Scan barcode
A review by cavedknave
Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind
4.0
Biting satire of society in its day, particularly of its approach to education. Depicting a tainted coming of age story in a system bent on keeping the morality of its youth through ignorance and discipline, in a forced simile of childhood innocence mixed with militaristic strictness, a moth which backfires in spectacular tragedy.
Highly subversive and influencial, its deeper themes have a relevance which has outlived the system which bred it, perhaps in testament to the eternal clash of generations and moralities. However, it is certainly a critique aimed at a particular society, and should be kept within its original context, as any attempt to forcefully update it would most likely only serve to blunt its points and reinforce its dated aspects.
I've rambled on too much in this review, but if anything is to be taken from it is that the play is certainly worth a read, albeit with a reminder of it being very much a product of its time, as innovative as it may have been.
Highly subversive and influencial, its deeper themes have a relevance which has outlived the system which bred it, perhaps in testament to the eternal clash of generations and moralities. However, it is certainly a critique aimed at a particular society, and should be kept within its original context, as any attempt to forcefully update it would most likely only serve to blunt its points and reinforce its dated aspects.
I've rambled on too much in this review, but if anything is to be taken from it is that the play is certainly worth a read, albeit with a reminder of it being very much a product of its time, as innovative as it may have been.