The Elevator by William Dean Howells
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"The Elevator" by William Dean Howells is a farce that showcases the dynamics of social interactions during a Christmas dinner in an apartment hotel setting, written in the early 20th century. The play unfolds against the backdrop of a delayed familial gathering, with the main characters anxiously awaiting the arrival of Mrs. Roberts’s Aunt Mary, only to find themselves embroiled in a series of humorous misadventures revolving around the hotel’s elevator. The
situations provoke themes of social norms, relationships, and the discomforts of urban living, highlighting a blend of comedy and the mild absurdities of life. In this light-hearted play, the story is propelled by the anxiety of Mrs. Roberts and her husband, Mr. Roberts, as they prepare for a Christmas dinner that becomes a comedic event due to a series of delays. As guests, including Dr. Lawton, Mrs. Miller, and a host of others arrive, it quickly becomes apparent that several key attendees, including Aunt Mary, are stuck in the very elevator meant to transport them. The various characters display a mix of impatience, humor, and absurdity as they navigate their unconventional predicament, including attempts to communicate and devise a plan for rescue. Ultimately, the play culminates in the successful and humorous release of the trapped guests, reinforcing notions of human connection amidst chaos while blending witty dialogue with comical scenarios that reflect the social mores of the time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920 |
|---|---|
| Title | The Elevator |
| Credits | Transcribed from “The Sleeping Car and Other Farces” 1911 Houghton Mifflin Company edition by David Price |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 87.4 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Comedy plays |
| Subject | American drama -- 19th century |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 3401 |
| Release Date | Sep 1, 2002 |
| Last Update | Jun 29, 2014 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 340 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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