The Lower Depths (Na Dne, 1902) is the work that established Maksim Gorky as one of the most important playwrights of the early 20th century. Set in a squalid lodging house inhabited by the social outcasts of a Russian city — thieves, prostitutes, fallen aristocrats, former actors — it examines illusion, compassion, truth, and the limits of hope with raw, naturalistic power.
Premiered by Stanislavski at the Moscow Art Theatre and an immediate international success, the play continues to be performed worldwide. This free EPUB download brings one of early modern theatre’s key texts to your device.