Suppressed Desire & Tickless Time: 'Humility's a real thing - not just a fine name for laziness''

By Susan Glaspell and George Cram Cook

Susan Keating Glaspell was born on July 1st, 1876 in Davenport.

Glaspell, a precocious child was an active student at Davenport High School where she took an advanced course of study. By age eighteen she was earning a regular salary at the local newspaper as a journalist, and by twenty she was the author of a weekly 'Society' column.

At twenty-one Glaspell enrolled at Drake University. A philosophy major, she also excelled in debate competitions, and represented Drake at the state tournament in her senior year.

The day after her graduation, Glaspell again worked as a reporter, still a rare position for a woman. She was assigned to cover the state legislature and murder cases.

At twenty-four, after covering the conviction of a woman accused of murdering her abusive husband, Glaspell abruptly resigned and moved back to Davenport, and with it, a hoped for career writing fiction. Her stories were published by many periodicals, including Harper's and Munsey's.

Moving to Chicago she wrote her first novel, The Glory of the Conquered, in 1909. It was a best-seller.As was Glaspell's second novel, The Visioning, published in 1911 and her third, Fidelity in 1915. Each novel also received glowing reviews.

With her husband Glaspell founded the Provincetown Playhouse devoted to plays that were more able to reflect contemporary American issues. Her first play, Trifles (1916), was based on the murder trial she covered as a young reporter in Des Moines. She wrote twelve groundbreaking plays over seven years for the company. By 1918 Glaspell was considered one of America's most significant new playwrights.

However, the impact and critical success of Glaspell's theatre work did not unfortunately make financial sense. Therefore she continued to submit short stories in order to support her and her husband during their years with the theater.

In 1931 she wrote the excellent play, Alison's House, for which she received the Pulitzer Prize.

In 1936 Glaspell moved to Chicago as the Midwest Bureau Director of the Federal Theater Project. When that finished she returned to Cape Cod using the Mid-West experience in her last three novels which were increasingly focused on the region, on family life, and on theistic questions; The Morning is Near Us (1939), Norma Ashe (1942), and Judd Rankin's Daughter (1945).

Susan Keating Glaspell died of viral pneumonia in Provincetown on July 28, 1948.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stage Door
• Release date: Feb 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781839673108

Book preview

Suppressed Desires & Tickless Time by Susan Glaspell

Susan Keating Glaspell was born on July 1st, 1876 in Davenport.

Glaspell, a precocious child was an active student at Davenport High School where she took an advanced course of study. By age eighteen she was earning a regular salary at the local newspaper as a journalist, and by twenty she was the author of a weekly 'Society' column.

At twenty-one Glaspell enrolled at Drake University. A philosophy major, she also excelled in debate competitions, and represented Drake at the state tournament in her senior year.

The day after her graduation, Glaspell again worked as a reporter, still a rare position for a woman. She was assigned to cover the state legislature and murder cases.

At twenty-four, after covering the conviction of a woman accused of murdering her abusive husband, Glaspell abruptly resigned and moved back to Davenport, and with it, a hoped for career writing fiction.

Her stories were published by many periodicals, including Harper's and Munsey's.

Moving to Chicago she wrote her first novel, The Glory of the Conquered, in 1909. It was a best-seller.

As was Glaspell's second novel, The Visioning, published in 1911 and her third, Fidelity in 1915. Each novel also received glowing reviews.

With her husband Glaspell founded the Provincetown Playhouse devoted to plays that were more able to reflect contemporary American issues. Her first play, Trifles (1916), was based on the murder trial she covered as a young reporter in Des Moines.  She wrote twelve groundbreaking plays over seven years for the company. By 1918 Glaspell was considered one of America's most significant new playwrights.

However, the impact and critical success of Glaspell's theatre work did not unfortunately make financial sense.  Therefore she continued to submit short stories in order to support her and her husband during their years with the theater.

In 1931 she wrote the excellent play, Alison's House, for which she received the Pulitzer Prize.

In 1936 Glaspell moved to Chicago as the Midwest Bureau Director of the Federal Theater Project.  When that finished she returned to Cape Cod using the Mid-West experience in her last three novels which were increasingly focused on the region, on family life, and on theistic questions; The Morning is Near Us (1939), Norma Ashe (1942), and Judd Rankin's Daughter (1945).

Susan Keating Glaspell died of viral pneumonia in Provincetown on July 28, 1948.

Index of Contents

SUPPRESSED DESIRES - A COMEDY IN TWO SCENES

ORIGINAL CAST

SUPPRESSED DESIRES

SCENE I

SCENE II

TICKLESS TIME - A COMEDY IN ONE ACT

ORIGINAL CAST

TICKLESS TIME

SCENE

SUSAN GLASPELL — A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

SUSAN GLASPELL — A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

SUPPRESSED DESIRES

A COMEDY IN TWO SCENES

(In Collaboration with George Cram Cook)

First Performed by the Provincetown Players, at the Wharf Theatre, Provincetown, Mass., August, 1914

ORIGINAL CAST

Henrietta Brewster Susan Glaspell

Stephen Brewster George Cram Cook

Mabel   Mary Pyne

SUPPRESSED DESIRES

SCENE I

A studio apartment in an upper story, Washington Square South. Through an immense north window in the back wall appear tree tops and the upper part of the Washington Arch. Beyond it you look up Fifth Avenue. Near the window is a big table, loaded at one end with serious-looking books and austere scientific periodicals. At the other end are architect’s drawings, blue prints, dividing compasses, square, ruler, etc. At the left is a door leading to the rest of the apartment; at the right the outer door. A breakfast table is set for three, but only two are seated at it—Henrietta and Stephen Brewster. As the curtains withdraw Steve pushes back his coffee cup and sits dejected.

HENRIETTA

It isn’t the coffee, Steve dear. There’s nothing the matter with the coffee. There’s something the matter with you.

STEVE [Doggedly]

There may be something the matter with my stomach.

HENRIETTA [Scornfully]

Your stomach! The trouble is not with your stomach but in your subconscious mind.

STEVE

Subconscious piffle!

[Takes morning paper and tries to read.

HENRIETTA

Steve, you never used to be so disagreeable. You certainly have got some sort of a complex. You’re all inhibited. You’re no longer open to new ideas. You won’t listen to a word about psychoanalysis.

STEVE

A word! I’ve listened