Plays In American Periodicals, 1890-1918

Between 1890 and 1918, over 125 American, English, Irish and AngloIndian plays by 70 dramatists were published in 14 American general interest periodicals aimed at the middle-class reader and consumer. Ranging from elite publications such as The Atlantic Monthly and Scribner's to more mid-level venues such as McClure's and Everybody's Magazine to progressive magazines such as Arena and Forum, the plays dramatized a wide range of American concerns, including anxieties about "race suicide," immigration, "white slavery," the New Woman, class distinctions, global warfare, and the creation of a unique national identity. These plays show Americans to have been "dis/contented" citizens, conflicted by the demands of a dynamically changing nation.

About the Author:
Susan Harris Smith is Professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh