A Raisin in the Sun (Thirtieth Anniversary Edition) Review
Lorraine Hansberry's dramatic play, A Raisin in the Sun, is about the life of an African-American family living on the South Side of Chicago in the years following the Second World War. Lena Younger (Mama) is the head of the family that includes her married son Walter Lee, his wife, Ruth, their young son, Travis and Walter's younger sister, Beneatha, who is a college student. The family is struggling to support itself. Walter Lee works as a chauffer, and Ruth and even Mama work to bring in enough money. They leave in a run-down apartment and even have to share the bathroom with other tenants.
Lena's husband has died and she is about to get an insurance check for ,000, a lot of money for those times. Everyone in the family has a dream for a better life. Walter Lee wants to buy a liquor store, Mama wants to have a house with a garden, Beneatha wants to become a doctor and Ruth just wants everyone to be happy and content. The check arrives and the drama plays out against a backdrop of racial prejudice.
This play was the first drama featuring an African-American theme to play on Broadway. It has been highly acclaimed ever since. It shows basically decent people struggling against life's difficulties. It is particularly relevant now, given the recent election of an African-American (not co-incidentally from Chicago) as president of the United States. For that reason I give it five stars.
A Raisin in the Sun (Thirtieth Anniversary Edition) Overview
Drama / 7m, 3f, 1 boy / Int. This groundbreaking play starred Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeill, Ruby Dee and Diana Sands in the Broadway production which opened in 1959. Set on Chicago's South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis and matriarch Lena, called Mama. When her deceased husband's insurance money comes through, Mama dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans, however: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama. Sacrifice, trust and love among the Younger family and their heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration. This Thirtieth Anniversary edition was revised by the late author's husband and executor, Robert Nemiroff in 1989. Winner of the NY Drama Critic's Award as Best Play of the Year "Pivotal play in the history of the American Black theatre." - Newsweek "A milestone in the American Theatre." - Ebony
Available at Amazon Check Price Now!
Related Products
- Raisin in the Sun (Cliffs Notes)
- The Great Gatsby
- The Boys Next Door.
- The Glass Menagerie
- Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck Centennial Edition)
Customer Reviews
Very Bad Service - T. Sangster -
I ordered my book on 1-19-10 and it is now 2-21-10, I have yet to receive my book. I ordered 2 other books form different places (Thank God) and I received those books within the same week. I am so disappointed with the situation. Every time I contact there website someone sends me a message with more excuses. Hopefully if you do decide to work with this company, your experience will be better then mine.
A story of reversion and redemption - Adesh K. Seuraj - Trinidad, WI
This story was one of the most fascinating plays I have ever read. In particular, whenever I watch old re-runs of "Good Times" I always think of Walter, and the Younger Family, living happily, albeit not necessarily comfortably in the "ghetto."
I definitely recommend watching these old re-runs to get a feel for the play. One has to piece together the references, allusions and collage-like nature of the material and situate the works historically and critically so that their difficulty is translated into effective meaning and feeling.
A Raisin in the Sun - Anthony Bechner -
An excellent transaction. The item was delivered much faster than anticipated and was in excellent condition.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 04, 2010 19:15:05
No comments:
Post a Comment