#Christopher_Fry #Comedy_Play #1948 #Summary #AMIT_SIR #Explained_Easily #Explained_in_easy_way #English_With_Motivation #English_Literature #Skmu #Jharkhand #Sem_6 #Examination
The Lady's not for Burning
“The Lady’s not for Burning” is a comedy play by Christopher Fry. It is a romantic comedy written
in three acts. It is written in verse and its setting is somewhat around 14th century. It indirectly
reflects the plight (bad condition) the World War II. It has a soldier who is tired of war and so he
wishes to die. Another character is a witch who is accused but she wants to survive. It resembles
Shakespeare’s pastoral comedies. It was performed in 1949 in London. It was also performed in
U.S. in 1950.
Thomas Mendip, a soldier wants to be hanged who is recently discharged. He visits the city mayor,
Hebble Tyson. He explains all this to mayor’s clerk, Richard. Alizon, the fiancé of mayor’s nephew,
Humphrey enters. She immediately feels a connection to Richard. Soon, Humphrey’s brother,
Nicholas enters and announces that he has killed Humphrey in a battle which was for Alizon. He
also announces that he deserves her hand for marriage. Mayor’s sister, Margaret and the mother
of Humphrey and Nicholas arrives. Nicholas and Richard are sent to get Humphrey who is alive in
the garden.
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Outside the house, there is a noise in which Thomas is begging to be hanged. The mayor explains
that he cannot be hanged without any reason. He makes a false claim that he has killed two men.
Then enters a witch, Jennet who is accused by a group of people. She gets shocked when she hears
that the mayor also believes them. He orders to arrest her but his clerk refuses her to be a witch.
Finally the both are arrested.
Later, the mayor and the justice, Tappercom discuss the strange behaviour of these two. Margaret
comes horrified by the noise of public. The Chaplain (Priests) advise the mayor to invite Thomas
for the party that night. Meanwhile, Richard reaches drunk as he is depressed about the two. The
mayor commands him to scrub the floor after the refusal of arrest. Nicholas enters full of blood
stains followed by Humphrey. He explains that he was addressing the crowd while he got hit by a
brick. Margaret questions their intention but they don’t accept any. She takes Nicholas to be
cleaned up.
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The mayor along with justice, Humphrey and the Chaplain overhear Thomas and Jennet purposely.
The two go on talking about their crimes and declare that she loves him. She also declares that it
doesn’t matter whether he is a devil or not. After this eavesdropping (hearing secretly), the mayor
announces to burn her the next day. At the same time, Thomas is invited for the party. He accepts
at the condition that she will also attend. He threatens him to reveal the secret that they has
released a murderer.
That evening, Thomas, Humphrey and Nicholas get bored waiting for Jennet to get ready for the
party. She arrives but they three make a fight over her company. She goes with Humphrey as he
was a host. So many things happen at the party. Humphrey tries to seduce her as an exchange for
life. Thomas stops it and she gets upset. He also declares his love for her. Finally, she is proven
innocent and they two flee away that night.
DECEIT, HERESY (Controversial Statement), Exhaustion and Despair are the main themes of the
play.
