Exploring the Moral Sphere through Dramatic Art: The Role of Contemporary Canadian Plays in Moral Pedagogy

Abstract

Dramatic art is an overlooked and under-appreciated instructional medium for moral pedagogy. I propose an alternative pedagogical approach that uses plays both to sensitize students about the intricate layers of the moral sphere and to provoke students to reflect critically on moral agency. Because parallels exist in the dynamic nature of moral and aesthetic judgment, a play's simulated moral dilemmas offer richly enlightening narrative contexts for stimulating sensitive perceptions of the circumstances that determine distinct forms of moral choice and moral conduct. Examples from two contemporary Canadian plays demonstrate that recent Canadian drama offers penetrating studies of prevalent moral issues; I explain how teachers can use such plays with students to provoke philosophical speculation and reasoned judgments about viable forms of moral conduct.