The Confidential Clerk

Eliot's penultimate play (and second comedy) is markedly different from his earlier efforts. It is well-written but decidedly less poetic: although printed in verse form, the sound is almost conversational. In addition, Eliot's usual Christian themes are here allegorical rather than explicit. The handling is quite skillful: there is none of the ham-handed "X stands for Y, you morons!" that mars so many allegories. One can easily dig down into the Christian messages if desired, but the play is also satisfying at the top level.By the standards of Eliot's output as a whole, a rating of 3.5 stars is more appropriate than 4. One can regret the loss of intensity in the writing while still enjoying the play itself.

This book is wonderful. I truly loved it. It was the most interesting piece of work!