Their focus became Darwin's theory of evolution, which espouses that species evolved over time through natural selection - a theory that is in direct opposition to the fundamentalist belief in the Biblical story of creation.

Fundamentalists turned their attention to issues regarding the infallibility of the Bible in matters concerning science and history. Fundamentalists, on the other hand - those who believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible - clung to traditional beliefs.Īmidst the fast pace of the 1920s, people sought stability and fought to maintain a conservative lifestyle as a result, the fundamentalist movement experienced a revival. Modernists - those who adapt their faith to contemporary trends in the sciences, philosophy, and history - embraced the changes taking place in America. These changes fostered an atmosphere in which time-honored mores were questioned. In addition, people migrated from rural to urban areas, leaving the conservative farmers with dwindling power.

The economy was thriving, the stock market was booming, and consumerism was at an all-time high. The courtroom battle that ensues between these famous attorneys is the focus of the play.Īfter World War I, American society changed dramatically. Each of the two main characters, Matthew Harrison Brady and Henry Drummond, represents one side of the central conflict: Brady represents the fundamentalist viewpoint, and Drummond is the advocate for science and freedom of thought. Although the basis of the play is the Scopes trial, the play itself is not a historical retelling of the events.

Lawrence and Lee wrote Inherit the Wind nearly thirty years after the Scopes Monkey trial.

Inherit the wind robert e lee