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Sweeney Agonistes

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142:, about his concept for the unfinished play. Bennett noted that Eliot wanted "to write a drama of modern life (furnished flat sort of people) in a rhythmic prose 'perhaps with certain things in it accentuated by drum-beats.'" Roby also points out that the style of the play is frequently associated with the rhythm of jazz music as well as the "rhythm of the common speech of his time." Other critics, like Marjorie Lightfoot, associated the play with the "conventions of 822: 225:. Doone had all but Sweeney wear masks until an unmasking at the end. He also added a scene at the end where Sweeney raises a razor and chases a woman. A police whistle is blown and there is a pounding on the door. A woman's scream is heard as the stage lights go down. This production was seen by Eliot's wife, 210:. The cast was a mixture of students and local amateurs with a physician playing the part of Sweeney. Eliot, who was teaching at Harvard University at the time, managed to attend. He had had a correspondence with Flanagan prior to the performance giving her suggestions on presentation and a brief ending. 290:
In the essay "Sweeney and the Jazz Age," Carol H. Smith writes, "What Eliot expresses in this fragmentary play is both the agony of the saint and private anguish and rage of the man trapped in a world of demanding relationships with women. . .In Sweeney's story of violence and horror, sexual love
175:, who introduces his war buddies whom he has brought along: Mr. Klipstein and Mr. Krumpacker (two American businessmen) and Captain Horsfall. All of these characters, plus Sweeney, also appear in "Fragment of an Agon" which also includes the minor characters of Swarts and Snow. 297:
in the essay '"HOO HOO HOO": Some Episodes in the Construction of Modern Whiteness' calls attention to the repeated use of the word "hoo" towards the end of the 1927 "Fragment of an Agon" section and its relation to the use of the same word in
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was his first attempt at writing a verse drama although he was unable to complete the piece. In 1926 and 1927 he separately published two scenes from this attempt and then collected them in 1932 in a small book under the title
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Eliot, pp. 34–35. Sweeney, at a brothel, is shaving while one of the prostitutes is having an epileptic seizure. The women at the brothel worry that the screaming may be misunderstood but Doris enters the room bringing
287:, critics have perceived Christian themes but more as motifs than as underlying structure: the horror of spiritual awareness amidst modern ignorance, and the trepidation of the soul at the brink of salvation." 125:
listed under his "Unfinished Poems" with the "Fragments of an Aristophanic Melodrama" part of the play's original title removed. The scenes are separately titled "Fragment of a Prologue" and "Fragment of an
168:(1922). Although Sweeney only appears briefly or as a character sketch in the poems and never speaks, in "Fragment of an Agon" he is the main character with most of the dialogue. 844: 178:
The character of Doris also appears with Sweeney in the poem "Sweeney Erect" and Eliot used the name Doris in a collection of three poems published in November 1924 in
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The characters in "Fragment of a Prologue" consist of the female prostitutes Doris Dorrance and Dusty who are visited by Sam Wauchope, a former soldier from the
251:, a wooden building still standing on Broadway at West 100th Street, in New York. It concluded their first financially successful production: a program called 1112: 400:
Gallup, pp. 210–11. The other of "Doris's Dream Songs", "Eyes that I last saw in tears" and "The wind sprang up at four o'clock" appear in Eliot's
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Sweeney, the title character, only appears in the second scene, "Fragment of an Agon." Eliot had used the character of Sweeney in four poems prior to
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leads to spiritual purgation, and yet this theme is by definition incommunicable to a world terrified of death and unaware of anything beyond it."
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magazine. The third of "Doris's Dream Songs" ("This is the dead land/This is the cactus land") was later incorporated into Eliot's poem "
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The scholar Kinley Roby notes that Eliot started writing the scene "Fragment of A Prologue" in 1924 and wrote to a friend, the writer
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was produced by The Living Theatre on a very low budget: 35 dollars. It opened on March 2, 1952, at
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T. S. Eliot's Dramatic Theory and Practice : From Sweeney Agonistes to The Elder Statesman
1212: 1107: 879: 810: 618: 586: 546: 1202: 1178: 1077: 1072: 886: 821: 307: 659: 1102: 925: 754: 207: 521:(December 1995). ""HOO HOO HOO": Some Episodes in the Construction of Modern Whiteness". 236:
in 1978 that included Eliot's rendition of "A Fragment of an Agon" recorded at Harvard's
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comedy," and she notes that Eliot never wrote another play with the musical rhythms of
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Innes, Christopher (2011) . "Modernism in Drama". In Michael Levenson (ed.).
