The Ascent of F6: A Tragedy in Two ActsThe second and most successful play in the Auden-Isherwood collaboration, first published in 1936. It was a major contribution to English poetic drama in the 1930s. It has been seen as a parable about will, leadership and the nature of power: matters of increasing concern in Europe as that decade progressed. The play tells the story of Michael Ransom, a climber, who, against his better judgement, accepts the offer of the British press and government to sponsor an expedition to the peak of F6, a mountain on the border of a British colony and a colony of the fictional country of Ostnia. Ransom is destroyed by his haste to complete the expedition ahead of the Ostnian climbers. |
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aban ABBOT afraid arrête ascent of F avalanche beauty believe Blavek blizzard brother buttress Caucasus chess CHORUS climb climber course crystal CURTAIN damn Dance dark David Gunn dead Demon DOCTOR door Edward Lamp England Enter GUNN excited Exit expect expedition face feel fleas flower Fort George frightened glad goes Gosh hand happens happy Haunted Mountain hear heard honour Hullo Ian Shawcross illuminated kind Lady Isabel Welwyn LAMP'S VOICE late live Lord Stagmantle Majesty's Government monks mother murdered natives never night Ostnians Pause piano Polus Naufrangia precipice Primus RANSOM smiling refuse rock round rucksack Save SCENE singing SIR JAMES RANSOM sorry speak stage STAGE-BOX is darkened stand story Sudoese Sudoland sure talk Teddy tell temptation there's things thought tical to-morrow turn UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN wait what's whole wireless wish