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The Children's Hour: A Play by Lillian Hellman

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Lillian Hellman's 'The Children's Hour' is a play that tackles the destructive power of lies and the societal impact of homophobia. It narrates the story of two women running a boarding school whose lives are shattered by a student's false accusation of a lesbian relationship. The play highlights the severe consequences of prejudice and the tragic outcomes for the protagonists, including professional ruin and personal despair.

Overview of "The Children's Hour" and Its Historical Significance

"The Children's Hour," a play by Lillian Hellman written in 1934, is a dramatic exploration of the consequences of deceit and the societal repercussions of homophobia. Set in an all-girls boarding school run by two women, the play is based on a real-life incident from 1810 at a school in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hellman's narrative confronts the destructive nature of lies and the harsh reality of prejudice against homosexuality, which remained a criminal offense in many parts of the United States until the Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas (2003) and was illegal in Scotland until the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 came into effect in 1981.
Dimly lit theater stage with red velvet curtains, two antique chairs facing each other, and a vintage telephone on a small table, under warm stage lights.

The Inciting Incident: A Student's Destructive Deception

The central event of "The Children's Hour" is a spiteful fabrication by a student named Mary Tilford. To avoid punishment for her own misconduct, Mary falsely accuses her headmistresses, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie, of having a lesbian relationship. Her lie is based on a misinterpreted argument between Martha and her aunt, which Mary manipulates to persuade her grandmother, Amelia Tilford, of the headmistresses' alleged misconduct. Amelia's reaction to the accusation triggers a series of events that lead to the ruin of Karen and Martha's careers and reputations.

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00

Based on an event from ______ at a school in ______, 'The Children's Hour' addresses the damage caused by falsehoods and the stigma of homosexuality, which was illegal there until the ______ in ______.

1810

Edinburgh, Scotland

Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980

1981

01

Central fabrication originator in 'The Children's Hour'

Mary Tilford creates the lie to escape punishment for her misconduct.

02

Accusation content against headmistresses

Karen Wright and Martha Dobie are falsely accused of a lesbian relationship.

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