Margaret Edson is an outstanding American playwright and educator, renowned for her play W;t. W;t is a work with profound insight into human nature, which reveals issues that go beyond the fields of medicine and literature, involving the rupture of the multidimensional and holistic connection between knowledge and human nature in modern society, as well as the resulting social and ethical issues. In this increasingly differentiated era, science and humanities seem to be increasingly difficult to coordinate and coexist, leading to deviations and fragmentation in human thought and spirit. The script deeply analyzes the imbalanced development of rationality and emotion among modern intellectuals by portraying different character images, such as doctors, patients, scholars, and professors. It points out that pure pursuit of knowledge that is detached from human needs cannot bring true happiness to people. This book will explore the conflict and integration between the cold instruments and warm care in this work, and analyze the narrative of human nature from the perspectives of medical and humanistic care. 

In the first chapter, we will introduce Margaret Edson’s life and literary contributions, exploring her importance as a writer. At the same time, we will also introduce the creative background and theme of W;t as well as its status and influence in the literary world. Chapter 2 will discuss the theoretical framework of human narrative. We will explore the concept and connotation of human narrative, and analyze its position and role in literary criticism. At the same time, we will focus on studying the narrative characteristics and expressive techniques of human nature in W;t, and delve deeper into the artistic charm of the work. Chapter 3 will take a medical perspective as the starting point to explore the impact and reflection of medical perspectives on human nature. We will analyze the embodiment and criticism of the traditional Chinese medicine perspective in W;t, and study the conflict and integration between cold instruments and human care. Chapter 4 will explore the understanding and concern of human nature from the perspective of humanistic care. We will delve into the expression and shaping of humanistic care in W;t, and explore the harmonious coexistence of warm care and cold instruments. Finally, in Chapter 5, we will summarize the significance of Margaret Edson’s W;t and the narrative of human nature. We will discuss the value and significance of human narrative in literary works, and draw inspiration and reflection from W;t. 

Through an in-depth analysis of W;t this book aims to explore the balance and harmony between cold instruments and warm care. I hope that readers can better understand and appreciate this classic work through reading this book, and also have a deeper understanding of the relationship between human nature, medicine, and humanistic care.

Download Full Text