The Enlightenment and Beyond: Historical Drama's Modern Evolution

Enlightenment historical dramas were often more concerned with using historical events and figures to explore contemporary issues and themes than with presenting a historically accurate account of events.

Pierre Corneille was a French playwright of the 17th century, while Voltaire, Diderot, and Lessing were all associated with the Enlightenment in the 18th century.

In 'Zaïre', Voltaire explores the conflict between love and duty through the story of a Christian knight who falls in love with a Muslim woman.

Romantic historical dramas often used the past as a setting to explore contemporary issues and themes, rather than celebrating the past for its own sake.

William Shakespeare was a playwright of the Renaissance and early modern period, while Victor Hugo, Schiller, and Byron were all associated with Romanticism in the 19th century.

In 'Hernani', Hugo explores the conflict between love and honor through the story of a bandit who falls in love with a noblewoman.

Realist historical dramas often used the past as a setting to explore contemporary issues and themes, rather than idealizing the past for its own sake.

Oscar Wilde was a playwright of the Aesthetic movement, while Ibsen, Chekhov, and Strindberg were all associated with Realism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In 'A Doll's House', Ibsen explores the conflict between individual freedom and social expectations through the story of a woman who leaves her husband and children to pursue her own life.

Modernist historical dramas often used the past as a setting to explore contemporary issues and themes, rather than idealizing the past for its own sake.

George Bernard Shaw was a playwright of the Realist and Edwardian periods, while Eliot, Brecht, and O'Neill were all associated with Modernism in the early 20th century.

In 'Murder in the Cathedral', Eliot explores the conflict between church and state through the story of the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Postmodern historical dramas often use the past as a setting to explore contemporary issues and themes, rather than idealizing the past for its own sake.

Tom Stoppard is a playwright of the Absurdist and Realist movements, while Kushner, Churchill, and Kane were all associated with Postmodernism in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

In 'Angels in America', Kushner explores the AIDS crisis in America through the stories of a group of characters in New York City in the 1980s.