43 pages • 1 hour read
Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. LeeThe Night Thoreau Spent In Jail
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1970A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail is a two-act play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee that dramatizes the historical event of Henry David Thoreau’s imprisonment in 1846 for refusing to pay a poll tax, protesting the Mexican-American War and slavery. Through flashbacks and interactions, the play highlights Thoreau's philosophies on civil disobedience, individualism, and justice, influenced by his mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson. The play discusses enslavement and racism.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee masterfully dramatizes Thoreau's act of civil disobedience, highlighting themes of individualism and resistance. Critics praise its engaging dialogue and thought-provoking content, but some find its historical interpretation overly simplistic. Overall, it remains a compelling read for those interested in philosophy and protest.
Who Should Read The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail?
Readers who relish introspective literature with strong historical and philosophical themes, akin to Walden by Thoreau and Dead Poets Society by Kleinbaum, will find The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail compelling. Ideal for those fascinated by civil disobedience, transcendentalism, and literary dramatizations of real events.
RecommendedReading Age
14+yearsLexile Level
NP0L