William Stanley Houghton (1881-1913) was a famous English dramatist. He was one of the best of a group of realistic playwrights often called the Manchester School. In every play he sought to present an idea. He had a remarkable gift for dialogue that is evident in THE DEAR DEPARTED. The dear departed was first produced in Manchester in1908. here Houghton satirizes the degradation of moral values in the British middle-class.

Sisters : Mrs. Amelia Slatter Mrs. Elizabeth Jordon Their Husbands : Henry Slatter Ben JordonA girl of ten VictoriaGrandfather Abel Merryweather

This story is about a family in which an old man with his daughter and her husband and their daughter lived. This drama is based on moral values. The story begins like this……

A room in which a sofa is placed . Ornaments and a cheap American clock are on mantelpiece. A center table is there on which some newspapers and magazines are placed. A red faced vulgar woman Mrs. Slatter is laying the table. She is sharply calling her daughter Victoria…..

Yes mamma

Just coming..

Victoria, Victoria !Do you hear me ?

Can you come here for a while ?

Why are they coming?

They haven’t been here for years.

They are coming to talk

about grandpa’s

matter.

I am amazed that how can you seek pleasure in the street? Don’t you know that your

grandpa is lying dead upstairs? Go & change your dress your

uncle and aunt are coming soon.

A noise is heard suddenly , Mrs. Slater hurries to the door and opens it. She sighs when she sees her husband Henry on the door.

Not came yet , eh ?You can see they haven’t , can

you ? Now Victoria be off upstairs and change your

dress.

Henry and Amelia discusses about their mourning dress . Henry sits on the armchair , then Amelia asks to get his books off .

Then Henry shows his astonishment by asking that she had quarreled with Elizabeth then she took decision that she would never set her leg into her house so why she’s coming to her house that day.

Amelia clears his doubt that she’s coming just to get her share in their father’s property.

Amelia unwraps the parcel . It contains apple pie and she puts it on a dish.

Henry I am thinking about that pa ‘s bureau that’s in his bedroom . You know that I always wanted to

have it after he died.

You must always arrange with

Elizabeth when you are dividing things

up.

She’ll see that I’m after it and she’ll drive a hard

bargain over it.

Perhaps she’s got her eye on the

bureau as well.

Mrs. Slater suggests Henry to put that bureau down and act as that the bureau is their own.

We should do it before they come… I wouldn’t care.

Don’t look so daft . Why not ?

It doesn’t seem to be delicate.

Amelia suggests ….“we could put that shabby old chest of drawers at

the place of bureau.”Henry questions…..“suppose they come when we are doing it …”Amelia answers…“I’ll fasten the front door. Get your coat off.”(Amelia fastens the door and Henry gets his coats

off.)Amelia reappears…

Mom! Can you please fasten my

frock?

I’m busy . Get your father to do

it.

Henry fastens her frock and Amelia hurries upstairs.

What you have got your coat off , father ?

Mother and me bringing your

grandpa’s bureau here.

As we pinching before aunt Eliza

come?

No my dear your grandpa gifted it when

he died.

Then Victoria doubtfully asks, "this morning?”Henry , “yes”

Victoria- EH!!! He was drunk this morning…Henry – don’t say like that…

I think that we should fetch this clock also.

Our clock worth nothing and this

always appeared to me.

That’s grandpa’s clock!!!!!

Amelia makes Victoria to be shut and not to say a single word this shows that Amelia is very rude towards her daughter and selfish towards her family. She fetched the mantle table and bureau to herself.

After some time a sharp knock is heard. She orders Victoria not to open the door till she says to her because she frequently understands that who will be on the door.

They do whatever they planned, they displaces the bureau . Knocking is still on the door…..

Open the door Victoria. Now Henry

get your coat on.

Mrs. Slater straightens her hair and throws magazine towards Henry.

Victoria opens the door. Ben Jordon and Elizabeth Jordon enters in the house. Both the couples shakes hands and gives kisses. They meet to each other formally. The sits on the sofas and talks about grandpa’s issues and activities he did before death. In talking Elizabeth comes to know..

Elizabeth-now tell us about him. What did the doctor say?

Amelia- OH!! He’s not been near yet…Elizabeth – not been near ???Ben – didn’t you sent him at once???Amelia – Of coarse! I did . I once sent Henry to Dr.

