I. WHAT IS A PLAY? 3
II. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THEATRE AUDIENCES 30
III. THE ACTOR AND THE DRAMATIST 59
IV. STAGE CONVENTIONS IN MODERN TIMES 73
V. ECONOMY OF ATTENTION IN THEATRICAL
PERFORMANCES 95
VI. EMPHASIS IN THE DRAMA 112
VII. THE FOUR LEADING TYPES OF DRAMA 127
VIII. THE MODERN SOCIAL DRAMA 133
OTHER PRINCIPLES OF DRAMATIC
CRITICISM
I. THE PUBLIC AND THE DRAMATIST 153
II. DRAMATIC ART AND THE THEATRE BUSINESS 161
III. THE HAPPY ENDING IN THE THEATRE 169
IV. THE BOUNDARIES OF APPROBATION 175
V. IMITATION AND SUGGESTION IN THE DRAMA 179
VI. HOLDING THE MIRROR UP TO NATURE 184
VII. BLANK VERSE ON THE CONTEMPORARY STAGE 193
VIII. DRAMATIC LITERATURE AND THEATRIC JOURNALISM 199
IX. THE INTENTION OF PERMANENCE 207
X. THE QUALITY OF NEW ENDEAVOR 212
XI. THE EFFECT OF PLAYS UPON THE PUBLIC 217
XII. PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT PLAYS 222
XIII. THEMES IN THE THEATRE 228
XIV. THE FUNCTION OF IMAGINATION 233