The American Theater

When Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America, our little experiment was steamrolling ahead as the greatest wonder of the world. Published in 1830, and a second volume in 1835, the Frenchman's critique of American society epitomizes a true understanding and assessment of "the sovereignty of the people."

His words should be required reading in school, regular reading at home and revered reading online.

Some Observations on the Theater Among Democratic Peoples

"As the love of the drama is, of all literary tastes, that most natural to democratic peoples, the number of authors, spectators, and plays is constantly on the increase. Such a multitude, composed of such varied elements and scattered so widely over the land, cannot acknowledge the same rules or submit to the same laws. No agreement is possible among judges so numerous, who never know when they may meet again and who all like to judge for themselves. All literary rules and conventions are shaken by the impact of democracy, but in the drama they are entirely abolished, leaving only the caprice of each author and each audience . . .

"The Puritan founders of the American republics [sic] were not only hostile to all pleasures but professed a special abhorrence for the stage. They thought it an abominable amusement, and so long as their principles prevailed without question, the drama was wholly unknown among them. These opinions of the founding fathers of the colonies have left deep traces on the minds of their descendants.

"In America extreme regularity of habits and great strictness of morals have up to now [emphasis mine] told against the growth of the drama.

"There are no subjects for drama in a country which has seen no great political catastrophes and in which love always leads to a direct and easy road to marriage. People who spend every weekday making money and Sunday in praying to God give no scope to the Muse of Comedy.

"A single fact is enough to show that the stage is not very popular in America.

"The Americans, whose laws allow the utmost freedom, and even license, of language in other respects, nevertheless subject the drama to a sort of censorship. Plays can only be performed by permission of the municipal authorities. This illustrates how like communities are to individuals: without a thought they give way to their chief passions, and then take great care not to be carried away by tastes they do not possess.

"The drama, more than any other form of literature, is bound by many close links to the actual state of society."