Places Discussed
*Bloomsbury
*Bloomsbury. Fashionable district of London. James Barrie lived in Bloomsbury before achieving financial success, which is perhaps his reason for locating the home of the Darling family in a somewhat run-down section of the district. One of the place’s fantastic touches is the family’s Newfoundland dog, which acts as the children’s nurse.
Neverland
Neverland. Fantastical island home of Peter Pan and other parentless boys that the Darling children glimpse during the moment before they fall asleep. Thus, it is not a dream, but a physical analogue of the state between waking and sleeping, a condition when vivid fantasies can be shaped to fit one’s wishes. Barrie describes Neverland as a compact place for adventures, with wild Red Indians in the woods, mermaids in the lagoon, and pirates in the river. Because Neverland also condenses Earth’s seasons, the river is frozen in winter (appropriate to its evil inhabitants), while the lagoon and forest remain in summer.
Among the land’s inhabitants are fairies, seen as a series of lights projected on the stage; lost boys, who fell from their mothers’ perambulators as babies and were taken to Neverland by the fairies; and an assortment of animals, including a musical ostrich and a crocodile with a loudly ticking clock in its stomach.
Since the games of real children in London’s Kensington inspired the drama, Barrie writes that Peter first lived with the fairies there before they took him to Neverland. Indeed, Neverland itself combines the comfort and beauty of that park with characters and sites from the adventures the real children imagined they were having while in the Gardens. In Neverland, the lost boys’ cavern, with seven hollow trees as entrances, is a place of eternal play, threatened by Captain Hook, who in early drafts of the drama appears as a schoolmaster.
Historical Context
At the dawn of the twentieth century, Great Britain stood as a dominant global power, with territories spanning nearly every continent. Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901, and her influence lingered in 1904, even though her son, Edward VII, had ascended to the throne. The Edwardian era was marked by opulence for the wealthy, but the disparity between the rich and the poor was starkly pronounced. Although the United States was still emerging as a nation, its industrial strength was earning it a growing reputation.
London served as a hub for several international markets, including currency and commodities. However, economic uncertainty and tension arose after years of prosperity fueled by the late-nineteenth-century Industrial Revolution. Some commodities struggled while others thrived. Grain farmers fared worse compared to dairy or fruit farmers. Industry trends leaned towards consolidation and power concentration, yet exports continued to decline. Despite this, London remained the epicenter of finance and banking, which offset the overall trade deficits in other sectors. Although the national average income rose, the gap between social classes widened.
Even with rising wages, laborers in Great Britain began to organize. Both skilled and unskilled workers joined unions in unprecedented numbers to voice their concerns. Many labor leaders espoused socialist and Marxist ideologies. The Liberal party, often sympathetic to the issues of workers and the lower classes, gained parliamentary control in 1906 and addressed numerous social reform issues. They introduced free meals for impoverished schoolchildren and established a medical service to address their health needs. Nevertheless, poverty was widespread, with a study revealing that 27% of York’s population lived below the poverty line.
Child labor in factories and mills sparked controversy in both Great Britain and the United States. In America, there were calls for regulations on the number of hours a child could work, as well as for mandatory school attendance. In 1904, the National Child Labor Committee was established in the United States. The first child labor law in the United States was enacted in 1908.
Women also worked in these factories but rarely earned the same wages as men. Their job opportunities were confined to certain sectors because society still believed a woman's place was at home. Some women in the United States demanded the right to vote to address these and other issues. Others organized their own unions and formed various groups to promote their agendas, often focusing on social welfare.
The Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL) was established in the United States in 1903. In the same year, a similar organization promoting voting and social reform was founded in Britain. Known as the Women’s Social and Political Union, its leaders advocated for violent actions against unsympathetic forces and encouraged hunger strikes among members to highlight their message.
Literary Style
Setting
Peter Pan is a children’s fantasy/adventure story set in early
20th-century London and a fictional place called Never Land. The London scenes
are centered in the nursery of the Darling family, situated in the Bloomsbury
district. Never Land, an island, features scenes in the forest with shelters
both above and below ground, as well as a lagoon where mermaids swim. Another
key location in Never Land is Captain Hook’s pirate ship, the Jolly Roger,
where the play’s climactic battle occurs. These varied settings highlight the
contrast between reality and fantasy. While the Darling household, despite
having a dog as a nanny (a slightly whimsical idea), is largely grounded in
reality and order, Never Land lacks mature authority. The island is filled with
forests, lagoons, and pirate ships—elements that cater to a child’s sense of
adventure and fun. There is minimal order or responsibility; the Lost Boys and
the pirates follow their leaders, but there is little organization beyond
battlefield obedience.
Special Effects
Peter Pan employs numerous special effects to highlight its fantastical
elements, particularly those involving Tinkerbell and Peter. Tinkerbell, a
fairy, was initially represented by a lighting effect rather than an actor
(though some modern productions, influenced by Walt Disney’s animated version,
have cast an actor to play her). Traditionally, Tinkerbell appeared as a ball
of light created by reflecting light off an angled mirror, with her voice
mimicked by the sound of bells. By using light and sound effects, Tinkerbell
could appear otherworldly, able to move swiftly across the stage. Similarly,
Peter displays superhuman traits: he can fly, he is ageless, and aspects of him
defy logic—such as his shadow being detached from his body.
