“The Children’s Hour” by Lillian Hellman.docx

“The Children’s Hour” by Lillian Hellman is a tragic drama first performed in 1934. Set in a small girls’ boarding school, the play explores how a single lie can destroy lives. The story revolves around two women, Martha Dobie and Karen Wright, who run the school together. Their peaceful life falls apart when a student, Mary Tilford, spreads a false rumor that they have a romantic relationship. This lie creates a scandal, leading to social rejection, broken relationships, and emotional suffering. The play boldly addresses themes of prejudice, injustice, gossip, and the fear of social taboos, especially around issues of sexuality. Hellman’s work remains powerful and relevant even today, as it warns against the destructive nature of lies and the cruelty of societal judgment.

1. “The Children’s Hour” by Lillian Hellman
Facts about “The Children’s Hour”
1.Author: Lillian Hellman, a famous American playwright.
2.First Performance: The play was first performed in 1934.
3.Genre: It is a tragic drama.
4.Setting: The story takes place in a small girls’ boarding school.
5.Main Issue: The play focuses on the harm caused by lies and rumors.
6.Controversy: It was considered bold and controversial because it deals with the subject
of lesbianism, which was taboo at the time.
7.Plot Focus: A false accusation by a young girl destroys the lives of two women running
the school.
8.Themes: The play explores prejudice, injustice, fear of social taboos, and the power
of lies.
9.Ending: The play ends tragically with Martha’s death, showing the serious
consequences of the rumor.
10.Literary Importance: It is an important play highlighting the dangers of gossip and
intolerance and remains relevant today.
1. About the Play
●It is a tragic play about how a false rumor can ruin people’s lives.
●First performed in 1934.
●Written by Lillian Hellman, an American playwright.
2. Setting
●The play takes place in a small girls’ boarding school run by two women, Martha and
Karen.
3. Plot Summary:

2. ●The story starts when a student named Mary Tilford lies and says Martha and Karen
have a secret romantic relationship.
●This false accusation causes a big scandal.
●The community turns against Martha and Karen.
●Martha’s fiancé, Dr. Joe Cardin, breaks off their engagement.
●The rumor destroys their reputations and causes great pain.
●In the end, Mary’s lie is exposed, but the damage is done—Martha dies, unable to handle
the shame.
4. Main Characters:
●Martha Dobie: Co-owner of the school, strong but vulnerable.
●Karen Wright: Martha’s partner in running the school, honest and caring.
●Mary Tilford: The young girl who tells the lie.
●Dr. Joe Cardin: Martha’s fiancé.
●Mrs. Amelia Tilford: Mary’s grandmother, who supports her granddaughter.
5. Themes:
●Power of Lies: Shows how lies and gossip can destroy lives.
●Injustice: Innocent people can suffer because of false accusations.
●Prejudice and Fear: The play explores fear of social taboos, especially around sexuality.
●Truth and Consequences: Even when lies are proven, damage may be irreversible.
6. Significance:
●The play was considered bold for its time because it dealt with taboo subjects like
lesbian relationships.
●It highlights how society’s cruelty and intolerance harm individuals.
●The story warns against believing rumors without proof.
The Children’s Hour is a tragic play about how a small lie can cause great harm. The story
happens in a girls’ boarding school run by two women, Martha and Karen, who are close friends
and partners. One day, a student named Mary Tilford tells a lie, saying that Martha and Karen

3. have a secret romantic relationship. This rumor spreads quickly and causes a big scandal in their
small town. People start to believe the lie and turn against Martha and Karen. Martha’s fiancé,
Dr. Joe Cardin, breaks off their engagement because of the rumors. Even though the accusation
is false, the damage is very serious. Martha is heartbroken and overwhelmed by shame and
sadness. In the end, she dies, showing how powerful and dangerous lies can be. The play teaches
us about the harmful effects of gossip, prejudice, and fear, especially when society judges people
without knowing the truth.
Background understanding
“The Children’s Hour” is a play written by Lillian Hellman in 1934. It was considered very
bold and controversial at the time because it deals with the subject of lesbianism, which was a
taboo topic in society back then. The play is based on a real-life court case from the 19th century
where two women were falsely accused of having a lesbian relationship, and their lives were
ruined because of it. Hellman used this story to show how dangerous and destructive lies,
rumors, and prejudice can be, especially when they target people who are different or
misunderstood. The play highlights the cruelty of society’s judgments and the tragic
consequences that can happen when people believe false accusations without proof. It also
speaks about themes like intolerance, injustice, and the power of gossip.