One Day More: A Play In One Act

"One Day More: A Play In One Act" by Joseph Conrad is a one-act play likely written in the early 20th century. The narrative unfolds in a small sea port setting and revolves around the complexities of familial relationships, hope, and social isolation as it explores the life of Captain Hagberd, who is anxiously awaiting the return of his long-lost son, Harry. The play captures the themes of yearning and madness through the lives of its characters—particularly the interplay between the hope of reunion and the stark realities of life. The plot centers around Captain Hagberd's obsessive anticipation of his son's return after years of estrangement. He is portrayed as a man so consumed by this hope that it blinds him to the realities around him. Meanwhile, Bessie Carvil, who interacts with Captain Hagberd, navigates her own struggles in caring for her blind father, Josiah. As the story unfolds, Harry Hagberd arrives but is initially unaware of the weight his father's expectations hold. Trapped in a web of misunderstandings and unrecognized affection, Bessie's growing connection with Harry complicates matters. The play culminates in a tragic realization for Bessie and Hagberd, raising poignant questions about hope, responsibility, and the emotional toll of waiting for something that may never come. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British novelist and story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language and although he did not speak English fluently until his twenties, he became a master prose stylist who brought a non-English sensibility into English literature. He wrote novels and stories, many in nautical settings that depict crises of human individuality in the midst of what he saw as an indifferent, inscrutable and amoral world.