Representative Plays by American Dramatists: 1856-1911: The New York Idea

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25565

Title

Representative Plays by American Dramatists: 1856-1911: The New York Idea

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Langdon Elwyn Mitchell's "The New York Idea" satirizes the frivolity and moral flexibility of American high society through a farcical quadrille of divorce and remarriage. Written for actress Mrs. Fiske, this high comedy explores the "New York Idea" of marriage as a whim, using sharp wit and universal themes to critique a culture where social status often outweighs genuine emotion.

Summary up to 500 words

Langdon Elwyn Mitchell's "The New York Idea" presents a biting social satire set within the high-society circles of New York, exposing the absurdity of treating matrimony as a mere sporting wager. The narrative centers on the tumultuous relationship between Jack Karslake and his first wife, Cynthia. Their marriage was originally a bet, a gamble that ended in divorce, yet the couple remains inextricably bound by lingering affection, jealousy, and pride. On the day of Cynthia's wedding to her second husband, Philip Phillimore, she returns to Jack's home to apologize and reconcile, navigating a world filled with eccentric characters like the opportunistic Sir Wilfrid and the devoted maid, Vida. Mitchell employs rapid dialogue and situational irony to critique a culture where frivolity borders on the destructive. The play suggests that while the characters engage in a farcical quadrille of quick marriages and legal loopholes, the underlying reality is tragic. The central conflict culminates in a dramatic revelation: Jack's divorce decree was legally invalid. This discovery forces Cynthia to choose between her new life and her past, effectively ending the "game" of divorce. Through this resolution, Mitchell underscores the enduring power of love and the folly of reducing human relationships to sporting events. The play challenges the American spirit of extreme frivolity, noting that such levity often sits on the edge of tragedy. By depicting a society where the church acts as a quick-marriage counter and divorce is treated with casual indifference, Mitchell highlights the moral decay beneath the sparkling wit. Ultimately, the work stands as a distinguished piece of American drama, comparable to the best European models, using humor to reveal deep truths about the human condition and the complexities of marriage.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25565.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg25565.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-07-07 10:44 UTC

Categories

• Drama