The Sleeping-Car: A Farce

"The Sleeping-Car: A Farce" by William Dean Howells is a comedic play set in the late 19th century, likely within the context of the burgeoning American railroad era. This work explores the humorous interactions among a group of passengers aboard a sleeping car as they navigate their way through personal anxieties, misunderstandings, and the quirks of train travel. The topics often revolve around family dynamics, societal norms, and the comedic absurdities that result from a simple shared journey. The storyline centers on Mrs. Agnes Roberts and her aunt, Mary, who are on a train to meet Agnes's brother Willis, who has been living in California. Their journey is filled with comedic dialogues and misunderstandings, particularly about identities and connections. Mr. Edward Roberts, Agnes's husband, attempts to surprise his wife by boarding the train, complicating matters further when he is mistaken for someone else. The arrival of a Californian stranger adds to the chaos, leading to a series of comedic revelations. Themes of communication, familial ties, and the unexpected nature of human interactions unfold as the characters express their concerns and anxieties about their relationships and the peculiarities of life on a train. As the play progresses, the characters' misunderstandings provide a lighthearted examination of social conventions and individual quirks amidst the unfamiliarity of travel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William Dean Howells was an American realist novelist, literary critic, and playwright, nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters". He was particularly known for his tenure as editor of The Atlantic Monthly, as well as for the novels The Rise of Silas Lapham and A Traveler from Altruria, and the Christmas story "Christmas Every Day," which was adapted into a 1996 film of the same name.