Waste: A Tragedy, In Four Acts

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Granville-Barker, Harley, 1877-1946

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Waste: A Tragedy, In Four Acts" by Harley Granville-Barker is a play written in the early 20th century. The narrative explores political and social themes through a dialogue-heavy format, focusing on the complex relationships and interactions among various characters in an upper-middle-class setting in England. The play dives into discussions around disestablishment of the church, education reform, and the roles of men and women in society, portraying the tension between personal desires and public duties. The opening of the play introduces us to the Farrant household, where an evening gathering is in progress. Mrs. Farrant, the hostess, plays the piano as a group of friends engage in lively conversation about philosophical ideas, political ideologies, and societal roles, touching on issues like education and religion. Among them is the young woman Lucy Davenport, who remains somewhat skeptical of the adults' discussions. The interactions reflect a mix of wit and cynicism, showcasing the intellectual atmosphere while hinting at deeper emotional undercurrents, especially around the theme of women negotiating their identities in a changing world. As characters discuss their views, subtle dramas begin to unfold, foreshadowing the challenges they face amid societal expectations and personal aspirations. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Michael Ciesielski, Melissa Er-Raqabi and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net.

Notes:

Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_(play)

Reading ease score: 79.3 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Release date is 2005-05-07