Blithe Spirit

“To ‘The Unsee’!” 

Coward uses the title of Charles's book to playfully foreshadow the materialization of the spirit of Elvira. It also could allude to Edith, the unseen physic in the house. The title further suggests Charles's inability and unwillingness to truly see himself and those around him.

“And if she ever knew, I mean ever recognized, that description of herself. Poor thing… here’s to her, anyhow.”

Ruth points out the inaccuracy of Charles’s descriptions as he fictionalizes people to support the narrative he wants to create. Ruth's utterance describing this woman as a poor thing makes a subtle connection to Elvira, as Ruth uses that phrase frequently to describe her before they meet.

“You won’t die. You’re not the dying sort.”

Once one is familiar with the play's ending, Charles’s line to describe Ruth becomes humorous. In this moment, Charles also seeks to contrast Ruth and Elvira, who throughout the play serve as foils to the other. They are both alike and different.