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Abstract

This paper aims at surveying the main theme and the significance of Plenty (1978) by David Hare, contemporary British playwright. It is shown that in this play, a personal narrative in a historical context, the rebellious spirit of the protagonist is representative of the radicalism and idealism of the 1960s. The disillusionment of the heroine (who symbolizes idealism) in post-World War II Britain is a scathing satire on a society in decline, a wasteland in which idealism has no chance to grow. The writer tries to highlight the significance of Plenty as a paradigmatic play in the works of David Hare and in British drama after World War II. It is argued that this work is important in that it marks a turning point in the works of a writer whose trajectory of concerns (from radical towards a more liberal and conservative position) and career (from 'fringe" to "mainstream" theater) typifies one of the dominant patterns in the trends of British drama since World War II.

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