He Who Gets Slapped
by Leonid Andreyev
What readers are saying
Readers have mixed feelings about the play, with some perceiving it as oddly outdated or poorly translated. While a few appreciate the circus setting and character dynamics, others find the narrative melodramatic and unengaging, especially criticizing the ending.
Synopsis
A nobleman named He seeks refuge in a circus, and here falls in love with the beautiful bareback rider, Consuelo.
Theirs is a highly symbolic love, which her father plans to end by marrying her to another nobleman.
The role of clown is assigned to He; the wiser he speaks the more ridiculous he sounds to the throng, and the more he gets slapped.
He is the source of laughter to all who do not understand him.
Finally He and Consuelo take poison and die, and the nobleman who had sought her commits suicide.
Press Reviews
"Alive in its every moment, and abrim with color and beauty."
— Alexander Woollcott
Publication
He Who Gets Slapped is a play written by Leonid Andreyev and published by Samuel French.
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Samuel French
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