The Drunkard – William H Smith

The Drunkard – William H Smith

            The Play “The Drunkard” or “The Fallen Saved ” is considered to be the best example of temperance  drama  and proclaimed as “a grand sacred concert with all the sacred music”. The writer of this play is William H Smith . The excerpt focuses us  on the conversation between a successful Lawyer  Cribbs and Edward Middleton , a drunkard.

            One day the famous lawyer happens to meet Edward, a seasoned criminal. Edward enquires Cribbs ,if he sees his wife and child . Cribbs replies that they are getting on well- exquisitely well. He tells that his wife found plenty of sewing and her petty face has enthused gentle folk. She has a good education  and  she is as merry as a cricket  and his little girl is as brisk as a bee.

          Cribbs tells him that his wife thinks of him occasionally and she longs to see him a respectable member of society. Cribbs  adds that she cannot but pity him. God creates the antidote to every affliction. Edward questions Cribbs how one can become respectable without a cent in his pocket. The lawyer asserts that there are more ways than one.

            Edward astounds that he is encouraged to do forgery for five thousand dollars cheque. He has to forge the signature of Arden Rencelaw, who is a noble philanthropist , poor man’s friend and benefactor of mankind. The drunkard call the lawyer a villain and refuses to do forgery. The drunkard is already a wretch ,despised ,shunned and neglected by those who should save and help him. He says that the money given to him is a bribe a miscalled charity. Hurling defiance at his hypocrisy he throws down the money.

          The lawyer says that the drunkard will think better when he is in starving and exists. The drunkard feels sad that he has become an object of pity to his once adored wife. She only treats him now with cold compassion. She no longer regards him with love and respect. She is flourishing, while he is starving. He longs for liquor which relives him of misery.

          The dramatist indicates that “ masked faces and tinsel voices flourish in society”. True appearances are deceptive. In the character of  Edward , the dramatist suggests that there may be an element of goodness. He is against the notion of “buying” respectability be selling his “soul”.