Spies and Traitors in Contemporary British Drama - Einzelansicht

For obvious reasons, the era of the Cold War was the heyday of spy fiction and film. In the late 20^th century, however, a number of playwrights proceeded to re-investigate notions of espionage and treason that had been nurtured by the 2^nd World War and the Cold War respectively. In this class, we will read and discuss three fascinating modern plays that attempt to relate questions of political treason and personal betrayal to recent scientific discoveries: Hugh Whitemore's Breaking the Code, Tom Stoppard's Hapgood and Michael Frayn's Copenhagen. Students should buy and read an edition of Copenhagen before term begins, the other texts will be made accessible in class.