''Bury the Dead'' (1936) is an

expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...

and anti-war drama by the American playwright

Irwin Shaw Irwin Shaw (February 27, 1913 – May 16, 1984) was an American playwright, screenwriter, novelist, and short-story author whose written works have sold more than 14 million copies. He is best known for two of his novels: ''The Young Lions'' ( ...

. It dramatizes the refusal of six dead soldiers during an unspecified war—who represent a cross-section of American society—to be buried. Each rises from a mass nameless grave to express his anguish, the futility of war, and his refusal to become part of the "glorious past". First the Captain and the Generals tell them it is their duty to be buried, but they refuse. Even a Priest and a Rabbi try to convince them to no avail. Newspapers refuse to print the story in fear it will hurt the war effort. Finally they bring in the women who have survived them, wives, sister and even mother. None succeed in the end. It was first staged in New York City in 1936 to great acclaim.

Characters

*Private Driscoll *Private Morgan *Private Levy *Private Webster *Private Schelling *Private Dean *Joan Burke *Bess Schelling *Martha Webster *Julia Blake *Katherine Driscoll *Elizabeth Dean *Three Generals *Captain *Sergeant *Four Soldiers on Burial Detail *Priest *Rabbi *Doctor *Reporter *Editor *Two Whores *Three Business Men'

External links

* 1936 plays Anti-war plays Broadway plays Expressionist plays Plays by Irwin Shaw {{1930s-play-stub

Characters

See also

External links