768: 573:(A Revised and Extended ed.). New York: Harcourt, Brace & World. 316: 452:
Galef, David. "The Fragments of a Journey: The Drama in T.S. Eliot's
388: 312: 117:. The scenes are frequently performed together as a one-act play. 232:
A six-cassette package called "The Poet's Voice" was released by
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Lightfoot, Marjorie J. "Charting Eliot's Course in Drama."
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In "The Fragments of a Journey: The Drama in T. S. Eliot's
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in London with friends in a production by the experimental
682:. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, 1963. 115:
Sweeney Agonistes: Fragments of an Aristophanic Melodrama
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Sweeney Agonistes: Fragments of an Aristophanic Melodrama
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The title was probably inspired by Milton's tragic poem
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Directed by Judith Malina and designed by Julian Beck,
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Critical Essays on T.S. Eliot : The Sweeney Motif
604:(2nd. ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press. 660:"Old Times: Pinter's Meditation on Sweeney Agonistes" 469:. Ed. Kinley Roby. Boston: G.K. & Hall Co., 1985. 1150: 1121: 1088: 1024: 970: 910: 829: 732: 343: 341: 91: 83: 69: 61: 51: 34: 610: 538: 845:The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles 613:Eliot's Dark Angel: Intersections of Life and Art 362:Critical Essays on T.S. Eliot: The Sweeney Motif 349:Critical Essays on T.S. Eliot: The Sweeney Motif 467:Critical Essay on T.S. Eliot: The Sweeney Motif 456:." English Studies. Taylor & Francis, 1988. 646:http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001227509 701: 421: 419: 8: 465:Smith, Carol H. "Sweeney and the Jazz Age." 1113:T. S. Eliot Prize (Truman State University) 275:," David Galef writes, "Through the play's 121:is currently available in print in Eliot's 708: 694: 686: 40: 31: 545:. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World. 478: 658:Schmitt, Natalie Crohn (11 June 2008). 513:. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 328: 7: 1057:Canticle IV: The Journey of the Magi 602:The Cambridge Companion to Modernism 564:. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce. 993:Tradition and the Individual Talent 838:Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats 741:The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock 351:. Boston: G.K. Hall and Co., 1985. 511:T.S. Eliot and the Cultural Divide 25: 494:: T. S. Eliot's Sweeney Agonistes 364:. Boston: G. K. & Hall, 1985. 27:1932 drama written by T. S. Eliot 820: 213:In November 1934 Eliot also saw 259:, preceded by Gertrude Stein's 654:. Boston, MA: G.K. Hall, 1985. 583:T. S. Eliot: An Imperfect Life 347:Roby, Kinley. "Introduction." 335:Gallup, pp. 50–51,213–214 253:An Evening of Bohemian Theatre 1: 642:, Edward Arnold, London, 1914 638:Cornford, Francis MacDonald. 404:in the section "Minor Poems". 173:Canadian Expeditionary Force 1041:Assassinio nella cattedrale 1007:A Choice of Kipling's Verse 617:. Oxford University Press. 571:T. S. Eliot: A Bibliography 1280: 1163:Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot 1015:The Frontiers of Criticism 979:Selected Essays, 1917–1932 640:The Origin of Attic Comedy 609:Schuchard, Ronald (1999). 585:. New York: W. W. Norton. 560:Flanagan, Haillie (1943). 541:Collected Poems, 1909–1962 509:Chinitz, David E. (2003). 257:Desire Trapped by the Tail 123:Collected Poems: 1909–1962 1187:Charlotte Champe Stearns 818: 723: 255:which included Picasso's 206:, under the direction of 194:The first performance of 39: 1195:William Greenleaf Eliot 1264:Faber & Faber books 1130:Portrait of T. S. Eliot 1049:Murder in the Cathedral 1033:Murder in the Cathedral 986:Hamlet and His Problems 933:Murder in the Cathedral 859:Growltiger's Last Stand 762:Whispers of Immortality 569:Gallup, Donald (1969). 