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Private Lives | Essays and Criticism

• Coward's Treatment of Gender-Roles and Marriage

  Faulkner is a professional writer with a B.A. in English from Wayne State University. In this essay, he examines Coward's treatment of gender-roles and marriage.

• Happy Birthday, Dear Noel

  In this review of a 1968 revival performance of Private Lives, Gill offers the opinion that this work is Coward's finest and a prime example of skilled farce. The critic also states that the enduring appeal of the play is a fitting birthday present for Coward, whose seventieth anniversary was marked by the new production.

• Mr. Coward Still Going Along

  In this review of the original Broadway production—which starred playwright Coward in the lead role of Elyot—Atkinson gives a favorable appraisal of the play's comedic offerings.

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1. Private Lives: Introduction
2. Private Lives: Summary
3. Private Lives: Noel Coward Biography
4. Private Lives: Characters
5. Private Lives: Themes
6. Private Lives: Style
7. Private Lives: Historical Context
8. Private Lives: Critical Overview
9. Private Lives: Essays and Criticism
   1. Coward's Treatment of Gender-Roles and Marriage
   2. Happy Birthday, Dear Noel
   3. Mr. Coward Still Going Along
10. Private Lives: Compare and Contrast
11. Private Lives: Topics for Further Study
12. Private Lives: Media Adaptations
13. Private Lives: What Do I Read Next?
14. Private Lives: Bibliography and Further Reading
15. Private Lives: Pictures
16. Copyright

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