Gold: A play in four acts: Play Guide and Free Edition
Gold: A play in four acts: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
Gold: A play in four acts is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for O'Neill, Eugene (1888–1953).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Gold: A Play in Four Acts" by Eugene O'Neill is a dramatic play written in the early 20th century. The narrative revolves around Captain Isaiah Bartlett and his crew as they find themselves marooned on a barren coral island in the Malay Archipelago after their whaling ship has sunk. Themes of desperation, madness, greed, and the moral consequences of their actions emerge as the characters grapple with the discovery of what they believe to be gold, leading to tragic decisions. The opening of the play introduces the dire situation faced by the characters, particularly focusing on the interactions between Abel, a young boy, and Butler, the ship's cook. As they lie in the oppressive heat and discuss their dwindling water supply, the tension builds around their hopeless environment. Soon, Captain Bartlett and his crew arrive, delirious with excitement over a treasure chest they have found. The air thickens with greed and suspicion as they debate the value of the items inside, leading to a volatility that hints at the potential for violence and betrayal. The conversations reveal not only their immediate struggles but also set up an exploration of deeper themes related to morality and the cost of ambition, establishing a tense atmosphere that propels the narrative forward.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Gold: A play in four acts
- Author credits: O'Neill, Eugene (1888–1953)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Families -- Drama
- Greed -- Drama
- Guilt -- Drama
- Ship captains -- Drama
- Shipwreck survival -- Drama
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Adventure
- Category: Plays/Films/Dramas
- Nobel Prizes in Literature
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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