Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts by H. L. Mencken and George Jean Nathan

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Author Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956
Author Nathan, George Jean, 1882-1958
LoC No. 20013988
Title Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts
Note Reading ease score: 78.2 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Credits Produced by MFR, Karin Spence and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive)
Summary "Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts" by H. L. Mencken and George Jean Nathan is a satirical play written in the early 20th century. It depicts the decadent and chaotic court life of Emperor Heliogabalus, exploring themes of excess, power, and absurdity. The central character, Heliogabalus, is portrayed as a whimsical ruler whose erratic behavior leads to comedic confrontations, especially in relation to his many wives and his personal health crises. The opening of the play sets the stage in the imperial palace, introducing Heliogabalus and his court through a humorous exchange between his physicians, Piso and Polorus, discussing the emperor's ailments amid the backdrop of a New Year’s Eve banquet. As the physicians await the Emperor's entrance, comedic elements arise from their banter and the contrasting characters of the empress, Paula, who laments about her husband's state and their young wife, Lucia, who enters the scene. This blend of historical context, witty dialogue, and over-the-top characters establishes a lively tone that promises to explore the absurdities of imperial rule and human folly as the narrative unfolds. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Comedies
Subject Elagabalus, Emperor of Rome, 204-222 -- Drama
Category Text
EBook-No. 61281
Release Date
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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