The Dear Departed

Notes

The play depicts a tragic situation that has become very common in today’s world. He
presents the idea of degrading moral values in the middle class. The children have no
feelings for their parents. Moreover, they just try to grab the belongings of their father.
They have no sense of responsibility, no love for their old-aged parents.The play brings
out the harsh reality of dying love and absence of moral values in the children. Also,
children of today lack their sense of responsibility.
Theme
The lesson ‘Dear Departed’ focuses on the family values that are dwindling fast in the
society. Materialism has so much affected the modern man’s life that even the respectful
relationship between father and daughters has become tainted with it. The lesson
highlights this aspect of the tainted relationship with unmatched craftsmanship by
weaving a wonderful and absorbing sequence of events. The poetic justice at the end is
the real mastery of the playwright. Abel’s vengeful response to the selfish daughters
leaves them stupefied and stunned. They are left penitent and remorseful for their
meanness. Thus the theme of the play quite interesting and edifying! In thi play The Dear
Departed, Stanley Houghton satirises the degradation of moral values in the British
middle class. In trying to grab the things belonging to their father, the children
completely disregard modesty, decency and obligation towards their family.
Charactersketches:

Henry Slater:
Henry Slater is a man who has no will of his own and no say in the house. He does what
his wife tells him to do. Although, he’s not as bad and greedy in nature like his wife
Amelia, he helps her in hiding some things of Grandpa before the arrival of Amelia’s
sister. He also wears his dead father-in-law’s slippers because his wife asks him to do it.

Elizabeth Jordon:
Mrs. Jordon is a stout and complacent woman. She is impassive and always has an
irritating air around her. She is very witty and sharp. She holds the capacity to drive a
hard bargain over things to gain possession. She too is a greedy person just like her sister
who takes every opportunity to criticise the Slaters and finally decides to take her father
with her just for the sake of money.

Ben Jordan:
Ben is surely a practical man and a very big hypocrite in the play. He is practical when he
says that everyone has got to die someday. This shows that he is not at all mournful of
the fact that Abel passed away. Ben called Abel Merry Weather ‘the drunken old beggar’
because the latter had not paid the premium for his insurance. This meant that none of
the family members would be able to get his insurance money. This angered and
disgusted everyone in their family. This incidence shows that Ben was very logical, and
very materialistic. He did not believe in the importance of relationships.
 The Dear Departed
Notes

Abel Merryweather:
Abel Merryweather is an old widower. Since the death of his wife, he has been living in
turns, with his daughters Amelia Slater and Elizabeth Jordan. He is a fun-loving and
jovial man, who loves to go to the pub and drink. He is quick-witted and too intelligent
to be fooled by any show of affection by his daughters. He knows them too well. But, he
lives with them because they are his daughters and he wanted to leave something to
them in his will. But when he discovered how they behaved, believing him to be dead,
he decides to change his will, and marry a widow, Mrs. John Shorrocks, the keeper of
‘’Ring – O – Bells’. He is a likeable old man, much better than his daughters.
Irony:
The Dear Departed’ means the death of a dear one. in the story it is seen that neither the
person who was presumed to be dead was, in reality, dead, nor was he considered ‘dear’
by her daughters. The irony is reflected in the fact that none of the daughters cared
about Abel Mayweather who was presumed to be dead because they cared more about
his material possessions than mourning his death. The irony is that the title represents
something quite opposite to the plot of the story.The two sister quarrle over his
possessions. Finally , Abel realises that he is not at all “dear “for them and since he is not
a departed soul , he decided to depart from their lives.
Title Suitability (Not to be done in n.b)
The title of the play “The Dear Departed” is justified through the exploration of various
themes and the central conflict that revolves around the departure of a loved one. The
play is a social comedy written by Stanley Houghton, which was first performed in 1908.
It sheds light on the prevalent hypocrisy and materialistic values within a family when
confronted with the death of a family member.
*1. Departure of a Loved One:** - The title “The Dear Departed” indicates the departure
or death of a family member. In the play, the character of Grandfather passes away,
leading to a series of events that unfold within the family.
2. Emotional Attachments:** - The term “Dear” in the title signifies the emotional
attachment the family members had with the departed individual. It suggests that the
deceased person was cherished and held dear by the family.
3. Irony and Hypocrisy:** - The title also carries a sense of irony as it highlights the
hypocrisy of the family members who claim to be grieving and mourning for the loss, but
are more concerned about material possessions and inheritance. - The play exposes the
hidden motives of the family members, who are more interested in acquiring the
deceased person’s belongings than genuinely mourning their departure.
*4. Family Dynamics:** - The title reflects the central conflict of the play, which revolves
around the family dynamics and the aftermath of the grandparent’s death. - The
departure of the grandfather serves as a catalyst, revealing the true nature of the family
members and their relationships. *
5. Critique of Society:** - The title also serves as a critique of the society’s materialistic
values and the lack of genuine emotions when confronted with death. - It exposes how
people are more concerned about personal gain and inheritance rather than honoring
the memory of their loved ones.
 The Dear Departed
Notes

Overall, the title “The Dear Departed” effectively captures the essence of the play,
highlighting the departure of a loved one and the subsequent unveiling of hypocrisy,
materialism, and societal critique.