This play by Lillian Hellman traces the consequences of one schoolgirl’s spreading rumors about her teachers. The two women who run a school for children have to bear the insinuations of this unpleasant child that they are in a lesbian relationship.
This story fits in very well with Lillian Hellman’s experiences with the House Unamerican activities. Unproved rumors can be very unpleasant.
This story is surprising and very dramatic. Hellman gives a diverse portrait of different kinds of people’s character. She also handles the subject of homosexuality with a frankness very uncommon in that time.
There was also a movie made with the script, starring Audrey Hepburn as one of the teachers. It was made in the 60s, so dealing with homosexuality was just a hair less scandalous. But the story was still pretty good.
There’s a lot to think about in The Children’s Hour
Do you know what “T.L.” refers to in “The Children’s Hour”
Thanks
In my version of the play they give a defintion of “T.L.” as sort of a free compliment, as if you were asking someone to say something nice about yourself. Sounded kind of odd to me but perhaps it was something the kids of that time period did.