▁contains ▁real istic ▁and ▁symbol ic ▁elements ▁f used ▁together . ▁It ▁represents ▁a ▁movement ▁from ▁his ▁earlier ▁real istic ▁plays , ▁such ▁as ▁A ▁D oll ' s ▁House , ▁into ▁a ▁more ▁symbol ic ▁style . ▁It ▁begins ▁with ▁real istic ▁characters ▁being ▁presented , ▁and ▁then ▁as ▁the ▁story ▁progress es , ▁it ▁sh ifts ▁into ▁the ▁inner ▁world ▁of ▁the ▁mind ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁character . ▁ ▁The ▁setting ▁and ▁plot ▁of ▁ ▁The ▁Master ▁Bu ilder ▁can ▁be ▁taken ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁real ism : ▁the ▁destruct ive ▁outcome ▁of ▁a ▁middle - aged , ▁professional ▁man ' s ▁inf atu ation ▁with ▁a ▁younger , ▁te asing ▁woman ▁or , ▁as ▁critic ▁Des mond ▁Mac Car thy ▁describes ▁this ▁concept ▁of ▁the ▁work : ▁the ▁tra ged y ▁of ▁an ▁" el der ly ▁architect ▁who ▁falls ▁off ▁his ▁sc aff old ▁while ▁trying ▁to ▁show ▁off ▁before ▁a ▁young ▁lady ". ▁If , ▁however , ▁one ▁takes ▁Sol ness ' s ▁belief ▁in ▁his ▁powers ▁at ▁their ▁face ▁value , ▁the ▁play ▁also ▁can ▁be ▁a ▁lyr ical ▁and ▁po etic ▁fair y ▁tale , ▁in ▁the ▁manner ▁of ▁Pe er ▁G ynt ▁trav elling ▁the ▁Earth ▁in ▁his ▁mag ical ▁advent ures ▁while ▁the ▁faithful ▁ ▁Sol ve ig ▁wa its ▁for ▁his ▁return . ▁On ▁stage , ▁both ▁interpret ations ▁are ▁possible , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁give ▁equal ▁weight ▁to ▁both ▁mean ings ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁production . ▁ ▁Aut obi ographical