Plot. In the small Southern town of Hillsboro, in the 1920s, a school teacher, Bertram Cates, is about to stand trial for teaching Darwinism, which is a violation of state law. Cates is denounced by town leaders including
Reverend Jeremiah Brown
.
Who is Matthew Harrison Brady based on?
Brady is a caricature of the
real-life prosecutor William Jennings Bryan
. Like Brady, Bryan lost three presidential elections and died shortly after the Scopes Monkey Trial.
Who is the minister’s daughter in Inherit the Wind?
Rachel
, the Hillsboro minister’s daughter, enters. She watches Howard hold up a worm and ask it what it wants to be when it grows up. Mr. Meeker, the bailiff, comes out of the courthouse and greets Rachel.
Who won the case in Inherit the Wind?
The jury finds
Cates
guilty, and he is fined $100. Brady protests the minimal punishment. Although he won the case, his victory is a hollow one. The real triumph belongs to Drummond and Cates, who win a moral victory for freedom of thought.
Where is Henry Drummond from Inherit the Wind?
The infamous criminal-defense attorney Henry Drummond arrives in
Hillsboro
vilified as an atheist but leaves, after losing the trial, as a hero. To the audience—and to many of the townspeople—Drummond makes a convincing case for the right of a human being to think.
What does inherit the wind mean in the Bible?
The full quote is taken from the The Bible, Proverbs chapter 11, verse 9: He that
troubles his own house
shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. Essentially, this means that anyone who causes trouble or unrest in his home, his town, or even his country, invites trouble and chaos.
Why didnt Drummond cross examine Rachel?
Because
Rachel is obviously upset
, Cates tells Drummond not to cross-examine her. When Drummond calls his scientific witnesses to the stand, Brady objects, and the judge determines the testimony of the scientific witnesses irrelevant and excludes them on the grounds that evolution itself is not on trial.
What does the wind symbolize in Inherit the Wind?
The Wind Symbol Analysis
As the play’s title indicates, the wind is a
central symbol of Lawrence and Lee’s work
. The line from Proverbs, quoted by Brady and then, after Brady’s death, by Drummond, goes as follows: “He that troubleth his own house . . .
Why is Inherit the Wind important?
Lawrence and Lee use Inherit the Wind as
a metaphor for censorship or thought control
; the play is their response to McCarthyism. Although the basis of the play is a historical event. the playwrights are not referring only to the Scopes trial (1925), the Butler Law, and the creationism-evolutionism conflict.
What’s the climax in Inherit the Wind?
Climax: The climax occurs
when Drummond puts Brady on the witness stand and proves the narrow-mindedness of the state and Brady’s thinking
. When Brady is made to look ridiculous, Drummond gains the support of the audience in the courtroom. Brady is visibly upset over the turn of events and can barely speak.
Did Bert win or lose Inherit the Wind?
Did Bert win or lose?
He won
. Even though he was found guilty, his sentence was very light.
How did Inherit the Wind end?
The last thing that happens in Inherit the Wind is,
after all the yakkity-yak, a silent action
. Drummond takes up the Bible in one hand, Darwin’s The Origin of Species in the other, balancing the two books. This action reflects justice, which is usually represented by two scales, weighing different viewpoints.
What was the jury’s verdict Inherit the Wind?
Golden Dancer was a rocking horse Drummond wanted as a kid. When he finally got it, he sat on it and it broke. What was the jury’s verdict? The jury finds
Cates guilty
.
Who was the Bible expert that Drummond was allowed to question?
Drummond calls
Brady
to the stand as an expert on the Bible. Drummond attempts to question Brady about his knowledge of the writings of Charles Darwin, but the Judge rules these questions out of order.
What does Drummond care about?
During the trial, Drummond’s
sensitive and caring demeanor for his client and his passion for justice become evident
. He is angry when Brady is referred to as “Colonel” for no apparent reason, a situation that is prejudicial to his case.
