SOURCE: "General Themes in the Work of Anouilh," in Jean Anouilh, Twayne Publishers, 1969, pp. 29-45.

In the following excerpt, della Fazia provides an overview of the recurring themes, situations, and concepts of Anouilh's plays.

The majority of Jean Anouilh's dramatic works have been grouped under adjectives descriptive of the dominant tone or the distinguishing characteristic of the plays in each category. In plays classified as "black," "pink," "brilliant," "jarring," and "costumed," Anouilh treats an assortment of themes that range from the soul of man to the world of men, from the heroism of the individual to the mediocrity of the masses. Some of the plays are heavy and dismal, some are light and fanciful, but all reveal the author's profound and often painful insight into the human condition.

I The Impurity Of Happiness

The "black" and "new black" plays are pessimistic, bitter, and permeated with gloom; they display...