954:The Confidential Clerk 519:DuPlessis, Rachel Blau 204:Poughkeepsie, New York 78:Poughkeepsie, New York 1254:Poetry by T. S. Eliot 650:Roby, Kinley E., ed. 295:Rachel Blau DuPlessis 238:Woodberry Poetry Room 198:was on 6 May 1933 at 1249:Plays by T. S. Eliot 1228:William Butler Yeats 852:Gus: The Theatre Cat 190:Notable performances 1223:Jean Jules Verdenal 961:The Elder Statesman 804:Journey of the Magi 523:American Literature 434:Gordon, p. 289 425:Gordon, p. 288 323:Notes and citations 281:religious symbolism 947:The Cocktail Party 940:The Family Reunion 866:The Naming of Cats 748:Portrait of a Lady 443:Innes, p. 141 234:Harvard University 46:First edition 1932 1236: 1235: 1213:John Davy Hayward 1198: 1190: 1182: 1179:Henry Ware Eliot 1174: 1166: 1108:T. S. Eliot Prize 919:Sweeney Agonistes 811:A Song for Simeon 666:. Harold Pinter - 624:978-0-19-510417-2 492:A Dawn Miraculous 454:Sweeney Agonistes 273:Sweeney Agonistes 245:Sweeney Agonistes 196:Sweeney Agonistes 160:Sweeney Agonistes 119:Sweeney Agonistes 105:Sweeney Agonistes 101: 100: 84:Original language 35:Sweeney Agonistes 16:(Redirected from 1271: 1203:E. Martin Browne 1196: 1188: 1180: 1172: 1164: 887:The Dry Salvages 824: 710: 703: 696: 687: 675: 673: 671: 628: 616: 605: 596: 574: 565: 556: 544: 530: 514: 496: 488: 482: 476: 470: 463: 457: 450: 444: 441: 435: 432: 426: 423: 414: 411: 405: 398: 392: 380: 374: 371: 365: 358: 352: 345: 336: 333: 308:Samson Agonistes 285:jazz syncopation 44: 32: 21: 1279: 1278: 1274: 1273: 1272: 1270: 1269: 1268: 1239: 1238: 1237: 1232: 1146: 1117: 1103:Faber and Faber 1084: 1020: 1000:The Sacred Wood 966: 906: 825: 816: 728: 719: 714: 669: 667: 657: 643: 635: 633:Further reading 625: 608: 599: 593: 579:Gordon, Lyndall 577: 568: 559: 553: 533: 517: 508: 505: 500: 499: 489: 485: 477: 473: 464: 460: 451: 447: 442: 438: 433: 429: 424: 417: 412: 408: 402:Collected Poems 399: 395: 381: 377: 372: 368: 359: 355: 346: 339: 334: 330: 325: 269: 208:Hallie Flanagan 192: 156: 136: 96: 95:London, England 70:Place premiered 47: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1277: 1275: 1267: 1266: 1261: 1256: 1251: 1241: 1240: 1234: 1233: 1231: 1230: 1225: 1220: 1215: 1210: 1205: 1200: 1192: 1184: 1176: 1171:Valerie Eliot 1168: 1160: 1154: 1152: 1148: 1147: 1145: 1144: 1133: 1125: 1123: 1119: 1118: 1116: 1115: 1110: 1105: 1100: 1092: 1090: 1086: 1085: 1083: 1082: 1081: 1080: 1075: 1070: 1060: 1053: 1045: 1037: 1028: 1026: 1022: 1021: 1019: 1018: 1011: 1003: 996: 989: 982: 974: 972: 968: 967: 965: 964: 957: 950: 943: 936: 929: 922: 914: 912: 908: 907: 905: 904: 897: 894:Little Gidding 890: 883: 876: 869: 862: 855: 848: 841: 833: 831: 827: 826: 819: 817: 815: 814: 807: 800: 793: 786: 783:The Hollow Men 779: 776:The Waste Land 772: 765: 758: 751: 744: 736: 734: 730: 729: 724: 721: 720: 715: 713: 712: 705: 698: 690: 684: 683: 678:Smith, Carol. 676: 655: 648: 634: 631: 630: 629: 623: 606: 597: 591: 575: 566: 557: 551: 531: 515: 504: 501: 498: 497: 483: 479:DuPlessis 1995 471: 458: 445: 436: 427: 415: 406: 393: 385:smelling salts 375: 373:Gallup, 202–03 366: 353: 337: 327: 326: 324: 321: 300:Vachel Lindsay 268: 267:Interpretation 265: 200:Vassar College 191: 188: 184:The Hollow Men 165:The Waste Land 155: 152: 140:Arnold Bennett 135: 132: 99: 98: 93: 89: 88: 85: 81: 80: 74:Vassar College 71: 67: 66: 63: 62:Date premiered 59: 58: 53: 49: 48: 45: 37: 36: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1276: 1265: 1262: 1260: 1257: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1246: 1244: 1229: 1226: 1224: 1221: 1219: 1216: 1214: 1211: 1209: 1206: 1204: 1201: 1199: 1197:(grandfather) 