THE REPRESENTATION OF CHILDREN’S CHARACTERS IN ENGLISH DRAMA OF THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES
Keywords:
English drama, children’s characters, childhood, dramaturgy, identity, social issues, psychological representation.Abstract
The representation of children’s characters occupies an important place in English drama of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. During this period, the dramatic portrayal of children underwent significant transformation from idealized and symbolic representations toward psychologically complex and socially conscious characters. Children are presented not only as innocent and vulnerable figures but also as active participants who reflect social conflicts, family problems, cultural changes, and moral dilemmas. This thesis examines the development of children’s characters in English drama and focuses on their social, psychological, symbolic, and dramaturgical functions. Particular attention is given to the representation of childhood, family relationships, identity, social inequality, and the relationship between children and the adult world. The study demonstrates that children’s characters provide dramatists with an effective means of exploring broader social and cultural issues.
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