4.THE DEAR DEPARTED
William Stanley Houghton (1881-1913), an English playwright and prominent member of the Manchester School of dramatists, shot to fame with his play Hindle Wakes (1912) which had a long run in London, and has remained his best-known work. His early productions are plays such as The Intrigues (1906). The Reckoning (1907), and The Dear Departed (1908). His other plays include The Younger Generation (1912), Trust the People (1913) and The Perfect Cure (1913). Houghton was strongly influenced by Henrick Ibsen, the Norwegian dramatist who inspired Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries to write problem plays depicting social evils. But Houghton wrote no propagandist play other than Independent Needs. Though set locally in Northern England, his plays transcend rootedness to the place, and touch on universal elements of human nature. Other dramatists of his times like George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde too had an abiding influence on him. Sadly, his premature death in December 1913 put an end to a career that showed great promise.
'The Dear Departed', is a bare-faced satire on man's greed and hypocrisy that weaken the bonds of affection in human relationships.. Abel Merryweather, who falls into a state of deep, drunken stupor, is mistaken for dead, and the ensuing tussle between his daughters, Mrs. Slater and Mrs. Jordan, to grab his possessions is what Houghton holds up to ridicule in this amusing comedy in one act.
The two daughters of Abel Merryweather, greedy and selfish to the core, hasten to lay their hands on his belongings as soon as he is believed to be dead. The hypocritical women, more in rivalry than in grief at the bereavement, try to excel each other in wearing mourning for their dead father. They quarrel for his possessions, and involve their weak-willed husbands too in the fight. Just when the quarrel takes a turn for the worse with the sisters calling each other names, the unexpected happens the old man wakes up from his deep slumber and appears before them as large as life.
Though shocked beyond measure, Mrs. Slater and Mrs. Jordan quickly gather their wits and try to cover up their embarrassing mistake. But, thanks to Victoria, Abel Merryweather soon gets a clue as to what transpired before he made his appearance. Realizing that his daughters have always looked upon him as a burden to be rid of, he announces his intention of rewriting his will to leave his possessions to whomever he lives with at the time of his death.
The two shrewd daughters now vie with each other to take charge of their father's welfare. But, much to their chagrin, Mr. Merryweather breaks the stunning news that he is getting married to the widow Mrs. John Shorrocks of the Ring-o'-Bells who, he is sure, will take care of him with selfless devotion. And, with an invitation to his wedding carelessly thrown their way, he walks out on his daughters.
by
Stanley Houghton