The Deep Blue Sea

E18667

The Deep Blue Sea is a 1952 stage play by British dramatist Terence Rattigan that explores themes of passion, despair, and unrequited love through the story of a woman trapped in a destructive affair.


Statements (42)
Predicate Object
instanceOf stage play
theatrical work
author Terence Rattigan
character Freddie Page
Hester Collyer
Mr. Miller
Mrs. Elton
Sir William Collyer
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
dramaticStructure three-act play
explores conflict between duty and desire
emotional dependency
self-destructive relationships
social respectability versus personal happiness
firstPerformanceDate 1952
firstPerformanceVenue London
genre drama
tragedy
hasAdaptation The Deep Blue Sea (1955 film)
The Deep Blue Sea (2011 film)
intendedAudience theatre audience
literaryPeriod postwar British drama
mainCharacter Hester Collyer
mainTheme despair
emotional repression
passion
social class
suicidal despair
unrequited love
narrativeFocus breakdown of a marriage
intense romantic obsession
originalLanguage English
originalMedium stage
partOf Terence Rattigan’s dramatic oeuvre
periodOfWork mid-20th century British theatre
protagonistOccupation judge’s wife
settingPlace London
settingTime post-World War II era
subjectMatter a woman trapped in a destructive love affair
tone intense
melancholic
writtenBy Terence Rattigan

Referenced by (7)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Alison Steadman ("The Deep Blue Sea (stage)")
Helen McCrory
Rachel Weisz
Terence Rattigan
notableWork
The Deep Blue Sea ("The Deep Blue Sea (1955 film)")
The Deep Blue Sea ("The Deep Blue Sea (2011 film)")
hasAdaptation
Terence Rattigan
wrote

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