Act I Summary
Act One, Scene I
Inherit The Wind begins at dawn on a July morning that "promises to be a scorcher." The narrative focuses on a schoolteacher standing trial for teaching evolution—the idea that humans evolved from lower primates like monkeys—in his classroom, breaching Tennessee's Butler Law. The sleepy Southern town of Hillsboro, Tennessee, is already divided. Is it Creationism or evolution? Religion or science? Rachel, the daughter of the local minister and a young teacher, visits her jailed colleague, Bert Cates. The Baltimore Herald has dispatched E. K. Hornbeck, the nation's most renowned columnist, to cover the trial, alongside Henry Drummond, the country's most famous trial lawyer, to defend Bert. The town is buzzing in anticipation of the arrival of the prosecution's lawyer, Matthew Harrison Brady, a three-time Presidential candidate and self-proclaimed Bible expert. It's evident from the "READ YOUR BIBLE" banner across Main Street and the frequent hymns that many townspeople are creationists—believers that humans were created fully-evolved by God—and oppose Bert.
Hornbeck, with his cynical and mocking demeanor, champions the validity of Evolution while ridiculing Creationist beliefs. When Brady arrives on a special train, the townspeople shower him with admiration, make him an honorary Colonel in the state militia, and serve him a hearty meal. Both Brady and the town are taken aback and concerned when they discover that Henry Drummond will be defending Bert. As Drummond enters at the scene's conclusion, Hornbeck greets him with, "Hello, Devil. Welcome to Hell."
Act One, Scene II
A few days later, during jury selection for the trial, Brady and Tom Davenport, the local District Attorney, exchange sharp remarks with Drummond over potential jurors. The courtroom atmosphere resembles a circus more than a legal proceeding, with throngs of spectators and reporters filling the room. After the court adjourns for the day, Rachel pleads with Bert to abandon the fight. Bert hesitates, and Drummond offers to settle with Brady if Bert genuinely believes he has committed an offense "against the citizens of this state and the minds of their children." Bert resolves to continue, leaving Rachel distressed and bewildered. Drummond is confident that he is on the right side.
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