Why Marry? (Masterplots II: Drama, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Jesse Lynch Williams
- First Published: 1914
- Type of Plot: Satire; women’s
- Time of Work: The early twentieth century
- Setting: A country estate
- Principal Characters: John, Lucy, Jean, Helen, Ernest, Rex, Uncle Everett, Theodore
- Genres: Satire, Drama, Women’s literature
- Subjects: Love or romance, Gender roles, Marriage, Science or scientists, Feminism, Women’s issues, Equality, Money, Women’s movement, Women’s rights, Houses, mansions, or manors
The Play
This three-act play occurs entirely on John’s well-furnished estate. It is the story of five couples who represent five divergent views of marriage. The primary couple, Ernest and Helen, form the center of the play’s action. They represent options other than marriage for two people to express their love and respect for one another. They enjoy each other’s company, share in each other’s professional work, and are both ready to commit emotionally to each other, yet they feel no great compulsion to formalize their bond with a legal contract. Ernest is a famous...
[The entire page is 1937 words long]
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