Topics for Further Study
Investigate the history of The Children's Hour in major cities such as Boston, Chicago, and London, where the play was banned in the 1930s due to prevailing community standards.
Examine the concepts of libel and slander within American civil law and connect your discoveries to the circumstances depicted in the play.
Read Maxwell Anderson's adaptation of William Marsh's novel, The Bad Seed. Compare the characters of Mary Tilford and Rhoda Penmark, the child murderer in that story. In what ways are the two girls alike, and how do they differ?
Conduct a comparative analysis of the public reaction to the "outing episode" of the television sitcom Ellen and the controversy surrounding the lesbian theme in The Children's Hour.
Explore the connection between the 1952 revival of The Children's Hour and the ongoing congressional (HUAC) investigations into domestic communism during that period.
Investigate current theories about the biochemical origins of criminal behavior and the psychopathic personality. Relate your findings to Mary Tilford's character and actions in The Children's Hour. Does Mary meet the criteria for being a sociopathic criminal?
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