Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts: Play Guide and Free Edition
Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis) (1880–1956); Nathan, George Jean (1882–1958).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts" by H. L. Mencken and George Jean Nathan is a satirical play written in the early 20th century. It depicts the decadent and chaotic court life of Emperor Heliogabalus, exploring themes of excess, power, and absurdity. The central character, Heliogabalus, is portrayed as a whimsical ruler whose erratic behavior leads to comedic confrontations, especially in relation to his many wives and his personal health crises. The opening of the play sets the stage in the imperial palace, introducing Heliogabalus and his court through a humorous exchange between his physicians, Piso and Polorus, discussing the emperor's ailments amid the backdrop of a New Year’s Eve banquet. As the physicians await the Emperor's entrance, comedic elements arise from their banter and the contrasting characters of the empress, Paula, who laments about her husband's state and their young wife, Lucia, who enters the scene. This blend of historical context, witty dialogue, and over-the-top characters establishes a lively tone that promises to explore the absurdities of imperial rule and human folly as the narrative unfolds.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts
- Author credits: Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis) (1880–1956); Nathan, George Jean (1882–1958)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Comedy plays
- Elagabalus, Emperor of Rome, 204-222 -- Drama
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Humour
- Category: Plays/Films/Dramas
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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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