‘Destructive Power of Lies’ in Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour

Abstract

Lillian Hellman, one of the prominent playwrights of the Depression period in America, is remarkably a social conscious playwright. Her plays highlight the social, political, and economic injustices that prevailed in her contemporary society. Hellman’s The Children’s Hour is a sensational drama staged in Maxim Elliot Theatre in 1934. The play is based on an actual case trial in 1810 in Scotland where a school student wrongly accused her two teachers for their unnatural relationship. This paper depicts how the society admits, entertains, and promotes children’s lies in terms of scandals, gossips, and rumours. Mary Tilford, a school girl hates all the school authorities for mistreating her in the school. The destructive power of a lie forms the dominant theme of the play and how it ruins three lives – Martha Dobie, Karen Wright, and Dr. Joe Cardin is skilfully depicted.  The play presents lies as human flaw and aptly highlights how a crafted lie of a young girl causes devastating effects on three lives.