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A landmark of American and African-American theater since its debut on Broadway in 1959 and as a Hollywood film in 1961, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun is a disarmingly simple play that uses traditional techniques to craft a revolutionary message. It is also an extremely subtle work whose meaning lies largely in its unspoken sub-texts, assumed con-texts, and unacknowledged co-texts — what one reviewer called the play’s “obbligato”. This course will provide an extended opportunity to carefully explore Raisin from a variety of angles in order appreciate it as fully as possible, and may be especially valuable for those planning on seeing Court Theatre’s 2025 production of the play that runs from 7 February to 9 March. This course will also serve as useful preparation for the following course on “The Philosophy Behind A Raisin in the Sun”.
Texts
- Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun
- Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun: The Unfilmed Original Screenplay
- Wright, Native Son
- Additional Handouts
Films
- Gone With the Wind (1939, d. Victor Fleming, 238 min.)
- Mrs. Miniver (1942, d. William Wyler, 134 min.)
- A Rasin in the Sun (1961, d. Daniel Petrie, 128. min)
TAUGHT: WINTER 2025