcases a move towards settings that reflect specific social and political realities, even within a comedic framework. The play is set in a Bulgarian town during the Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885. The Raina Petkoff’s drawing-room, initially presented as a romanticized, idealized space befitting a romantic heroine, is subtly subverted by the intrusion of the pragmatic Swiss mercenary, Captain Bluntschli. Shaw uses the setting to critique the romantic illusions of war and class, showing how the “respectable” domestic sphere is confronted by harsh realities. The contrast between the initial idyllic perception of the setting and its eventual demystification is crucial to Shaw’s satirical purpose.
Mid-20th-century British drama saw a significant shift with the rise of “kitchen sink realism.” John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger (1956) is a seminal play of this movement, and its setting is perhaps its most defining characteristic. The play is confined almost entirely to the cramped, untidy, and oppressive one-room flat in a Midlands town where Jimmy and Alison Porter live. This setting is far from grand; it is mundane, claustrophobic, and symbolic of the characters’ entrapment and disillusionment. The messy flat, with its newspapers, ironing board, and general disarray, perfectly mirrors the emotional and social squalor of the characters’ lives. The lack of escape from this physical space intensifies the sense of frustration and anger, making the setting a vital visual representation of the post-war British working-class experience. It is a stark contrast to the earlier, more expansive or symbolic settings, emphasizing the gritty reality of everyday life.
Moving across the Atlantic, American drama also significantly evolved its use of setting. While T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral (1935), though British, offers an interesting parallel by returning to a more symbolic and ritualistic use of setting. Set in Canterbury Cathedral in December 1170, the location is not just a backdrop but a sacred space imbued with historical and religious significance. The cathedral itself becomes a character, witnessing the spiritual struggle and martyrdom of Thomas Becket. The specific architecture and the liturgical elements of the setting amplify the play’s themes of faith, power, and sacrifice, creating a solemn and reverent atmosphere. Here, the setting is less about realism and more about spiritual resonance and historical weight, reminiscent of earlier dramatic traditions, yet infused with modernist poetic sensibilities.
Eugene O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape (1922) radically uses setting to explore themes of alienation and industrial dehumanization. The play moves through a series of distinct, symbolic settings: the stokers’ forecastle (a suffocating, primal space), the promenade deck of the ocean liner (a sterile, superficial world of the wealthy), Fifth Avenue (a bustling, indifferent urban environment), and finally, the gorilla’s cage at the zoo. Each setting is a metaphor for Yank’s successive attempts to find belonging and meaning, and each ultimately rejects or dehumanizes him. The settings are grotesque and expressionistic, designed to convey a psychological reality rather than a literal one. The ship’s engine room, for instance, is depicted as a hellish inferno, symbolizing the dehumanizing effects of industrial labor. The settings are dynamic, changing with Yank’s internal journey, and are crucial to the play’s critique of modern society.
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (1947) exemplifies a more realistic and psychologically charged use of setting. The entire play unfolds in the backyard of the Keller family home in a small American town, specifically on a Sunday morning. This seemingly idyllic, suburban setting, with its specific details like the broken apple tree (a symbol of fallen ideals and lost innocence), gradually reveals the profound moral decay and hidden guilt beneath its placid surface. The setting creates a sense of confined domesticity, trapping the characters within their past actions and the consequences of their choices. The very ordinariness of the backyard makes the unfolding tragedy more poignant, highlighting the universal themes of responsibility, illusion, and truth within a familiar, relatable context. The limited scope of the setting intensifies the dramatic tension, forcing confrontation within the family unit.
Finally, Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story (1959) showcases a minimalist and highly symbolic use of setting. The entire play takes place on a single park bench in Central Park, New York City. This seemingly innocuous public space becomes the battleground for a profound psychological and existential struggle between two strangers, Peter and Jerry. The park bench, a symbol of public interaction and anonymity, ironically becomes a site of intense, violent confrontation. The minimalist setting forces the audience to focus entirely on the dialogue and the characters’ internal worlds. The choice of Central Park, a sprawling urban oasis, also subtly highlights the isolation and alienation that can exist even amidst a large population. The setting, though simple, is crucial in framing the encounter as a microcosm of human connection and disconnection in modern society, where even a shared public space can become a site of profound individual crisis.
