Two Slatterns and a King: A Moral Interlude

audiobook

Two Slatterns and a King: A Moral Interlude

by Edna St. Vincent Millay

EN·~11 minutes·5 chapters

Chapters

5 total
1

TWO SLATTERNS AND A KING

0:01
2

Stewart Kidd Modern Plays

2:37
3

TWO SLATTERNS AND A KING PERSONS

0:12
4

PROLOGUE

8:33
5

EPILOGUE

0:35

Description

A witty, one‑act moral interlude opens with the mischievous figure of Chance, who declares himself the invisible hand that nudges fate. He introduces a solitary monarch who, despite his regal trappings, laments the absence of a bride. The king’s frustration sets the stage for a playful clash between authority and destiny, hinting that even the mightiest can become the subject of ridicule.

Enter two starkly opposite women: Tidy, the immaculate caretaker who takes pride in order and cleanliness, and Slut, a carefree slattern who revels in disorder. Their contrasting philosophies about domestic life and personal conduct promise to test the king’s expectations and expose the folly of judging worth by outward appearances. As Chance watches from the shadows, the audience is invited to consider how chance, desire, and moral choices intertwine in a world where crowns can slip into farce.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~11 minutes (11K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Original publisher

United States: Stewart Kidd, 1921.

Credits

Tim Lindell, David E. Brown, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

Release date

2021-08-10

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay

1892–1950

A bold, lyrical voice of the early 20th century, these poems bring together passion, wit, and a fierce sense of independence. Famous for both her sonnets and her rebellious public spirit, she helped make poetry feel vivid and modern to a wide audience.

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