Dramatic Elements Found in Two of Lillian Hellman's Books

Every play written uses dramatic elements. The main dramatic elements are plot, character, theme, and language. Lillian Hellman, who wrote The Little Foxes and Another Part of the Forrest, incorporates these elements skillfully in both of her plays. The plays are set during the spring of 1900 and take place in the Deep South part of the United States. The first one written, The Little Foxes, is actually set twenty years after the other play, Another Part of the Forest. Just as every other play, the Little Foxes has included the dramatic elements in her play, particularly the plot, character, and language that all incorporate an underlying theme of greed.

The character, which includes the physiological and psychological makeup of each person in the play, properly incorporated the greed and oppression of the time. Ben and Oscar are brothers who are possessive, scheming, and greedy individuals. These two characters make the play very interesting. Both brothers’ physiologic...