In conclusion, the evolution of setting in drama reflects a journey from symbolic and atmospheric backdrops to increasingly realistic, psychologically resonant, and often minimalist spaces. From Shakespeare’s grand castles and fantastical Illyria, which served thematic and atmospheric purposes, to Shaw’s socially critical drawing-rooms, Osborne’s claustrophobic kitchen sinks embodying social realism, Eliot’s sacred cathedrals for spiritual resonance, O’Neill’s expressionistic, dehumanizing environments, Miller’s seemingly idyllic but morally compromised backyards, and Albee’s stark, existential park benches, each playwright has innovated the use of setting. It moves from being a mere stage instruction to an active, dynamic element that shapes character, propels plot, reinforces themes, and engages the audience’s understanding on multiple levels, constantly adapting to new dramatic concerns and aesthetic sensibilities.
Multiple Choice Questions
- What does “setting” primarily encompass in drama?
a) Only the physical location of the play.
b) The time, place, and social environment.
c) The costumes and props.
d) The actors’ motivations.
- In Macbeth, how does the setting of the “heath” primarily function?
a) As a realistic depiction of a Scottish landscape.
b) To create a romantic atmosphere for the lovers.
c) To set a chilling, supernatural tone.
d) To represent a bustling market square.
- What is the main characteristic of Illyria as a setting in Twelfth Night?
a) It is a war-torn, grim landscape.
b) It is a realistic port city in Italy.
c) It is a fantastical, romanticized land allowing for comic subversion.
d) It is a medieval torture chamber.
- How does Shaw use the setting in Arms and the Man to achieve his satirical purpose?
a) By presenting it as a grand, heroic battleground.
b) By showing an idealized domestic space confronted by pragmatic reality.
c) By making it an impenetrable fortress.
d) By setting it in a futuristic, dystopian city.
- The “kitchen sink realism” of plays like Look Back in Anger is characterized by:
a) Grand, opulent settings.
b) Symbolic, abstract spaces.
c) Mundane, claustrophobic domestic settings.
d) Ancient, historical backdrops.
- In Murder in the Cathedral, the Canterbury Cathedral setting primarily emphasizes:
a) The secular political struggles of the time.
b) The mundane routine of daily life.
c) Spiritual resonance and historical weight.
d) A light-hearted, festive atmosphere.
- How does Eugene O’Neill utilize multiple settings in The Hairy Ape?
a) To show the various social circles Yank belongs to.
b) As literal, realistic representations of different places.
c) As symbolic, expressionistic representations of Yank’s alienation.
d) To provide a sense of comfort and familiarity.
- The seemingly idyllic backyard in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons ultimately symbolizes:
a) A perfect, untroubled family life.
b) The freedom and openness of American society.
c) Hidden guilt and moral decay beneath a placid surface.
d) A place for communal gatherings and celebrations.
- What is the significance of the minimalist park bench setting in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story?
a) It represents a bustling, interconnected community.
b) It serves as a literal representation of a zoo.
c) It creates a battleground for psychological and existential struggle, highlighting isolation.
d) It is purely decorative and has no deeper meaning.
- Which of the following plays uses setting primarily to reflect the gritty reality of post-war British working-class experience?
a) Twelfth Night
b) Arms and the Man
c) Look Back in Anger
d) Murder in the Cathedral
Answer Key
- b) The time, place, and social environment.
- c) To set a chilling, supernatural tone.
- c) It is a fantastical, romanticized land allowing for comic subversion.
- b) By showing an idealized domestic space confronted by pragmatic reality.
- c) Mundane, claustrophobic domestic settings.
- c) Spiritual resonance and historical weight.
- c) As symbolic, expressionistic representations of Yank’s alienation.
- c) Hidden guilt and moral decay beneath a placid surface.
- c) It creates a battleground for psychological and existential struggle, highlighting isolation.
- c) Look Back in Anger
Literary Latitude 