The Piper: A Play in Four Acts: Play Guide and Free Edition
The Piper: A Play in Four Acts: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Piper: A Play in Four Acts is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Peabody, Josephine Preston (1874–1922).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Piper: A Play in Four Acts" by Josephine Preston Peabody is a dramatic work written in the early 20th century. The play is set in the medieval town of Hamelin in 1284 and revolves around the legendary figure of the Piper, who charms away the children of the town following a failure of the townsfolk to honor their promises to him. It explores themes of greed, betrayal, and the innocence of childhood, featuring central characters such as the enigmatic Piper, the towns' Mayor Jacobus, and the conflicted young man, Michael. The beginning of the play introduces us to the festive atmosphere of Hamelin, where a crowd gathers to celebrate their recent liberation from a plague of rats, thanks to the Piper’s intervention. As the townspeople revel, they exhibit a lack of gratitude and consideration for the Piper, who appears to be just a wandering entertainer. The characters engage in conversations that reveal their dismissive attitude towards the Piper's role in their deliverance. Tension rises as the Piper asserts his demand for payment—one thousand guilders—as he seeks the recognition and respect that he feels is due for his services. The crowd's ridicule and refusal to pay set the stage for a dramatic conflict that hints at the dire consequences of their folly, as the Piper, in turn, threatens to take the children away with him.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Piper: A Play in Four Acts
- Author credits: Peabody, Josephine Preston (1874–1922)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Pied Piper of Hamelin (Legendary character) -- Drama
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore
- 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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