Heartbreak House (Masterplots, Revised Second Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: George Bernard Shaw
- First Published: 1919
- Type of Work: Drama
- Type of Plot: Play of ideas
- Time of Work: 1913
- Setting: Sussex, England
- Principal Characters: Captain Shotover, Lady Ariadne Utterword, Mrs. Hesione Hushabye, Hector Hushabye, Ellie Dunn, Mazzini Dunn, Boss Mangan, Randall Utterword, Nurse Guinness, Billy Dunn
- Genres: Drama, Problem play
- Subjects: Values, Love or romance, Europe or Europeans, Class consciousness, 1910’s, England or English people, War, Duty, World War I, Business or business people, Capitalism, Wealth, Old age or elderly people
- Locales: Sussex, England
The Story:
Young and pretty Ellie Dunn was the first of many guests to arrive at the home in Sussex, England, of Captain Shotover. Ellie, who had been invited by Mrs. Hushabye, Captain Shotover’s eldest daughter, eventually renamed the home Heartbreak House because of all the disappointments she and others experienced there that day.
When Ellie arrived at the house, there was no one to greet her, and she sat reading William Shakespeare until she fell asleep. The elderly servant, Nurse Guinness, finally discovered Ellie just before the arrival of another visitor,...
[The entire page is 2793 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
Related Topics
