On Actions And Illusions In Hwang’s Plays

David Henry Hwang (1957-) is the contemporary eminent Chinese American dramatist with much innovation and courage. From Off-Broadway to Broadway, Hwang attracted eyes of both western and eastern critics for his pioneering exploration of the issues of race, gender, identity, politics and culture. The frequent adoption of the elements from Chinese Peking Opera distinguishes his plays from those written by other American dramatists, offering the western audience unique insights into China.With the employment of drama theories of Martin Esslin and Susanne Langer, this thesis discusses how dramatic illusions are created by dramatic actions, and in turn by what means the audience accept those illusions in Hwang’s two plays The Dance and the Railroad, his early play, and Flower Drum Song, a musical. Firstly, the thesis has a review of drama theories of Martin Esslin and Susanne Langer. According to the theories, dramatic actions are to imitate or represent human behaviors. Actors and actresses create the illusions on the stage by their actions while the audience, on the other hand, receives the illusions so as to complete the process of the theatrical performances and the reception. What’s more, the audience mainly receives the illusions in three ways:they feel and experience with their emotions; they comprehend the certain culture during the performance; and they even perceive the history concealed in the drama and predict what will happen on their own at the same time.Secondly, through the analysis of actions like Gwan Gung steps, quacking as a duck, hopping like a locust, a water-crossing dance and battle dances by the two actors Lone and Ma in The Dance and the Railroad, the author subsequently points out that those actors try to create the illusions of the laboring and suffering of Chinese railroad workers during their construction of railroads in the United States. While on the other hand, the audience receives the above illusions by having sympathy for the workers, thus, deepening their understanding of Chinese spirit and Chinese railroad workers.Thirdly, by analyzing the actions like drinking tea and drinking coffee and sleeves-brandishing and stripper-dancing of actors and actresses in Hwang’s musical Flower Drum Song, the author indicates that those actors and actresses attempt to create the illusions of the contrast between the two generations of Chinese Americans in their attitudes towards the two countries and cultures:the old Chinese’s hard adaptation to American life and the new Chinese’s assimilation in American society. Meanwhile, the audience receives the above illusions by feeling cultural difference, accepting two cultures and strengthening their comprehension of the vision expressed by the performers:the coexistence and prosperity of both Chinese and American culture in the United States.Lastly, the thesis draws a conclusion on the basis of the analyses mentioned above: Hwang’s two plays both employ special actions in Chinese Peking Opera. These actions not only create the illusions of the living conditions of Chinese Americans, but also provide American audience a way to experience Chinese American’s emotions, comprehend Chinese culture and predict the fate of Chinese Americans as well so as to help nurture the mutual understanding between Chinese and Americans to some extent.