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SYMBOLISM AND NATURALISM IN EDWARD ALBEE'S THE ZOO STORY
ROSE A. ZIMBARDO
The acclaim, both popular and his theme. Somewhat startlingis critical,which has greeted Albee's the realizationthatAlbee's are traThe Zoo Storyleads one to specu- ditional Christian symbolswhich, late upon the directionAmerican despite their modern dress,retain drama is likely to take in the theiroriginalsignificance-or, more future.Concern with idea, rather precisely, expresstheiroriginal sigthan characteror plot, is not new nificancein modernterms. The rein the Americantheatre, nor is the lationshipbetweentraditionalsymuse of symbolism the realization bol and naturalisticdialogue, situfor of idea. There is, however,about ation and setting however, never is, Americanplays whichemploysynm-forced,as it so often is in, say, a bolism-from O'Neill to Williams Williams play. Rather symbolism -a strong suggestionof the gim- is part of the very fabric of the