1193: 1191: 1185: 1183: 1177: 1175: 1173:(second wife) 1169: 1167: 1161: 1159: 1156: 1155: 1153: 1149: 1143: 1140: 1138: 1137:Tom & Viv 1134: 1132: 1131: 1127: 1126: 1124: 1120: 1114: 1111: 1109: 1106: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1098: 1097:The Criterion 1094: 1093: 1091: 1087: 1079: 1076: 1074: 1071: 1069: 1066: 1065: 1064: 1061: 1059: 1058: 1054: 1052: 1050: 1046: 1043: 1042: 1038: 1036: 1034: 1030: 1029: 1027: 1023: 1016: 1012: 1009: 1008: 1004: 1002: 1001: 997: 994: 990: 987: 983: 981: 980: 976: 975: 973: 969: 963: 962: 958: 956: 955: 951: 949: 948: 944: 942: 941: 937: 935: 934: 930: 928: 927: 923: 921: 920: 916: 915: 913: 909: 903: 902: 901:Four Quartets 898: 896: 895: 891: 889: 888: 884: 882: 881: 877: 875: 874: 870: 867: 863: 860: 856: 853: 849: 846: 842: 840: 839: 835: 834: 832: 828: 823: 812: 808: 805: 801: 799: 798: 794: 792: 791: 790:Ash Wednesday 787: 785: 784: 780: 778: 777: 773: 770: 766: 763: 759: 756: 752: 749: 745: 742: 738: 737: 735: 731: 727: 722: 718: 711: 706: 704: 699: 697: 692: 691: 688: 681: 677: 665: 661: 656: 653: 649: 647: 641: 637: 636: 632: 626: 620: 615: 614: 607: 603: 598: 594: 592:0-393-32093-6 588: 584: 580: 576: 572: 567: 563: 558: 554: 548: 543: 542: 536: 532: 529:(4): 667–700. 528: 524: 520: 516: 512: 507: 506: 502: 495: 493: 487: 484: 480: 475: 472: 468: 462: 459: 455: 449: 446: 440: 437: 431: 428: 422: 420: 416: 410: 407: 403: 397: 394: 390: 386: 379: 376: 370: 367: 363: 357: 354: 350: 344: 342: 338: 332: 329: 322: 320: 318: 314: 310: 309: 303: 301: 296: 292: 288: 286: 282: 278: 274: 266: 264: 262: 261:Ladies Voices 258: 254: 250: 246: 241: 239: 235: 230: 228: 224: 220: 219:Group Theatre 216: 211: 209: 205: 201: 197: 189: 187: 185: 181: 176: 174: 169: 167: 166: 161: 153: 151: 149: 145: 141: 133: 131: 129: 124: 120: 116: 111: 107: 106: 94: 90: 86: 82: 79: 75: 72: 68: 64: 60: 57: 54: 50: 43: 38: 33: 30: 19: 1165:(first wife) 1158:Eliot family 1136: 1128: 1095: 1068:1981 musical 1062: 1055: 1048: 1039: 1032: 1005: 998: 977: 959: 952: 945: 938: 931: 924: 918: 917: 899: 892: 885: 878: 873:Burnt Norton 871: 836: 795: 788: 781: 774: 726:Bibliography 679: 668:. 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Eliot 1259:1933 plays 1243:Categories 1218:Ezra Pound 1208:Emily Hale 1142:1994 film) 1089:Publishing 880:East Coker 644:Online at 552:0151189781 503:References 154:Characters 144:music-hall 65:6 May 1933 52:Written by 1078:2019 film 1073:1998 film 1051:(TV play) 769:Gerontion 240:in 1948. 1189:(mother) 1181:(father) 926:The Rock 755:Preludes 670:18 March 581:(2000). 537:(1963). 413:Flanagan 317:Champion 311:(1671, " 249:The Loft 227:Vivienne 180:Chapbook 1122:Related 1044:(opera) 215:Sweeney 148:Sweeney 92:Setting 87:English 1151:People 1035:(film) 1010:(1941) 664:Cycnos 621:  589:  562:Dynamo 549:  389:brandy 313:Samson 283:, and 971:Prose 911:Plays 1063:Cats 672:2012 619:ISBN 587:ISBN 547:ISBN 387:and 319:"). 315:the 128:Agon 202:in 186:". 130:". 108:by 1245:: 662:. 527:67 525:. 418:^ 340:^ 279:, 263:. 150:. 76:, 1017:" 1013:" 995:" 991:" 988:" 984:" 868:" 864:" 861:" 857:" 854:" 850:" 847:" 843:" 813:" 809:" 806:" 802:" 771:" 767:" 764:" 760:" 757:" 753:" 750:" 746:" 743:" 739:" 709:e 702:t 695:v 674:. 627:. 595:. 555:. 481:. 391:. 20:)

Index

Sweeney Agonistes: Fragments of an Aristophanic Melodrama

T. S. Eliot
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York
T. S. Eliot
Agon
Arnold Bennett
music-hall
The Waste Land
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Hollow Men
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York
Hallie Flanagan
Group Theatre
Rupert Doone
Vivienne
Harvard University
Woodberry Poetry Room
Greek forms
religious symbolism
jazz syncopation
Rachel Blau DuPlessis
Vachel Lindsay
Samson Agonistes
Samson
Champion

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