August Wilson's Fences: A Reference Guide (Greenwood Guides to Literature) - Hardcover

Sandra G. Shannon

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313318808 ISBN 13: 9780313318801

Publisher: Greenwood (UK), 2003

Synopsis

Fences is the story of a responsible yet otherwise flawed black garbage collector in pre-Civil Rights America who, in August Wilson's hands, rises to the level of an epic hero. Deemed a generational play, it mirrors the classic struggle of status quo, tradition, and age, versus change, innovation, and youth. During its 1987 Broadway run, Fences garnered four Tony Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. It has been produced around the world and is one of the most significant African-American plays of the 20th century. This reference is a comprehensive guide to Wilson's dramatic achievement.

The volume begins with an overview of Wilson's aesthetic and dramatic agenda, along with a discussion of the forces that propelled him beyond his potentially troubled life in Pittsburgh to his current status as one of America's most gifted playwrights. A detailed plot summary of Fences is provided, followed by an overview of the play's distinguished production history. The play's historical and cultural background and themes are explored, as is Wilson's dramatic art. The reference closes with a look at the critical and scholarly reception of Fences and a bibliographical essay. Included are rare photos from the play's Broadway premiere and its 1999 premiere in Beijing.

About this title

About the Author

Sandra G. Shannon is Professor of African American Literature, specializing in Dramatic Literature and Criticism, at Howard University, Washington, USA. She is one of America's leading scholars on the life and works of Pulitzer Prize winning playwright August Wilson and is Founder of the August Wilson Society, based at Howard University. She is the author of The Dramatic Vision of August Wilson and August Wilson's Fences: A Reference Guide, and co-editor of August Wilson and Black Aesthetics.

SANDRA G. SHANNON is Professor of African American Literature at Howard University. Her previous books include The Dramatic Vision of August Wilson (1995), and her essays have appeared in such journals as African American Review, College Language Association Journal, and MELUS.

Edition details

• Publisher: Greenwood (UK)
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0313318808
• ISBN 13: 9780313318801
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224