Prinjle but he was out..Elizabeth – Its’ just a fatal mistake…

Amelia tells her that their father went to pay his insurance in that morning and when came back , he was in ‘merry’. The whole family talks about his final activities and they sniffs in a tear.After a moment Amelia offers tea to them and they sits and talks about the obituary to be given in the in the newspaper. But they aren’t able to decide so they postpone their program and talks about their father’s valuables and sorts.

I want that gold watch . He

promised that to our Jimmy.

Elizabeth tells everyone that…….

Amelia gets surprised after listening his father’s will and asks that when did he do so..

Anyhow.. There’s his insurance money.

Where is receipt of the premium he paid

today??

Ben asks Amelia about the receipt…

Amelia refuses that she don’t know anything about it…

Victoria suddenly jumps up from the sofa and share her thoughts with her family. She informs everyone that her grandpa didn’t go into the town, he went to his an old friend and after that to the St. Philip's Church.Then Elizabeth puts her opinion that their father hasn’t filled the premium just to annoy them, Amelia doesn’t believes them and orders Victoria to bring the Bunch of keys that was kept in her grandpa’s dressing table .Victoria reluctantly goes there , here by

mistake Amelia takes the name of bureau . Then Elizabeth and Ben starts investigating about the bureau by asking questions about it. Then Amelia lies to them that they bought that bureau at an auction.

Elizabeth believes in whatever Amelia says and says that all the masterpieces are of second hand.

Victoria returns very scared and informs everyone that grandpa is getting up. Firstly everyone shouts on her and refer her as a foolish girl. But she sticks on her words and tells everyone to check out. Elizabeth asks her to check out once.Suddenly they hears some sound . They look behind… they sees Abel is coming down . On seeing grandpa all becomes terrified. Amelia pokes grandpa to see if he is solid.Abel gets irritated by their tomfoolery . And feel happy on seeing Elizabeth and Amelia together. Victoria runs towards her grandpa and sits on the floor at his feet ….

Oh grandpa!!! I’m glad that you are not

dead.

Eh? What’s that? Who’s gone

dead????

Amelia corrects (loudly) - Victoria says that she’s sorry about your head.

As Amelia doesn’t wants Abel to know that they thought Abel is dead. But Abel doubts that something serious is happening behind him….

Abel thanks Victoria for her well wishing. On seeing this Amelia remembers that Elizabeth told her about their father’s gold watch, so she tactfully tells her to ask about that gold watch from their father, but she ignores .on seeing their unusual behavior, Abel asks…

Why all of you are in mourning??? Who’s

gone dead??? It’s someone in the

family????

Amelia grapples with the problem and pretexts that a person in the relation of Ben has been died and starts making imaginary stories about that imaginary dead person. They hide the truth. Just to hide one truth they say a number of lies. This shows that they are not loyal to their father and they just wanted to fetch his property. They don’t wanted to deteriorate their image in front of their father. Abel wishes to have some food as he is feeling hungry. Amelia grants her some apple pie and pours some tea. Ben then asks Abel about his health.

While eating Abel shouts ,” Melia and Henry , how dare you to shift my bureau out of my bedroom???”

Elizabeth , “ what bureau was that. Father???Abel , “ that bureau that one I bought .”Elizabeth , “ was that father ?”( pointing towards the

bureau)Abel,” what’s it doing here??”

After some time the clock of mantelpiece strikes six. Everyone looks at it.

Drat me if that isn’t my clock too. What

the devil’s been going on in this

house????

Elizabeth understands the tricks of Amelia and tells Abel that what is going on that house. Amelia orders her to keep quite but she doesn’t .she tells the whole story to her father that Amelia is playing robbery on him. And also tells him that Amelia and Henry thought that he was dead and fetched his clock and bureau. Abel also understands the whole story and Amelia sobs after it .It seems that

neither of you has any cause to feel

proud about the way you have treated

me.

Come Mr. Merryweather

you’ve got to live with one of your

daughters.

Ben and Henry : what ????Elizabeth : Get married!!!!Amelia : He’s out of his senses….Ben : to whom???

It’s a good thing you brought that bureau

downstairs. Amelia , it’ll be handier to carry

across to the RING-O-BELLS on Monday.