The Bells resource Guide
McCarter Theatre Center Created in conjunction with Mccarter Theatre production
Glossary

 
Aristotle: (384–322 B.C.) Greek philosopher whose contributions to Western thought are vast and varied. Selected writings include Nicomachean Ethics, Politics, On the Soul and Poetics.
Minto Landing: Ferry stop on the Yukon River during the Gold Rush.

Montreal: French-speaking Canadian city in the province of Quebec. It is a center of commerce and culture for Canada.

Prospector: One who searches for gold or other valuable substances under the surface of the earth.

Scurvy: A disease caused by lack of vitamin C, resulting from a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet. Symptoms include anemia, bleeding gums, joint pain and fatigue.

Seattle: Port city in the northwest corner of the continental United States. The S. S. Portland steamship docked there, returning with the first to “strike it rich” in the Klondike, igniting gold fever throughout the United States. The city outfitted many Americans making the trip to Alaska and the Yukon.

Skagway: Known as the “Gateway to the Gold Rush.” It is located at the base of the White Pass Trail and was the first stopover for Klondikers on their way to Dawson. It was the first incorporated city of Alaska.

Stake: A tract of land claimed by a miner.

Tlingit: Native American tribe that lives on the mainland and islands of southeastern Alaska. They reside on the beaches where the land meets the sea and traditionally survived by fishing and hunting marine animals.

Trap: A device used for catching and holding animals.

Upper Bonanza: A creek located near Dawson City. It was the location of the first discovery of gold in the Yukon.

Vein: A layer of ore between layers of rock.


Yukon: The northwestern-most territory of Canada. It shares a border with Alaska and was the location of many claims during the Gold Rush.
Bounty Hunter: One who pursues fugitives or criminals for whom a reward is offered.
Chilkoot Pass: Twenty-six mile section of trail through the mountains on the Alaskan-Canadian border which must be traversed in order to enter the interior of the Yukon and Alaska from the towns of Dyea and Skagway.
Cicero: (106 – 43 B.C.) Roman lawyer and statesman who fought against the formation of a dictatorship during the late period of the Roman Republic. His works include The Nature of the Gods, Treatise on Friendship and Treatise on Old Age.
Dawson City: A city located near the crossing of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers in Yukon Territory. During the Klondike Gold Rush it became the largest Canadian city west of Winnipeg, with a population between 30,000 and 40,000 people.
“Dead Horse Trail”: Name given by the writer Jack London to the White Pass Trail, which led from Skagway to the interior mining camps. Horses constantly died due to the harsh weather and their corpses were left to rot along the path.
Eldorado: A creek in the Yukon where gold was discovered during the Gold Rush. Also, a mythical place of great wealth and opportunity.
Fortymile: A mining camp town located about 35 miles downriver of Dawson City, near the Yukon/Alaska border.
Gold Fever: Popular mania for gold hunting. Also it can refer to the actual Gold Rush.
Homer: Ancient Greek poet credited with the two most famous epic poems of Greece: The Iliad and The Odyssey. Little is known about his life.
Jesuit: A member of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic order founded by Saint Ignatius Loyola in 1534, known as teachers, scholars and missionaries.
The Play & its contents
Introduction
Plot Summary
Character Profiles
Glossary
Introduction to the Alaskan Gold Rush
The Gold Rush and Popular Culture
Modern Melodrama
Source Material
Drama in the Classroom
About this production
Additional Resources


The Bells
March 22-April 10, 2005

written By
Theresa Rebeck

directed by
Emily Mann

Study Guide
McCarter Theatre Center

Web Design
Dimple Parmar
 
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