Tom Stoppard's plays : patterns of plenitude and parsimony / by Nigel Purse.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Purse, Nigel, author.

Series:

Costerus ; Volume 217.

Costerus New Series, 0165-9618 ; Volume 217

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Stoppard, Tom--Criticism and interpretation.

Stoppard, Tom.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (686 pages).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Leiden, Netherlands ; Boston, [Massachusetts] : Brill Rodopi, 2017.

Summary:

In Tom Stoppard’s Plays: Patterns of Plenitude and Parsimony Nigel Purse assesses the complete canon of Tom Stoppard’s works on a thematic basis. He explains that, amongst the plenitude of chaotic comedy, wordplay and intellectual ping-pong of Stoppard’s plays, the principle of parsimony that is Occam’s razor lies at the heart of his works. He identifies key patterns in theme – ethics and duality - and method – Stoppard’s stage debates and his dramatic vehicles - as well as in theatrical devices. Quoting extensively from all Stoppard’s published works, many of his interviews and also unpublished material Nigel Purse arrives at a comprehensive and unique appraisal of Stoppard’s plays.

Contents:

Preliminary Material

Occam’s Razor

The Stoppardian Stage Debate

The Vehicle versus the Idea

Ethics

Dualism–Illusion and Reality

Stoppard’s Theatricality

Stoppard’s Time Shifts

Coda

Appendix 1: Hamlet vs Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Appendix 2: Indian Ink – Timeline

Appendix 3: The Coast of Utopia – Timeline

Bibliography

Works by Tom Stoppard

Characters in Stoppard’s Works

General Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

OCLC:

964302381

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789004319653 DOI