THE BISHOP’S CANDLESTICKS - NORMAN MCKENNEL

THE BISHOP’S CANDLESTICKS  - NORMAN MCKENNEL    

     The one – act play “The Bishop’s Candlesticks” by Norman McKennel is an excellent adaptation from a section of Victor Hugo’s world famous novel, ‘Les Miserable’. The play is about a Bishop who redeems a convict with his boundless love and affection.

     There are five characters in the play. They are the Bishop, Persome, the Convict, Marie and a Sergeant.

     The Bishop is a kind man. To him, the purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others. Persome, the Bishop’s sister is not generous as like her brother. When the Bishop comes to know that Marie, the servant maid’s mother is not able to pay her house rent so, he sells his silver salt-cellar immediately to pay her rent. Moreover, he gives his muffler to Marie to bear the cold outside. This infuriates Persome. She says that Marie and her mother are tricksters. They pretends to be needy and extract money from the Bishop.

    One night a convict enters the Bishop’s house. He has a long knife. By showing the knife, the convict threatens the Bishop to provide food to him. With the help of his sister, the Bishop serves food to the convict. The Bishop asks the convict to take rest in his home. The convict shares his personal life. For his sick wife Jeanette, the convict stole food. He was caught and put in prison for ten years. He got brutal treatment in the jail, so he became like a wild beast. One day he escaped from the jail and started to steal things for his everyday need.

     After hearing the story of the convict, the Bishop asks him to sleep peacefully. When the Bishop and his sister sleep the convict, steals the two costly silver candlesticks from the table and sneaks away. Persome wakes up and discovers that the convict has stolen the candlesticks. She wants to report the matter to the police. But the Bishop accuses himself for having placed the stick in the eye-sight of the convict. At this time, a sergeant brings in the convict. He complains that he found the thief with the Bishop’s Candlestick. But the Bishop protects him by saying that  he had gifted  the candlesticks  to him. The sergeant leaves the convict. The Bishop helps the convict to go to Paris and to lead a life of law abiding citizen. From this play it is proved that through love, a convict can be reformed into a good citizen.