Abstract
MAXWELL ANDERSON'S 1928 PLAY God of the L.ightning was the first of his two plays growing out of the Sacco-Vanzetti case. Its inspiration in an actual trial and especially its aim of directly protesting an actual injustice called for realistic treatment. The incidents of the plot are of the world of the twenties, taken, it seems, from the daily newspapers. And the feelings and language of the characters are those of believable human beings. A good example of this truth to human actuality comes in the second act trial scene. Macready, the play's central character, tried on trumped-up charges, is asked during cross-examination if he isn't in love with a certain girl. In defiance of the district attorney and the corrupt legal and social system behind him, Macready replies: "It won't make any difference whether I'm in love with a girl or not—not to them. And at that it's nobody's business but the girl's." In the context of the play there is nothing exceptional about this reply; it is realistic, showing a sensible appraisal of the situation Macready is in. But in a larger context, the totality of Anderson's work, the realism itself is worthy of remark, because on the subject of love Anderson was sometimes sentimental.
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