Sump'n Like Wings and a Lantern to See By: Two Oklahoma Plays

"Sump'n Like Wings and a Lantern to See By" features two powerful folk dramas by the acclaimed playwright Lynn Riggs, whose work captures the raw, poetic essence of early 20th-century Oklahoma. These plays delve into the complexities of human desire, social restriction, and the search for identity within rural communities.In "Sump'n Like Wings", the narrative follows Willie Baker, a high-spirited young woman yearning for freedom and self-determination. Trapped by the rigid expectations of her family and the confines of her small-town environment, her journey becomes a poignant exploration of the need to find one's own path, or "sump'n like wings," to rise above circumstance."A Lantern to See By" presents a starker look at the pressures of farm life. It centers on Johnie Harmon, a sensitive youth struggling against the oppressive brutality of his father. Through intense dialogue and vivid characterization, Riggs illustrates the desperate hope and crushing realities faced by those on the American frontier.Known for his authentic use of regional dialect and his deep empathy for his characters, Riggs provides a seminal look at the American Southwest. These plays remain essential reading for those interested in the development of American drama and the literary history of the Great Plains.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United…