Retained for the Defence: A Farce, in One Act
Retained for the Defence is a farce in one act by John Oxenford. The play is set in a courtroom, where a lawyer is defending a client accused of a crime. The lawyer is determined to prove his client's innocence, but his efforts are hampered by a series of comical misunderstandings and miscommunications. The lawyer's client is eventually acquitted, but not before the audience is treated to a series of humorous exchanges between the lawyer and the judge, the lawyer and the witnesses, and the lawyer and his client. The play is a lighthearted look at the legal system and its ability to bring justice to those who are accused of a crime.
By John Oxenford · First published 1859 · Genre: Comedy, Drama, Satire · 10,102 words
First lines
SCENE -- "A Drawing Room fitted up for an evening party -- to the left a card table -- doors, C. and L."
"THWAITES, who has finished lighting candles in chandelier at back, C., steps back to survey the effect."
What this Textopian page supports
Retained for the Defence: A Farce, in One Act is listed on Textopian as a play by John Oxenford, dated 1859 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Play
- Author: John Oxenford
- Date: 1859 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Drama, Satire, Romance
- Length: 10,102 words
- Structure: 1 section, 313 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Retained for the Defence: A Farce, in One Act by John Oxenford
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Retained for the Defence: A Farce, in One Act?
- How does this play by John Oxenford fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Comedy — The title of the book suggests that it is a farce, which is a type of comedy.
- Drama — The book is a play, which is a type of dramatic literature.
- Satire — Farces often contain elements of satire, which is the use of humor to criticize society or individuals.
- Romance — Farces often contain elements of romance, which is a genre of literature focused on love and relationships.
Tags
19th century · Comedies · English drama · agatha · aside · back · come · de · dear · enter · ferguson · give