The Research On The Drama Of St.John's University (1896-1937)

As one of The Church University,St.John's University was no longer exist.But it cannot be ignored in the history of Chinese modern education ? It had won the reputation of "Oriental Harvard" for its English characteristics,even today the honorary title is well known.Perhaps it's English is too bright,obscures the many other features of the western campus,such as the St.John's student drama club,which was once active in the Shanghai theater.St.John's University had been performing theatrical activities since 1896,and maintained a sense of drama creation and performance in the later life.Its Shakespearean drama education gave Chinese students the first western theatrical enlightenment and Shakespeare's drama performance triggered a wave of student playing drama,which was of great significance in China.Moreover,the student drama of St.John's university had a long history more than half a century,she run through the history of modern Chinese drama.Therefore,she is an important reference for the modern drama movement in China.Lived in Shaghai,sucn an mixed culture environment,St.John's students dramatics presented different characteristic in different periods,and the relationship between st.John's student's performance and the mainstream drama movement was integration or alienation.Its activity track and drama characteristics are not only the representation of the university literature activities,and also the epitome of the fate of the church university in the republic of China.This paper will explore St.John's University Dramatic Association's characteristics and its formation factors.Then attempts to analysis the value of St John's University Dramatic Association in Chinese modern drama movement.First,excavating St.John's Echo?Johnnean and other historical materials makes it into the eyes of the researcher,enriches the current academic studies on dramatics of students.Second,this paper discusses the attitude of St.John's University in dealing with the major issues of westernization and localization,tradition and modernity,literature and politics,Then,probe its characteristics and the relationship with the mainstream drama.