Theatricalism

Through the words of one of his characters, Anouilh explains his theory of theater: "Naturalness and truth in the theater, my dear, are the most unnatural thing in the world. Don't think that it suffices to find the precise tone of real life.... Life is very pretty, but it has no form. The object of art is precisely to give it one, and through all possible artifices to create something that is truer than truth."

In this way Anouilh rejected dramatic naturalism, which seeks to present a realistic representation of life through sparse staging, lighting, costuming, and props. This style of drama is embodied by the work of Henrik Ibsen.

While the characters may speak and act realistically in Anouilh's play, the story is more concerned with their ideas. In an attempt to scrutinize the modern psyche, playwrights rejected realism and concentrated on the themes of the play...