1928: Strange Interlude to The Human Age

Chronology of World, British and American Literature

Eugene O’Neill. American. 1928. Play. Strange Interlude. Nine acts. Nina subconsciously hates her father who prevents her from sleeping with her fiancé before he is killed in France in WWI. Series of loves and marriages and eventually marries a man who reminds her of her father. Stream of consciousness. Characters speak in asides to reveal their true thoughts.

Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill (the music). German. 1928. Play. The Threepenny Opera. Adaptation of Gay’s Beggar’s Opera. Biting attack on the bourgeoisie. Set in London 200 years after the time depicted in Gay’s opera. Decadent capitalist society responsible for creating the criminal underworld.

DH Lawrence. British. 1928. Story. “The Woman Who Rode Away.” Lonely, bored American woman in Mexico. Rides off alone into the mountains. Encounters strange Indian tribe who sacrifice her to their god.

Wyndham Lewis. British. 1928/55. Satire. The Human Age. Surrealistic journey to nightmare heaven. Macabre; obscure allusions, wordplay, parody.