The Devil And Daniel Webster Essay Research
The Devil And Daniel Webster Essay, Research Paper
The drama & # 8220 ; The Devil and Daniel Webster & # 8221 ; was written by Stephen Vincent Ben & # 233 ; T in 1938. Stephen Vincent Ben & # 233 ; T was born in 1898 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His instruction came from Yale University and the Sorbonne in Paris, France. & # 8220 ; The Devil and Daniel Webster & # 8221 ; has a broad array of characters, each with a distinguished personality, yet an overall temperment that would be suiting of a New England community. The chief character is Jabez Stone, a affluent New England solon whose possition was the province senator of New Hampshire. He had started out as a husbandman though, but moved up in life and, when he was about 30 old ages of age, married the just adult female, Mary Stone- who was in her early mid-twentiess. The violinist, though non improbably of import, was a cardinal character in that he provided prefiguration.
When he said, & # 8220 ; But the really devil & # 8217 ; s got into that violin of mine. & # 8221 ; , he was forshadowing the coming of the Satan to upset the gaieties. A really cardinal character in this drama is the Satan himself, which took the name of Scratch ( for that was what he was called in New England communities ) . He had come to steal the psyche of Jabez Stone, claiming that he had a right to Jabez because of a legal contract.
Last- but most surely non least in this story- is the great Governor of New Hampshire, loved by all, Daniel Webster. Daniel Webster was non merely the governor, but an excelent speechmaker. He had a manner of utilizing words to prosecute the sentiment of others, sometimes by conveying feelings or emotion. The drama starts out in the flowery place of Jabez and Mary Stone, right after their nuptials has taken topographic point. The Fiddler, who sat upon a Cider Barrel, played a melody on the Fiddle, and all of the invitees danced to it. Basically, it was a wedding response. At first, there was nil more than little talk traveling on, but by utilizing even this smalltalk, Ben & # 233 ; t really accurately described the life styles of the New England occupants.
As the drama progressed, political favour of the twenty-four hours was expressed as Daniel Webster arived, tie ining himself with Jabez Stone. One adult male cried out, & # 8220 ; Vote the Whig ticket! & # 8221 ; and another,
“Hurray for Daniel Webster! ” Of class, political disfavour was besides shown, as Scratch ( the Satan ) portreyed himself as a attorney from Boston, connoting that the political party from Boston was disfavored. Later on, after some forshadowing by both Jabez and Mary, it is learned that Jabez had sold his psyche to the Satan. He had done this because of the dessolite land he had to farm, it was wholly baren, and had an copiousness of big rocks at that place. In return, the Satan brought him prosperity- for a clip. Jabez had become province senator, married a fantastic adult female, and had friends in high topographic points. But it did non last everlastingly.
A little climax- more like a turning point- occurred when Scratch had driven all the invitees off from fright. He so left for a short clip, fixing to come back at a ulterior clip to repossess his & # 8220 ; value & # 8221 ; . Daniel Webster, nevertheless, felt intimate that he could get the better of Scratch in a just test and/or argument. As it turned out, both happened.
When Scratch came back, they had a trial- a test with a colored jury of the undead. A great oratory argument shortly followed between Scratch and Daniel Webster. It was a ferocious argument, though it did stay civil. Webster used his cunning mind against Scratch, but in every instance, either Scratch would rebut his claim, or the justice at this test, Judge Hawthorne of the Salem Witch Trials, would over-rule Daniel Webster- no affair how logical he had been. For case, when Daniel Webster claimed that & # 8220 ; Mr. Stone is an American citizen, and American citizen may be forced into the service of a foreign prince. & # 8221 ; , the Satan replied that he was no alien with & # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; when the first wrong was done to the first Indian, I was at that place. When the first slave dealer put out for the Congo, I stood on her deck & # 8230 ; & # 8221 ; . Such a test was impossible to win, until Daniel Webster used his words to convey back memories of the undead jury- of when they had been alive and human. He appealed to them, one by one, and easy changed the sway of the colored jury of the undead. In the terminal, the finding of fact was & # 8220 ; non guilty & # 8221 ; , and old Abrasion was eventually flung out the door. Overall, I exhaustively enjoyed this drama by Stephen Vincent Ben & # 233 ; T, and I would urge reading it.
