The Old Maid (Masterplots II: Drama, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Zoë Akins
- First Published: 1935
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: 1833-1854
- Setting: New York City
- Principal Characters: Delia Ralston, Charlotte Lovell, Dr. Lanskell, Mrs. Mingott, James Ralston, Joseph Ralston, Clementina “Tina,”, Lanning Halley, Delia “Dee” Halley, John Halley, Nora
- Genres: Social realism, Domestic realism, Drama
- Subjects: Family or family life, Mothers, Parents and children, Power, personal or social, Nineteenth century, Middle classes, Marriage, Class consciousness, Manners or customs, Jealousy, envy, or resentment, Adoption or adopted children, Illegitimacy, Morality or morals, Materialism, Victorian era or Victorianism
- Locales: New York, NY
The Play
The Old Maid consists of five acts, or episodes, which span the twenty-one-year period from 1833 to 1854. The first episode is set on the day of Delia Lovell’s marriage to Mr. James Ralston. Nora, Delia’s maid, is superstitious about Delia’s wedded future and wants to be sure that the bride has something borrowed and something blue. Delia agrees to borrow Nora’s garter but carefully averts her head when Nora lifts her skirt. This incident calls attention to the conservative social conventions of the era. Parts of the body are treated with great delicacy...
[The entire page is 1943 words long]
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