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Inherit The Wind Character Analysis

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In the play, “Inherit the Wind” written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Lee, Bertram Cates goes on trial for teaching “Darwin’s Theory of Evolution” to his story. This created a major case, where humans challenged God’s holy word,. This started a war against humans and the God. During the battle, two of the world’s greatest mind fought against each other, the defence attorney Henry Drummond and the prosecutor attorney Matthew Harrison Brady. From the beginning to the end, the trial was influenced mostly by Brady’s characteristics, successfully leading him to winning the trial. Throughout his life, Matthew Harrison Brady was able to persuade his audience. In this trial, he did not only persuade his audience in the courtroom, but was able to …show more content…

On the day of the trial, Brady had wiped out Drummond's testimony and evidence supporting “Darwin’s Theory of Evolution”. With no scientific hope left, Drummond calls in Brady to the stand to represent “The Bible”. Through his concern, Drummond asked Brady if he knows any thing on “Darwin’s Theory” and Brady replies “I Know it's wrong because God tells me to oppose the evil teachings of this man”. ( Pg 88 ) This lead to the audience in doubt, and wondering “ How in perdition do you have the gall to whoop up this holy war against something you don’t know anything about,”. (Pg 75) This lead to the jury and the audience changing their actions and attitude towards “Darwin’s Theory of Evolution”. “ Though, they do not believe in the theory of evolution written in the book but they realise and understand the importance and value of the freedom to think. Brady played an important role in the trial to the end. He faced intense pressure to prove that God’s Holy words is accurate, not fiction. Through Brady had won the case, he felt unhappy on his actions during the trial, which separated the connection between him and the citizen listening all over America. This unease sensation Brady was feeling at the end of the play was the direct result of his behavior during the trial such as being manipulative, overconfidence, and close-minded. These key characteristics influenced the trail, eventually changing the outcome for the

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In several aspects, the actual Scopes trial differs from what is presented in the play Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. One of those differences is that in reality, William Jennings Bryan, the counterpart for Brady, did not have a fit while delivering his last speech and did not die in the courtroom. While comparing this difference between the play version and the actual event, the play seems more engaging because it adds drama, which makes the play more appealing. The death of Brady also leads to the character development of Henry Drummond. This can be seen when after Brady’s death, Drummond says that he acknowledges the greatness that was in Brady and defends Brady’s name against Hornbeck.

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People tend to be judged by how others perceive them to be, rather than how they actually are. This statement is shown in the play, Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. One example from the play in which this type of unfair judgement is displayed is when the news of Henry Drummond being the defense attorney for Bert Cates was announced. “Henry Drummond, the agnostic… A vicious, godless man… Henry Drummond is an agent of darkness.

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It takes a powerful man to captivate and change the minds of an entire town. In Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s Inherit the Wind, Henry Drummond is this man. Bertram Cates is accused of illegally teaching evolution, and Henry Drummond is called in to defend him against the prosecution, Matthew Harrison Brady. Ultimately, Cates is convicted, but the town becomes more open-minded and supports free thinking. Henry Drummond’s virtue, eloquence, and kindness enable him to make a case for man’s right to think.

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