The Proscenium Stage In Father Comes Home From The Wars

The play, Father Comes Home from the Wars, was based in 1862, during the American Civil War. The proscenium stage was effective for many reasons during the production. The stage was able to provide a clear background behind the sets and props to help transport the audience into the southern part of America. Behind the set, on the back wall of the stage, was a ramp that the actors mostly used when entering and exiting the stage. The ramp could have symbolized the journey and the hardships that each character incurred throughout their lives. During this time period, slaves were very poorly treated and many got to the point where they simply gave up hope. The ramp played a significant when they portrayed Hero’s return coming up the dirt path and showed that there was still a sense of optimism for all slaves.
During Acts 1 and 3, the characters were gathered around a slave cabin that was located on the Boss Master’s grounds. The cabin was surrounded by a few tree stumps and a chair or two. There was also a large rock off to the side. The run down cabin was set in place to depict the treatment of the slaves during this time period. They were deprived from adequate living and working environments. The cabin was very plain, which symbolizes that the slaves were given nothing but the bare minimum. No fancy decorations or …show more content…
Although the play is titled, Father Comes Home from the Wars, I think the ‘Father’ is referring to Hero. Hero from the beginning has been the rock to the slaves on Boss Master’s plot. It is possible that the ‘Father’ could be Boss Master, since he was brought home in the coffin, but he was really only a fatherly figure to Hero, where Hero acted as that figure for multiple individuals. The play was well put together and reflected the reality of the time period in a respectable