JB: A Play in Verse [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Archibald MacLeish (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 113 pages
• Publisher: Samuel French Inc Plays; Acting edition (January 1956)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0573610916
• ISBN-13: 978-0573610912
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,115,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Multilayered, Thought Provoking, Controversial, February 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: JB: A Play in Verse (Paperback)

I have never written a review before and really don't have much interest in it, but upon reading a few of the reviews of this book, I had to defend it.

This book is not to be read at face value. It is the retelling of perhaps one the hardest stories of the Bible to really digest, and that is the story of Job.

In the Bible, God & Satan make a bet of sorts on just how loyal and wonderful Job is and if he would remain that way in face of all adversity. And God, to prove his point to Satan, makes terrible things happen to Job, everything from killing his entire family to taking away his worldly possessions to afflicting him with a painful disease.

And yet through it all, Job is expected to sing God's praises like a canary.

This is the story of a good man whom terrible things happen to through no fault of his own. A man whose very life and everything he treasures reside soley upon the caprices of otherworldly beings.

JB is multilayered & complex. It starts with Zeuss & Nickles (can we see symbolism in those names, folks?), two tired old men who work in a circus. Zeuss sells balloons, thin plastic filled with hot air, and Nickles sells popcorn.

Zeuss is a great believer that life has meaning. He has Faith. Nickles is angry & sardonic, complaining bitterly about the unfairness of life.

They start arguing about this and one gets the feeling that it is an old argument. And to settle it, they reenact the story of Job, on an empty stage. (All the world's a stage, haha)

Not surprisingly, Zeuss plays God & Nickles plays Satan. And somehow, magically between the two, the story takes on a life of its own.

And in the end, they are both surprised and both come out viewing the reenactment differently.

(On JB...the modern Job)

Nickles: He misconceived the part entirely.
Mr. Zuss: Misconceived the world! Buggered it!
Nickles: Giving in like that! Whimpering!
Mr. Zuss: Giving in! You call that arrogant,
Smiling, supercilious humility
Giving in to God?

An intriguing thing about this play is that not only could the characters not agree about what happened, but the reviewers in real life could not either. It has been called, "A human triumph," "modern man's reaction to the problem of evil without the category of faith in a loving God," & "a sort of theological schizophrenia." One reviewer said that the protagonist of J. B. was more convincing, more moving than the biblical Job.

Well, either way, it won the Pulitzer & was a smash hit.

PS - For those of you who might find the language difficult, try reading aloud.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece based on a timeless masterpiece, May 7, 2001

By 

Peter S. Lambert (Minot AFB, ND USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: JB: A Play in Verse (Paperback)

MacLeish's masterful "play in verse" presents a modern interpretation of the ancient Book of Job. It catches the essence of the tragedy and brings the reader/viewer into a direct experience of the mystery of good and evil.

MacLeish goes beyond the sacred text and dares to present a more satisfying resolution to an eternal question: the "why" of evil. Where the Book of Job fails, JB succeeds.

What is Macleish's answer to the problem of evil? Read JB and weep.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Remembered Fondly, September 28, 2003

By 

Rebecca - See all my reviews

This review is from: JB: A Play in Verse (Paperback)

I was asigned this play as a senior in high school (many years ago) and remember it fondly. It is a re-telling of the bibical story of Job, and takes liberities. Anyone who is uncomfortable with the Christian Old Testament in general or re-tellings that take liberities: be forewarned.

Another reviewer suggested reading aloud improves the experience. I would second that suggestion. No need to re-hash the plot. I just wanted to say, in defense of the play, that I found it extremely interesting and thought-provoking. Especially the different ideas regarding what proper religion/spirituality consists of that were brought out by JB, his family and friends.