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Problem games are not flawed games, but rather plays that confront viewers with modern social issues. The concept arose in the 19th century as part of the realism movement. Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw are considered masters of problem drama. These plays cover a range of topics and can be tragic or comedic. They serve as commentary on society and are popular in performances.
Far from being games with fatal flaws, as one might guess from the name, problem games are actually games designed to confront viewers with modern social problems. Typically, the theme of the play is socially relevant and the characters approach the issue in a variety of ways, presenting viewers with different approaches and opinions. After seeing a problematic play, one should be filled with interest in the topic at hand and hopefully inspired to enact social change.
The problem game concept arose in the 19th century, as part of a general movement known as realism. Prior to the 19th century, many people turned to art as an escape that allowed them to look outside the world in which they lived. In the 19th century, however, art began to take on a more introspective, realistic air, with a conscious focus on ongoing issues such as social inequalities exacerbated by the Industrial Revolution.
Although the idea of creating problem games was popularized in the 19th century, numerous works have retroactively been called problem games. Several Greek playwrights, for example, addressed ongoing social issues such as warfare, in the case of Lysistrata, by Aristophanes. Several of Shakespeare’s plays are also considered problematic works, such as Measure for Measure, which has very biblical themes of justice and truth, or Troilus and Cressida, which confronts viewers with infidelity, sexuality, and betrayal.
Many people consider Henrik Ibsen a master of problem drama, along with such authors as George Bernard Shaw and some 19th-century French playwrights, many of whom were also authors. Problem games can cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from women’s rights to greed and inequality, and they can tell their stories in a wide variety of ways. For example, it is common to have a tragic protagonist who ultimately suffers from his refusal to address social problems.
Essentially, problem comedies are a form of commentary on the societies in which they are performed. Because social issues are often universal across cultures and eras, many people find something to enjoy in plays, whether they are contemporary or not, and such plays tend to be popular in performances. They can also be hard to watch, as many people find something of themselves in the characters and struggle with that revelation.
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