43 pages • 1 hour read
The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail
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Book Brief
The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1970112
Play • Fiction
Concord, Massachusetts • 1840s
1970
Adult
14+ years
NP0L
Super Short Summary
The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail is a two-act play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee that dramatizes the historical event of Henry David Thoreau’s imprisonment in 1846 for refusing to pay a poll tax, protesting the Mexican-American War and slavery. Through flashbacks and interactions, the play highlights Thoreau's philosophies on civil disobedience, individualism, and justice, influenced by his mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson. The play discusses enslavement and racism.
Contemplative
Inspirational
Mysterious
Challenging
Melancholic
Reviews & Readership
2,787 ratings
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Mixed feelings
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Review Roundup
The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee masterfully dramatizes Thoreau's act of civil disobedience, highlighting themes of individualism and resistance. Critics praise its engaging dialogue and thought-provoking content, but some find its historical interpretation overly simplistic. Overall, it remains a compelling read for those interested in philosophy and protest.
Who Should Read The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail?
Readers who relish introspective literature with strong historical and philosophical themes, akin to Walden by Thoreau and Dead Poets Society by Kleinbaum, will find The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail compelling. Ideal for those fascinated by civil disobedience, transcendentalism, and literary dramatizations of real events.
2,787 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
112
Play • Fiction
Concord, Massachusetts • 1840s
1970
Adult
14+ years
NP0L
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