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Springs Awakening The play Springs Awakening" by Frank Wedekind is largely an autobiographical account of authors own transition to an adulthood. In it, Wedekind explores teenagers fears and anxieties, related to the process of maturing. Even though that play cannot boast having a well-defined structure, there is no doubt that it contains a strong political message, which was the reason why Springs Awakening used to be often referred to as pornographic by self-appointed guardians of public morality. Play was written in 1891 in Germany, but it was only staged in 1906 for the first time, resulting in conservative critics to call upon the authorities to simply ban it, which explains the reason why it was not until 1912 that Springs Awakening was being staged for the second time in New York. Wedekind was able to realize that repressive public ethics, based on Christian nonsense, which were prevalent in German society, at the time, did not give his play even a slightest chance to become popular among people. This was the main reason why he decided to move plays production to America.
However, this staging of Wedekind's play was being ignored by the majority of critics, because plays characters spoke in German. In 1917, Springs Awakening was being finally translated, with staging of its English version taking place in the same year. The critics went berserk, once again, which prompted New York City Commissioner of Licenses to ban this play, just as it happened in Germany 11 years earlier. The reason why Wedekind's play was able to stir up such a controversy is simple Western societies have always been repressive towards peoples expressions of their sexuality. Western code of ethics is based on Christian doctrine, which it its turn, is nothing but a denial of peoples natural instincts. Sex is associated with procreation and life, while Jesus used to promote death, by discouraging people from having sex, because kingdom of heaven was at hand.
The continuous suppression of any open discussion about sex related issues, resulted in situation when more in more people in Western countries began to indulge in sexual perversity, which is nothing but a direct result of people being overly interested in sex. As famous saying goes the forbidden fruit is the sweetest one. This is why the recent Broadways production of Wedekind's play turned out to be a huge success. It is important to understand that Springs Awakening cannot be referred to as being pornographic. The topics raised in it are actually very legitimate. However, the real explanation why Wedekind's play attracts marginalized population nowadays is that viewers are subconsciously hoping to be shown some sexual depravity, because plays main characters are children.
Just as people who buy tickets to Vagina Monologues do not think of plays name as being strictly metaphorical, those who come to watch Springs Awakening, think that they might actually get a sensual pleasure, as result of watching the play. Therefore, we can say that the true reason why Wedekind's play became so popular today is not that it appeals to peoples rational concerns, regarding the issue of puberty and sexual maturing, but that it simply causes many viewers to become sexually aroused. The last century, before the downfall of Roman Empire, was signified with staging huge gladiators shows in Coliseum, by the emperors who sought public support. The only way to attract marginalized population to these shows, at the time, was making them more shocking and graphic. Only a direct onslaught on peoples senses could vitalize them for a while.
When people do not care about anything but how to intensify their anomalistic instincts, it means that they slowly degrade. This is why we cannot analyze Springs Awakening out of social context. Even though that it was originally meant to focus public attention to the fact that conservative society suppress natural expressions of human sexuality, today people think of Wedekind's play as something that is filled with shocking sexual statements, which makes it to balance on the edge of law. This is why Springs Awakening became very popular in America in our time.
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