Explore "The Wake" by Blanche Colton Williams on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
GENERAL. "The Wake" suggests and pictures the customs of the Irish following a death; at the same time it tells a story. For this latter reason it is superior, as a narrative, to "Supers," which emphasizes the picture, the condition. Emphasis is placed on the situation, with a gradual heightening of interest as to a suggested outcome. The young wife of an elderly husband lies dead; she has loved and been loved by a younger man; the younger man (Kennedy) has declared, "If anything ever happens to that girl at your side, Michael James, I'll murder you! " And now as Michael sits in dumb misery, he awaits the fulfillment of the threat. The passive situation is merged into the dramatic moment by the advent of Kennedy, who seeing the dead woman, foregoes his intention.
SETTING. The locale, according to Mr. Byrne, is Ulster, North Ireland. What is the length of the action?