Masterplots II: Drama Series covers plays by important 20th century playwrights, such as Samuel Beckett, Arthur Miller, Eugene O"Neill, George Bernard Shaw, Neil Simon and Tennessee Williams, among others. Each essay contains birth and death dates, time and place of the work"s first performance and publication, the play"s setting, and principal characters with brief descriptions. the overview section includes a summary of the action and plot; insights into issues in the play, a description of plot devices, staging techniques and characterization, and a perspective on the critical context.