In the play Away by Richard Gow, a historical and cultural context including established connotations and characters roles from Historical Literature, and significant events in history are employed to enable the viewer to understand the play on the abstract level.

A writer can recycle established meanings from historical literature to allow their audience a full understanding of the concepts of the play. Gow has recreated scenes from the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night , in the opening scene of Away, and The Tempest, in the closing scene of Away. Both these plays involve a shipwreck, and the storm that causes the shipwreck also served to redirect central characters into fresh lifegiving pathways, the same role the storm in Away played. The theatrical audience had been exposed to this metaphorical storm in the past, and can understand the role it is playing. The beach scene in Away where all characters assemble after the storm to regenerate an

Setting can be manipulated by the writer to create an atmosphere in which the audience can understand and relate too. This technique is demonstrated by Gow as his play is set in the summer of 1967/68, The Vietnam War. This historic cultural event was a time of tension, insecurity and society pushing the rubber band of behavioural and cultural limits. Students were revolting in countries all over the world over anything they could, in a time where actors could go to jail for swaring on stage. It was a big turning point in history. This is why Gow chose it as his setting for Away, as the play was a big turning point in the incorparated characters lives. The state that Coral was in can be understood by many people Australian and Non-Australian, as they too have lost their children at war. The problems between Coral and Roy because of their child's death at war is easier for the audience to comprehend, as they too may of experienced such problems, or can understand because of the atmosphere.

Some topics in this essay:
Twelfth Night, Vietnam War, Lear' Meantime, Historical Literature, Jim Gwen, Night Dream, Coral Roy, Western Culture, Historical Cultural, Richard Gow, historical literature, cultural context, historical cultural context, cultural event, sense play, sense reality, historic cultural, vietnam war, own death, closing scene, 'king lear', audience sense play,