John Galsworthy’s play, Strife, delves into the social disparities that exist among various members of a society. The story revolves around a labor strike in a tin factory where workers protest against their chairman. The book highlights themes of injustice, suffering, and the struggle for rights.
Overview
In this article, you’ll read:
- Author Introduction
- Characters
- Summary
- Analysis
- Themes
- Pros And Cons
- Conclusion
- FAQS
Author
The play was written by John Galsworthy back in 1909. He was a famous writer known for his fascinating writing style. Many readers believe ”Strife” is his unique literary work. He also won the Nobel Prize in literature.
Strife Characters
The play has the following characters:
Mr.Underwood
He was the manager of the factory. The directors arranged a meeting with the manager and members of a trade union to solve the tension between the factory and the workers.
Simon Harness
Member of the union who tried to correct tension between workers and the company.
John Anthony
He was the chairperson of the company. He was an arrogant man who always did what he thought. He seems like an old man having strange thoughts.
David Roberts
He was workers leader. He motivated them to fight for their rights. He also seems a man who opposed Anthony.
Enid Underwood
She was Anthony’s daughter as well as the wife of Mr.Underwood.She had empathy for poor workers.
Annie Roberts
She was David Roberts’s wife.
Edgar Anthony
He was John Anthony’s son.
Strife By John Galsworthy Summary
This book shows the arrogance of the upper class. The main plot is about a strike. The tin factory was controlled by John Anthony. Workers had raised their voices and presented their demands. He didn’t accept their offer. So, they strike against the factory. Members of trade unions tried to reduce stress between workers and factory directors.
Simon Harness, a representative of the union offered his services. He arranged a meeting with factory directors and manager Mr.Underwood.The directors forwarded the message to John Anthony who was the main one of the company. John Anthony was an extremist man having old thinking. He said he would not listen and accept workers’ demands. He knew how to ignore these types of strikes.
Enid Underwood, daughter of John Anthony visited Annie Roberts. Annie was David Robert’s wife and worked as a maid in Anthony’s house. Enid tried to help her but David said he didn’t take anything from Anthony’s daughter. She tried to persuade him to stop the strike for the sake of their innocent families but David was also a rude man like Anthony.
Simon visited workers and persuaded them to stop the strike. They all agreed but then David Robert came. He was also a great orator. He inspired workers and they rejected Simon’s offer.
After some time, David was informed that his wife passed away. This news shattered workers. They feared for their families. Directors received the information of Annie’s death. They tried to end tensions. John Anthony rejected worker demands. At last, Simon corrected the relation of workers with the company while Anthony resigned at the end.
The Strife Analysis
The setting of the story takes place in the tin factory. The play primarily focused on a conflict between factory and workers. One can get lessons from social injustice. Workers raised their voices but John Anthony resisted them till his last. This unveiled the hatred of upper-class individuals for workers.
Further, the characters in the story represent different thoughts and perspectives. For example, Simon and Enid worked for the welfare of the poor. On the other side, John Anthony seems to have an old school of thought.
Readers can learn that negotiation can be the solution to conflict. This book is also linked to present-day workers’ lives and struggles for their fundamental rights.
The Strife Themes
The Strife by John Galsworthy explores the following themes:
Conflict
It is the main force that makes this book famous. The conflict was between workers and factory owners.
Class Struggle
The story resonates with the struggle of the lower class for their necessities. It’s an ongoing struggle that is relevant today.
Class Division
John Anthony’s personality defines social difference.
Sacrifice
The book shared a unique lesson that change demands sacrifice. Some characters like David sacrificed their families for change.
Pros And Cons
The Strife was overall a great book these days. It is typically relevant. Some of the points from this book are:
Pros
- Beautifully explained complex topic in story form
- The characters and their depth are great
- The book is relatable in the present era.
Cons
- It has a language issue as the book was written in the 20th century
- Predictable plot
NOTE: It differs from readers’ opinion.
Conclusion: Strife By John Galsworthy Summary
In a nutshell, The Strife is all about social differences and the struggles of the poor for their rights. The play had been appreciated immensely by readers.
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FAQS
What is the theme of Strife by John Galsworthy?
The play focused on the basic rights of workers. The themes that are abundantly present are struggle, social differences, and injustice.
Who is the main character in Strife?
The main character of the strife is John Anthony.
What is the meaning of strife?
The word strife means ”contention or disagreement”.