Death and the Maiden | Overview & Chapter Abstracts for Teachers

Chapter Abstracts

Chapter abstracts are short descriptions of events that occur in each chapter. They highlight major plot events and detail the important relationships and characteristics of characters and objects. The Chapter Abstracts can be used to review what the students have read, or to prepare the students for what they will read. Hand the abstracts out in class as a study guide, or use them as a "key" for a class discussion. They are relatively brief, but can serve to be an excellent refresher of the text for either a student or teacher.

Act 1, Scene 1 Abstract

* The play opens quietly, possibly in Chile, but in any country who has survived a long dictatorship and replaced it recently with a democratic government.
* Moonlight bathes the first person on stage, Paulina Salas, who is sitting out on the terrace.
* The tension immediately picks up...
(read more)