Project Gutenberg 2002-09-01 Public domain in the USA. 47 Howells, William Dean 1837 1920 Howells, W. D. (William Dean) Howells, William D. (William Dean) The Elevator Transcribed from “The Sleeping Car and Other Farces” 1911 Houghton Mifflin Company edition by David Price "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.) en Comedies American drama -- 19th century PS Text Browsing: Culture/Civilization/Society Browsing: Literature Browsing: Fiction 89992 89849 2024-10-02T08:21:14.982849 2023-10-02T07:36:46.691940 text/html text/html 91980 2014-06-29T17:46:00 text/html 28720 2014-06-29T17:50:11 text/html application/zip 98160 2024-10-02T08:21:19.855800 application/epub+zip 97200 2024-10-02T08:21:16.868834 application/epub+zip 97201 2024-10-02T08:21:15.675835 application/epub+zip 193743 2024-10-02T08:21:21.799792 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 175791 2024-10-02T08:21:19.128839 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 138344 2022-09-02T09:53:39.275033 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 74177 74085 2024-10-02T08:21:14.441843 2023-10-02T07:36:46.231926 text/plain; charset=us-ascii text/plain 73830 2014-06-29T17:45:54 text/plain; charset=utf-8 26069 2014-06-29T17:50:11 text/plain; charset=utf-8 application/zip 20100 2024-10-02T08:21:21.921809 application/rdf+xml 12060 2024-10-02T08:21:16.214826 image/jpeg 3316 2024-10-02T08:21:15.942837 image/jpeg 95687 2024-10-02T08:21:14.990855 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia