Art and Politics

One of the mam questions Stoppard raises in Travesties is whether there should be any relationship between art and politics His characters have divergent opinions on this topic. Stoppard's inclusion of contradictory points of view results m none being privileged over the other. Lenin insists that art be didactic, not beautiful. In his "Literature and Art," which Carr reads, Lenin argues that contemporary literature should address the concerns of the Communist Party by becoming "part of the common cause of the proletariat, a cog in the Social democratic mechanism."

Cecily adamantly supports Lenin's point of view. In a conversation with Carr, she claims that literature must serve as a social antique or it is worthless Justifying her position by citing an historical perspective, Cecily presents a strong argument that since corrupt economic forces shape current society, the people must take the responsibility of enforcing change and...