The special effects are crucial to Barrie’s play and significantly contribute to its enduring appeal across generations. For a production to be successful, it must convincingly portray elements like Peter flying, a dog that behaves like a human, and a magical fairy. Most productions of Peter Pan use a wire and pulley system that allows stagehands to lift actors off the ground and move them as if they are flying. Nana, the dog-nanny, is often portrayed by a person in a costume. Various lighting and sound effects are employed to illustrate Tinkerbell’s presence and fairy-like abilities. When executed well, these effects enhance the play’s sense of fantasy and enjoyment.
Foreshadowing: Mother’s Instinct
In Barrie’s play, the dramatic technique of foreshadowing frequently involves
themes of motherhood. Maternal insights often hint at significant events in the
story. For instance, Mrs. Darling had previously noticed Peter at the window
while tucking her children into bed and reading them stories. This sighting
makes her hesitant to go out to dinner with her husband in Act I. Her
apprehensions are confirmed when Peter returns for his shadow and persuades the
children to join him in Never Land. When Wendy takes on the role of mother to
the Lost Boys and her own younger brothers, she also develops a maternal
instinct. While narrating a story about her home to her "children," she comes
to realize, with John's help, that her mother likely misses her. This
realization prompts the decision that they must return home.
Compare and Contrast
1904: Child labor is prevalent in both the United States and Great Britain, sparking significant controversy. Proposed legislation aims to regulate this, including laws mandating that children spend a certain amount of time in school.
Today: Child labor in the United States and England is heavily restricted. However, several American companies, such as Nike, operate factories in developing countries where goods are produced at very low costs. These factories often employ child labor under sweatshop-like conditions.
1904: The idea of people flying in airplanes is almost unimaginable. The Wright brothers achieved their first successful flight in 1903.
Today: Commercial air travel is widespread globally. Thousands of flights crisscross the world daily.
1904: Women make up nearly one-third of the workforce in the United States. They are largely confined to domestic roles and receive low wages.
Today: Women represent about half of the workforce in the United States. Although job opportunities exist in nearly every field, women, on average, earn less than 80% of what their male counterparts make.
1904: Compulsory education has only recently been implemented in the United States and is still not required in Great Britain.
Today: Education is legally required until at least age 16 in both the United States and Great Britain.
Media Adaptations
Peter Pan was transformed into a silent film in 1924. This adaptation, released by Paramount, was directed by Herbert Brenon. The cast included Betty Bronson as Peter Pan, Mary Brian as Wendy, and Virginia Brown Faire as Tinkerbell.
In 1953, Disney produced a full-length animated version. Directed by Clyde Geronimi and Wilfred Jackson, this film featured the voices of Bobby Driscoll as Peter Pan, Kathryn Beaumont as Wendy, and Hans Conried as both Captain Hook and Mr. Darling.
NBC aired a live television version in 1955, which was performed again live in 1956. Both broadcasts starred Mary Martin as Peter Pan, Kathleen Nolan as Wendy, and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook.
In 1976, NBC showcased a made-for-television adaptation. This version starred Mia Farrow as Peter Pan and Danny Kaye as Captain Hook.
An animated television series inspired by the stage play aired in syndication in 1990. Titled Peter Pan and the Pirates, it featured the voice of Tim Curry as Captain Hook and Jason Marsden as Peter Pan.
Bibliography and Further Reading
Sources
Barrie, James. Peter Pan, Or, the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up, Scribner,
1928.
Beerbohm, Max. ‘‘The Child Barrie’’ in the Saturday Review, January 7, 1905, pp. 13-14.
Green, Roger Lancelyn. Fifty Years of Peter Pan, Peter Davies, 1954, pp. 2, 155.
Green, Roger Lancelyn. J. M. Barrie: A Walck Monograph, Henry Z. Walck, 1960, p. 34.
Jack, R. D. S. The Road to the Never Land: A Reassessment of J. M. Barrie’s Dramatic Art, Aberdeen University Press, pp. 167-68, 170.
Review of Peter Pan in The Illustrated London News, January 7, 1905.
Shout, John D. ‘‘From Nora Helmer to Wendy Darling: If You Believe in Heroines, Clap Your Hands’’ in Modern Drama, 1992, p. 360.
Further Reading
Barrie, James. Margaret Ogilvy, Scribner, 1896. This biography,
written by Barrie about his mother, delves deeply into the playwright’s mind
and his enduring interest in motherhood.
Birkin, Andrew. J. M. Barrie and the Lost Boys: The Love Story That Gave Birth to Peter Pan, Clarkson N. Potter, 1979. This work explores the intricate relationship between Barrie and the Davies family, enriched with photographs, letters, and other primary sources.
Jack, R. D. S. ‘‘The Manuscript of Peter Pan’’ in Children’s Literature, 1990. This article examines the original manuscript of Peter Pan and how the story evolved over time.
Walbrook, H. M. J. M. Barrie and the Theatre, F. V. White & Co., 1922. This book provides both an analysis of Barrie’s plays, including Peter Pan, and background information on Barrie and his theatrical contributions.
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