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SYNOPSIS
PROLOGUE
Voice Proclamation:
One Heaven Spreads over all of me. The same hatred rages
within the hearts of all sufferers. This happens here,
there, everywhere, today, yesterday and tomorrow.
ACT I
Scene 1 -- The card-reader
warns Jochewed not to believe the lovely words of the
wealthy Amnon and not to permit herself to be caught in the
throes of his passion. Her own mother, intimates that the
card-reader was deceived in the same manner. Jochewed
remains frightened, but when her father (Robert) appears
with the rest of the farm-hands, she commences, with her
world childish loveliness, to prepare the meal for them.
Scene 2 -- After a meal the
workingman's family in the village is having a chat about
the hunger that is on the eve of coming. The Wanderer
appears, begs for a night's lodging. He is cordially
received. Shalom, the clerk to Laban, the owner, of the
village, arrives and declares that although Laban is a
member of their own family, of their own flesh and blood, he
cannot do anything to mitigate the hunger. The wheat of the
last harvest must be delivered to his uncle in a distant
land, because the village is mortgaged to him. The Wanderer
explains that Shalom and Laban will deceive them and
exchange the bread for lucre (gold). The gathering is
becoming conscious of what is taking place. Amnum, Laban's
son, appears together with the watchmen, who drive the
Wanderer away. The priest appears and dulls the
consciousness with his prayers.
ACT II
Scene 1 -- Hunger. Jochewed
brings a basket with potatoes, the gift of Amnon. Ruben
receives it with suspicion. The wretched family attempts in
various ways to stifle the hunger. A few desire to go to
Laban and beg him, others, to demand. A few desire to go to
Laban and beg him, others, to demand. With the arrival of
the Wanderer, they decide to go and demand bread, their own
bread.
Scene 2 -- The house of
wealthy Laban is being prepared for a feast. It is his
daughter Ruth's birthday. It was learned that the new
warehouse is filled with bread. Ruth had been among the poor,
so she is telling her father about the misery and
wretchedness that she had seen. Shalom and Laban are even
attempting to deny before Ruth that the new warehouse is
filled with bread, and when Laban makes an attempt to force
Ruth to become Shalom's bride, she gets up before her father
and declares: "The most horrible of all your servants is
Shalom." The workers arrive and demand bread; the anger
rises; the people are now aligning against the guards. Laban
is now attempting to grasp at the past possible means. He
counter battles the people with sweet chatter. "Discard the
Wanderer's advice," he counsels, "and accept the morsels of
bread and bit of wine that is being given to you."
ACT III
Scene 1
-- Amnon has deserted Jochewed. The card-reader depicts the
terrible times that are now approaching for Jochewed.
Jochewed sees no way out of it. She is now on the edge of
despair. Ruben notices her sorrow. The despair is
indescribable. Ruben also sees no way out of it, except
death.
Again the
priest attempts to confuse the people with soothing prayer.
The people, however, will not allow to be deceived any
longer.
A piercing
scream uttered by the wife of Ruben tells that Jochewed had
hung herself. She wanted to be delivered from the
catastrophe. The fury of the people rises. Jehuda calls upon
the people to storm the warehouse.
Scene 2 -- The
people are attempting to storm the warehouse. the guards are
warding them off, but when Laban's daughter also joins the
downtrodden, the guards are driven away, and the doors of
the warehouse crumble open to the delight of the
hungry-ones.
EPILOGUE
Wanderer; the
rest -- in the village and in the city -- all the children
in the entire universe. |
