Body And Soul: A Play In Four Acts

By Arnold Bennett

Book Overview

Body and Soul is a play written by Arnold Bennett, published in 1905. The story revolves around the life of Henry Earlforward, a middle-aged widower who owns a small bookshop in London. He lives alone with his sister, Annie, who is a spinster and a devout Christian. The play is divided into four acts, each depicting different stages in Henry's life.In the first act, Henry meets a young woman named Elsie Bengough, who works as a waitress in a caf�����. They fall in love and decide to marry. However, Annie disapproves of the match, as Elsie is not of their social class and is not a Christian. Despite this, Henry goes ahead with the marriage.In the second act, Henry's business is failing, and he is forced to sell his bookshop. He becomes depressed and turns to alcohol to cope. Elsie, who is pregnant, becomes increasingly worried about Henry's drinking and his mental state.In the third act, Henry's mental health deteriorates further, and he becomes delusional. He believes that he is a great artist and spends all his time painting. Elsie tries to get him help, but he refuses to see a doctor.In the final act, Henry's health reaches a critical point, and he is hospitalized. Elsie is left alone to care for their child and to try to rebuild her life. The play ends with a sense of sadness and loss, as the characters struggle to come to terms with the events that have unfolded.Overall, Body and Soul is a poignant and powerful play that explores themes of love, class, mental health, and the human condition. It is a timeless work that still resonates with audiences today.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1163081280
• ISBN13: 9781163081280
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"