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    Judith, a Play in Three Acts: Founded on the Apocryphal Book of Judith
    Judith, a Play in Three Acts: Founded on the Apocryphal Book of Judith
    Judith, a Play in Three Acts: Founded on the Apocryphal Book of Judith
    Ebook81 pages1 hour

    Judith, a Play in Three Acts: Founded on the Apocryphal Book of Judith

    By Arnold Bennett

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    About this ebook

    Dodo Collections brings you another classic from Arnold Bennett, ‘"Judith, a Play in Three Acts; Founded on the Apocryphal Book of Judith."’
     
    Enoch Arnold Bennett (always known as Arnold Bennett) was one of the most remarkable literary figures of his time, a product of the English Potteries that he made famous as the Five Towns. Yet he could hardly wait to escape his home town, and he did so by the sheer force of his ambition to succeed as an author. In his time he turned his hand to every kind of writing, but he will be remembered for such novels as The Old Wives' Tale, the Clayhanger trilogy (Clayhanger, Hilda Lessways, and These Twain), and The Card. He also wrote such intriguing self-improvement books as Literary Taste, How To Live on 24 Hours a Day, The Human Machine, etc.
     
    After a local education Bennett finished his education at the University of London and for a time was editor of Woman magazine. After 1900 he devoted himself entirely to writing; dramatic criticism was one of his foremost interests. Bennett is best known, however, for his novels, several of which were written during his residence in France.
     
    Bennett's infancy was spent in genteel poverty, which gave way to prosperity as his father succeeded as a solicitor. From this provincial background he became a novelist.


    His enduring fame is as a Chronicler of the Potteries towns, the setting and inspiration of some of his most famous and enduring literary work and the place where he grew up.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDead Dodo Presents Arnold Bennett
    Release dateSep 5, 2015
    ISBN9781508026280
    Judith, a Play in Three Acts: Founded on the Apocryphal Book of Judith
    Author

    Arnold Bennett

    Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) was an English novelist renowned as a prolific writer throughout his entire career. The most financially successful author of his day, he lent his talents to numerous short stories, plays, newspaper articles, novels, and a daily journal totaling more than one million words.

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      Book preview

      Judith, a Play in Three Acts - Arnold Bennett

      JUDITH, A PLAY IN THREE ACTS

      ..................

      Founded on the Apocryphal Book of Judith

      Arnold Bennett

      DODO COLLECTIONS

      Thank you for reading. In the event that you appreciate this book, please consider sharing the good word(s) by leaving a review, or connect with the author.

      This book is a work of nonfiction and is intended to be factually accurate.

      All rights reserved. Aside from brief quotations for media coverage and reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in any form without the author’s permission. Thank you for supporting authors and a diverse, creative culture by purchasing this book and complying with copyright laws.

      Copyright © 2015 by Arnold Bennett

      Interior design by Pronoun

      Distribution by Pronoun

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      CHARACTERS

      ACT I

      ACT II

      SCENE I

      SCENE II

      SCENE III

      ACT III

      SCENE I

      SCENE II

      CHARACTERS

      ..................

      Hebrews

      JUDITH

      HAGGITH, her waiting-woman

      RAHEL

      OZIAS, Governor of Bethulia

      CHABRIS, an elder

      CHARMIS, an elder

      A SOLDIER

      A MESSENGER

      ..................

      Assyrians

      HOLOFERNES, General of the Assyrian armies

      BAGOAS, his chief eunuch

      ACHIOR, a captain

      INGUR, a soldier

      AN ATTENDANT ON BAGOAS

      ..................

      ACT I

      ..................

      A STREET IN THE CITY of Bethulia in Judea. Bethulia is in the hill country, overlooking the great plain of Jezreel to the south-west. Back, the gates of the city, hiding the view of the plain. Right, Judith’s house, with a tent on the roof. Left, houses. The street turns abruptly, back left, along the wall of the city. Left centre, a built-up vantage-point, from which the plain can be seen over the gates.

      ..................

      TIME: Fifth century B.C.

      Towards evening.

      Ozias is standing alone in the street, drinking from a leathern bottle. Enter Chabris, back left.

      OZIAS (quickly, but with perfect calmness, hiding the bottle in his garments). Old man! It is years since I saw you. How came you past the guard, old man?

      CHABRIS. Old? Old? I am not yet a hundred. Who are you?

      OZIAS. Ozias.

      CHABRIS. Ah! So this is Ozias, the son of Ezbon. Before your father could walk I have nursed him on my knee; and he was filled like the full moon—with naughtiness.

      OZIAS. What has brought you at last out of your house? Are you come to prophesy once more?

      CHABRIS. I have given up prophesying.

      OZIAS. A profession full of risks.

      CHABRIS. I pass my endless days in meditation and solitude.

      OZIAS. That sounds much safer. How comely is the wisdom of old men!

      CHABRIS. And what do you do, sprig?

      OZIAS. Has none told you?

      CHABRIS. I see nobody but my daughter’s granddaughter, and her I forbid to speak to me, because being a woman she has the tongue of a woman, and a woman’s tongue is unfavourable to meditation. How should I be told?

      OZIAS. I am the governor of this great city of Bethulia.

      CHABRIS. You are responsible for this city?

      OZIAS. I am.

      CHABRIS. Now I understand my misfortune. And the truth was in me when I said to your mother as she lay dying: Better it is to die without children than to have them that are ungodly.

      OZIAS. Oh! How comely a thing is the judgment of grey hairs!

      CHABRIS. You ask me what has brought me at last out of my house. I will tell you. Thirst! Thirst has brought me out of my house. Every morning and every evening my great-grandchild serves me with pulse and water. For five days she has furnished less and less water, and this day—not a drop! Can one eat pulse without water to drink? Half an hour ago I went to her to reason with her, and she lay on her bed cracked, and raved that she herself had not drunk for three days and that there was no water left in all Bethulia. So I came at last out of my house into the streets of this city famous for its cool fountains which never fail. And lo! I meet the governor of this city, and he is Ozias! Ozias! Seven days do men mourn for him that is dead, but for an ungodly man all the days of his life! Why is there no water in Bethulia, sprig?

      OZIAS. Old man, meditation is good and solitude is good, but think not because you sit staring all day at your own belly that the sun and stars have ceased to revolve round the earth and the kings of this world to make war. Is it possible that you do not know what has happened?

      CHABRIS. I only know that I cannot eat pulse without water to drink.

      OZIAS. Bethulia is besieged.

      CHABRIS. Who is besieging Bethulia?

      OZIAS. Holofernes.

      CHABRIS. I have never heard his name. Who is he?

      OZIAS. Never heard the name of the chief captain of Nebuchadnezzar? Have you heard the name of Nebuchadnezzar, by chance?

      CHABRIS. I seem to remember it.

      OZIAS. Come up here. (They go up the steps to the vantage-point.) Look! A hundred and twenty thousand foot-soldiers. Twelve thousand archers on horseback. Oxen and sheep for their provisions. Twenty thousand asses for their carriages. Camels without number. Infinite victuals; and very much gold and silver. The like was never seen before.

      CHABRIS (stepping down.) Why has Nebuchadnezzar set about this thing?

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