Original Plays

Gilbert, W. S. (William Schwenck), 1836-1911Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 401K words
Chapters: 41

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Original Plays [First Series] by W. S. GilbertAuthor: Gilbert, W. S. (William Schwenck), 1836-1911,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Mar 14, 2019

Editor's review

This first series of Original Plays collects several original plays by W. S. Gilbert and is a primary text for understanding nineteenth-century English drama and humor. Gilbert is known for witty dialogue, absurd plots, and satire of social customs; these plays show both the pleasures of the Victorian stage and the rhythm and cleverness of English comic language. As a free Project Gutenberg e-book, it is easy to search, copy, and carry; it suits readers interested in English literature, theater history, or light-comedy writing. There is no need to read it all at once; treat each play as a separate work and note the irony and wordplay in the dialogue. Background knowledge of Gilbert's operatic collaborations with Sullivan will make his comic technique easier to grasp. Overall, this is a public-domain drama collection of both documentary value and reading pleasure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century English drama and humorous literature
Writing students who want to study English comic dialogue and satire
Enthusiasts who need public-domain English play scripts for staging or reading aloud

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for contemporary original Chinese plays
Beginners unused to English originals and Victorian modes of expression

Reading tips

Read one play at a time in order; read for plot first, then revisit the best dialogue.
Keep pen and paper to mark rhymes, puns, and irony, and feel the rhythm of comic language.
Read passages aloud or try reading roles with friends to sense the stage effect.
Use background material on Gilbert's collaborations with Sullivan to aid understanding.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Chinese or English?

The main text is in English; it is a public-domain e-book released by Project Gutenberg. Chinese readers can read it as English drama in the original, using dictionaries and background material to understand Victorian expression and humor.

Can I read it without a drama background?

Yes, but it takes some patience. Read a plot summary first, then go scene by scene through the dialogue; slow down at rhymes or puns. Familiarity with nineteenth-century English social customs will make the satire easier to follow.

Is it suitable for rehearsal or reading aloud?

Yes. These plays were written for the stage, and the dialogue is strongly rhythmic; role reading or small trial performances can bring out their comic effect. Just note the edition information of the public-domain text.

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About the author

Gilbert, W. S. (William Schwenck), 1836-1911 Author

W. S. Gilbert (William Schwenck Gilbert, 1836–1911) was an English playwright and poet. Public information about him is limited; the library holds eight of his works, chiefly humorous verse and plays. Representative works include The Bab Ballads and its expanded collection The Bab Ballads, with Which Are Included Songs of a Savoyard, Fifty Bab Ballads: Much Sound and Little Sense, Bab Ballads and Savoy Songs, More Bab Ballads, Original Plays, Original Plays, Second Series, and Songs of a Savoyard. These works show his gift for light, nimble rhyme and witty narrative poetry, often with absurd situations and ironic touches. The Bab Ballads first appeared in magazines with his own illustrations and were later collected; their ballads and motifs also fed into his stage writing. His plays and Savoy opera lyrics are closely linked, marked by playful language and neat construction, and have had a lasting influence on English light opera and comic verse.