This book explores how to deeply appreciate drama. It begins with the purpose of drama, then proceeds to discuss script structure, tragedy, comedy, serious drama, literary merit, and dramatic elements, finally offering insights into how to judge a play. The author argues that drama is not merely a performance in a theater, nor simply text on a page; it is neither the playwright's personal statement nor a thread connecting the cultures that gave rise to it. Each reader can analyze the meaning, structure, and symbolism of drama according to their own feelings and pace, fully enjoying the pleasure it offers.
本書為英文書。內容探討如何深度欣賞戲劇。由戲劇的目的談起，接續展現劇本結構、悲劇、喜劇、嚴肅劇、文學性、戲劇元素等，最後提出如何評判一齣劇的看法。作者認為，戲劇不僅僅是劇院裡的演出，也不只是一頁紙上的文字；它既不是劇作家的個人陳述，也不是產生它的文化的線索，每一位閱聽者都可以按自己的感受與節奏對戲劇的意義、結構和象徵性進行分析，以充分享受它帶來的樂趣。