Published Paper Details:

Eliot was no novice at the art of dramatic composition where he attempted The Cocktail Party, Murder in the Cathedral was Eliot first independent full-length drama, which was written for the Canter bury Festival of June 1935. This play was not meant for the competitive world of the theatre though it captivated audiences everywhere because of its highly successful fusion of theme and form. Religious and spiritual tones blend well with the liturgical pattern of the verse and the play on the whole established Eliot�s fame as a writer of verse drama. Encouraged by this success Eliot attempted his second major verse-drama in 1939. The Family Reunion however was not a great success it lacked the peculiar advantages which Eliot enjoyed while writing Murder in the Cathedral. The theme of spiritual isolation leading to a spiritual quest appears in this play with the twentieth century as the background and modern Englishmen as the dramatic personal. The effort made by Eliot in making the audiences respond to the spiritual message of the play has not been successful. Perhaps realizing his failure Eliot remained inactive as far as dramatic co position was concerned till 194 when The Cocktail Party appeared.