Day is Breaking

Plot

Kazantzakis' first play is the only one in which a woman plays the leading role. The subject matter is similar to that in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. Lalo, the wife of a wealthy bourgeois man and mother of a young girl, is in love with her brother-in-law, who responds to her emotions. Although she finds it impossible to stifle her love, she can neither leave with him, abandoning her daughter, nor have an illicit affair with him, as her friend counsels her. She eventually opts for suicide as a solution.

Writing history

Written in Heraklion in 1906. Won acclaim at the Pantelidis drama competition on a recommendation from Spyridon Lambros.

Greek editions

• "Ximeroni, Act II, Scene 8; Act III scene 11" Pinakothiki 7 (August 1907) 98.
• excerpts were republished by G. Katsimbalis in "The unknown Kazantzakis", Nea Estia, vol. 63, issue 741 (15.5.1958) 746-749
• published in its entirety by D. G. Gounelas, "An introduction to Kazantzakis' three one-act plays. Day is Breaking, a drama in three acts", Nea Estia, vol. 102, Kazantzakis Issue, issue 1211 (Christmas 1977) 183-210

Performances

• Thomas Economou Troupe, Athenion Theatre, summer 1907. Cast: Evangelia Paraskevopoulou, Evangelos Delenardos, Kostas Moustakas.