The West has a long and rich dramatic tradition. Works by such classical playwrights as Aeschylus and Euripides have influenced centuries of civilisation; the plays of Shakespeare are among the most widely studied and performed; more recently the plays of Harold Pinter, August Wilson, and Samuel Beckett have shaped the way we perceive the world. Drama embodies the social and political concerns of the societies that give birth to it, and so an understanding of drama is critical to an understanding of the world. This book provides a convenient survey of the Western dramatic tradition. Designed for students, the book overviews Western drama from Ancient Greece to modern America. Included are chapters on great eras of drama, such as the Renaissance; national theatres, such as the theatres of Latin America, Ireland, and Poland; important theatrical movements, such as musical theatre and African American drama; and influential theatre styles, such as realism, expressionism, and surrealism. Each chapter is written by an expert contributor and offers an extended consideration of its topic and cites works for further reading. Students of drama and literature will value the book for its exploration of the Western theatrical tradition, while students of history and social studies will welcome its illumination of different cultures and traditions.