Introduction to Play Analysis: Third Edition

A major addition to this edition is the use of Susan Glaspell’s Trifles as a consistent case study throughout the book. By grounding each chapter in this rich, compact, and teachable one-act play, Walters offers students a cohesive analytical journey from first impressions through synthesis. The full text of Trifles is included in an appendix, making this edition especially convenient for classroom use. Supplemental examples from Antigone, Tartuffe, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and Romeo and Juliet provide historical and stylistic breadth.

This edition emphasizes:

• A unified system of analysis for all theatre artists

• A production-centered approach to interpreting dramatic texts

• A new emphasis on conflict analysis as the heart of dramatic structure