Blithe Spirit

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1941

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Summary

Background

Act Summaries & Analyses

Act I

Act II

Act III

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

How do your attitudes toward Ruth, Charles, and Elvira change after the return of Elvira? How do they change after Ruth’s death? Why?

How does Coward use elements of farce to discuss darker themes? Considering the cultural context, why might Coward have made this choice?

Are Charles, Ruth, and Elvira likable? Why or why not? Does Coward want you to sympathize with any particular character?

Do you think Charles was in love with either of his wives? Was either marriage happy? What might Coward be saying about love and marriage through these characters and their relationships?

How is the afterlife imagined in this play? How do the characters react to this new reality? How might the context of World War II inform this philosophy?

How does the reveal that Edith has supernatural powers inform the meaning of the play? Does it matter that Charles wasn’t calling for Elvira? Why or why not?

How does this play define loyalty? According to the play, is loyalty possible or desirable in a marriage?

How do gender roles impact domestic life? Does the play suggest that marriages can be happy?

What effect does the title’s allusion have? How do the multiple meanings reflect the themes of the play?

10.

How do cultural gender expectations inform the play’s sexual politics? How do they differ between men and women? Is there a difference for married couples?