The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann, Volume II

"The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann, Volume II" by Gerhart Hauptmann is a compilation of plays tackling the complicated ways people connect with each other. These dramas, set in the early 1900s, show how society and money problems influence lives, including regular folks facing unfair situations and hard times. The collection begins by setting up these big ideas with characters in conflict. For example, in "Drayman Henschel," the play begins in a simple room with a sick wife, showing right away how tough life is and the importance of family. We meet Hanne, a maid, and Franz, a coachman, who complain about their unhappy lives, mixing their personal problems with how trapped they feel by society. With increasing tension between the characters—like Henschel worrying about his wife and Hanne wanting more—the story gets ready to thoroughly examine these characters and the social messages being conveyed.