Augustus Thomas Criticism
Augustus Thomas (1857-1934) was a prominent American playwright renowned for his use of native American subjects and regional settings, transforming traditional melodrama into character-driven narratives. Born in Missouri, Thomas left school early to support his family and worked various jobs, from railroad clerk to theater manager. His diverse career included roles as an actor, producer, and playwright, with a significant focus on using drama to evoke emotional and political consciousness. Notable for his contributions to American drama, he was awarded honors by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and prestigious colleges.
Thomas's career spanned three distinct phases: the early regional plays of the 1890s such as Alabama, In Mizzoura, and Arizona, which integrated melodramatic plots with strong character narratives; the successful farces of the early 1900s influenced by his interactions with George Bernard Shaw and J. M. Barrie in Paris; and the theme plays from 1907 to 1911, including the witty The Witching Hour. However, after the commercial failure of Still Waters in 1925, his career declined, and he retired from writing.
Thomas's work received mixed critical responses; while plays like Arizona were initially successful, his methods were later viewed as formulaic. Despite this, his innovations in character development and thematic exploration significantly impacted the evolution of early cinema, evidenced by his contribution to film scenarios and the integration of film techniques in his play The Battle Cry. His legacy, though overshadowed by modernist changes in theater, remains influential in the development of American drama.
Thomas's approach to drama was praised by figures like William Dean Howells for its authentic plot construction, as noted in A review of “Arizona”. His dramatic methods were explored in interviews with Van Wyck Brooks, highlighting what made his plays distinctly American (Augustus Thomas). Meanwhile, critics like Ludwig Lewisohn and George Jean Nathan critiqued the mechanical nature of his plays (According to Sarcey, The Theatre), demonstrating the polarized reception of his work throughout his career.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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A review of “Arizona”
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Howells praises Thomas for his skill as a dramatist, and particularly for his ability to construct plot and to render details authentically.
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Augustus Thomas
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Brooks interviews Thomas about his method of dramatic composition and about his idea of what makes a play specifically American.
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The Plays of Augustus Thomas
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Winter praises some of Thomas's major hits, emphasizing the genius of his plays that comprehends human nature and its complexities.
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A Playwright's Manual
(summary)
In the following excerpt, The New York Times reprints an article from The Boston Evening Transcript in which Moderwell discusses Thomas's essays about his own methods of dramatic composition.
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Advice to Actors
(summary)
In the following excerpt of a talk Thomas delivered to acting students, reprinted in The New York Times, the playwright offers advice to actors and an apologia for the theater.
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According to Sarcey
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Lewisohn deplores the kind of mechanical construction of which Thomas's plays, he argues, are a typical example.
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The Theatre
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Nathan reviews Thomas's plays and finds them contemptible, arguing that Mr. Augustus Thomas has been resting in obscurity for the last twenty-five years and that his acceptance as a dramatist of quality is a comic instance of American criticism.
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Augustus Thomas
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Garland pays tribute to his deceased friend, Augustus Thomas, detailing his background and early life as a bread-winner for his family.
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A review of “Arizona”
(summary)
- Further Reading