Soya beans and cricket bats : society and the artist in the plays of Tom Stoppard
Date
1984
Authors
Thompson, Doreen Helen
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Abstract
In the early Stoppard plays, the hero-heroine prototypes are super-sensitive characters whose exclusive, often irresponsible behaviour is Justified by the special dispensation implied in being an artist, whether in factor in fancy. But in Travesties, Stoppard expresses a concern with the neutrality of the artist vis-a-vis the day-to-day politics of t he rest of society. The shift from detached craftsman to committed artist becomes increasingly apparent in the later plays as the artist-figures become participants in issues which move substantially closer to real-life situations An exploration of the role of the artist throughout the plays provides a valuable insight int the continual tension that Stoppard experiences as regards the privilege and responsibility of the artist and the function of art in society.
The first chapter examines the spectator-hero of Stoppard's earliest writings , beginning with Lord Malquist, who advocates stylish withdrawal from social pressures Similar escapist maneuvers are employed by the artist-figures in Albert's Bridge, Enter a Free Man, If You're Glad, I'll Be Frank, and Jumpers, who find themselves at odds with an incompatible world For Stoppard himself, artistic detachment manifests itself as an overt intellectualism that refuses to take sides, and a fascination with his own unique ability to present i de as cleverly, effectively, and with a dazzling theatrical flair The verbal and visual jokes which claim no other purpose than to entertain can be justified however on the basis of Stoppard's particular "art for art's sake" Stoppard's artfulness, at least in the early plays, can be seen as stylish withdrawal.
The second chapter focuses on Travesties, the work in which Stoppard most clearly articulates the problem of neutrality versus involvement Significantly, the war of ideas in Travesties is waged with no suggestion of a clear-cut authorial position. But Stoppard's link with Oscar Wilde, through frequent allusions to The Importance of Being Earnest, encourages the view that the author is operating on more than one level, deliberately assuming a superficial frivolity as a means of advancing more serious considerations. Even though, in Travesties, Stoppard continues to create visual and verbal complexities in the cause of "art for art's sake," he is faced with the same dilemma that he devises for his artists-in-war who ask themselves whether the pursuit of art for its own sake can be maintained amidst political disasters that affect all mankind.
The third chapter deals with the social commitment of Stoppard's later, more polemical writing, in plays such as Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and Professional Foul, which also heralds a departure from his former dispassionate rendering of ideas by puppet-like figures to the creation of relatively self-motivated characters, capable of expressing human emotions in recognizably true-to-life situations A gr owing uneasiness with the discrepancy between his own art and actuality probably caused Stoppard to narrow the gap in his most recent play, The Real Thing Questions pertaining to art are no longer presented in the form of an open-ended debate, but relate to matters which the hero, Henry, must resolve on a personal level The theory of art for art's sake has now been replaced by Henry's conviction that art is his means of shaping what he has to say into a more effective instrument for conveying his ideas As Stoppard aligns himself more directly with the play's central character, we receive a clearer picture of the privileged and gifted artist coming to terms with his responsibilities as they relate to his art, and to the politics of his public and private life.