The developmental trajectory of African American masculinity in African-American Drama

Abstract

Notwithstanding the belated emergence and subsequent acknowledgment of African American dramaturgy, its impact has proven salient in elucidating cultural, social, and political occurrences. Thus, this study constructs a triangular framework for twentieth-century African-American drama, delineating three distinct periods through the analysis of selective works by Langston Hughes, Amiri Baraka (formerly LeRoi Jones), and August Wilson. The selected literary works delineate the developmental trajectory of African American men across the dimensions of individuality, manhood, and fatherhood. By juxtaposing the historical context of each playwright's oeuvre with the unfolding chapters of the Civil Rights Movement, this study endeavors to unravel the intricate interplay between artistic expression and the broader socio-political landscape. In elucidating the multifaceted dimensions of African American drama through thematic underpinnings, narrative strategies, and stylistic choices of each writer, this study provides a nuanced understanding of how these playwrights grappled with the exigencies of their times and aims to contribute to a richer comprehension of the complexities inherent in the intersection of artistic creation and social activism within the African American literary tradition. The stages of creating an identity, defiant resistance to the status quo and a mature protestation tone are three selective eras that have been associated with the works to understand the parallelism between dramatic works and civil rights movement.