The Shadow Box | Literary Criticism & Book Review

The Shadow Box Critical Overview

Jack Kroll's reaction to The Shadow Box in his article "Where is Thy Sting?" was "The American way of death is to domesticate it." While Kroll realized Michael Cristofer's abilities, he did not necessarily find Cristofer's brilliance exhibited in this play. The reaction on Broadway during the first weeks of the play's run was also less than favorable, but as word spread, attendance increased. What most critics seem to converge on, or wholeheartedly agree to, is the play's ability to present life as a celebration rather than as a means to an end. In the Washington Post, Richard L. Coe expands on the idea, stating, "the stings of humor and irony quicken what might have been lugubrious sentimentality." Another value that critics like Coe assign to the work is its ability to express the carelessness with which human beings approach life, and their inability to grasp on to...
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