Si Shakespeare; y Lope; fundaron el teatro moderno; rompiendo la riacute;gida preceptiva del clasicismo; Ramoacute;n Mariacute;a del Valle-Inclaacute;n es; sin duda; el creador del teatro contemporaacute;neo. Con su innovador esperpento subvirtioacute; los coacute;digos de la dramaturgia (realista y simbolista) y; de la mano de las vanguardias; a las que supo adelantarse en no pocos aspectos; e inspirado por las tiacute;midas tecnologiacute;as audiovisuales que se abriacute;an paso con el nuevo siglo; protagonizoacute; una auteacute;ntica revolucioacute;n del espectaacute;culo. Cuando se cumple el 75 aniversario del fallecimiento de Valle-Inclaacute;n; Joseacute; Mariacute;a Paz Gago; con La revolucioacute;n espectacular; reivindica los valores esceacute;nicos; esteacute;ticos y eacute;ticos del teatro valleinclaniano; y situacute;a al autor en el lugar que le corresponde como uno de los mayores dramaturgos del siglo xx; pero tambieacute;n como uno de los autores de teatro maacute;s importantes de la historia de la literatura universal.
#917789 in eBooks 2013-04-09 2013-04-09File Name: B009QJMXJC
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Requiem for the Old Public FunctionaryBy Kevin M. DerbyFor a major American writer to focus on a major American political figure is not unique. Gore Vidal offered us some interesting looks at Burr. Lincoln. Wilson. Harding and FDR in his various works of historical fiction. Caleb Carr presents a fun Teddy Roosevelt in "The Alienist". In "Buchanan Dying" and "Memoirs of the Ford Administration." John Updike offers an excellent portrait of the enigmatic James Buchanan whose administration presided over the shattering of the Union. While part of Updikes focus on an obscure president remains an homage to their native state of Pennsylvania. "Buchanan Dying" also retains an interesting. and important. political message.Updikes historical research is solid. His excellent afterword goes through the Buchanan Papers that were edited by James R. Moore as well as the standard biographies and histories of the coming of the Civil War. From Kenneth Stampp to Avery Craven to Allan Nevins to Roy Franklin Nichols. Updike is familiar with the leading works of the impending crisis. This reflects well as he incorporates real figures and conversations along with fictional conversations.The familiar pattern of events unfolds in Buchanans mind. The death of Anne Coleman; the tense relationships with Jackson and Polk; Buchanans ambitions and his tortured path to the presidency; the Dred Scott decision; the feud with Stephen Douglas over Lecompton; the secession of the South. all this plays out in the dying Buchanans mind. Updike refers to this work as a "play meant to be read" and it probably would not be well adapted on the stage yet it is worth reading. While Buchanan remains a passive character (much like Rabbit?). Updike is fair to his historical memory. The secondary characters. from stern Jeremiah Black to the impish Harriet Lane to the slick John Slidell. remain impressive. realistic and stick to the historical record. The reader or the viewer does need some background with the era or some scenes make no sense. as when Buchanan and Douglas exchange words and bring up how conservative Democrats William Rives and Nathaniel Tallmadge were run out of the pary in the late 1830s.One theme which lingers in the play is that men in power often do the best they can despite themselves. In an age when protesters demanded how many kids LBJ killed that day. when Bill Clinton was hounded for his personal life as well as for taking part in numerous conspiracy theories. when George W. Bush is constantly accused of abominations. this play serves as a reminder that failed political leadership is more often the product of incompetence as opposed to evil intentions (the character of John Floyd seems to be the best reminder of that).Updike shows a Buchanan who was more devoted to the Union than the South and the North would have thought possible. Updikes Buchanan recognizes that the way he handled the secession crisis gave Lincoln a gift. Clearly Updike does not see Buchanans administration as a failed presidency and. with the exception of Philip Kleins biography. presents the best modern day case for Buchanan. While the produced play would be too obscure and pedantic for viewers. the play in book form remains an excellent look into the mind and thought of a capable if often legalistic man confronted with forces far behind his power to control or grasp.
