The Century-Long Forgetfulness of a "Knot"
The one-act comedy "Knot" is one of Nušić's characteristic short plays with themes from civil life, including: "Two Thieves", "Button", "At the Lawyer's", "Detto", and others. It describes an episode from the life of a married couple, a young wife and a significantly older husband who is somewhat "absent-minded" and ties a pocket handkerchief in a knot when he wants to remember something important. A third person, the young friend of his wife, will help him remember the reason for tying the handkerchief in a knot.
TL;DR
- The one-act play "Knot" by Branislav Nušić is a rediscovered work from the "Digital Nušić" project.
- The play centers on a marriage between a young wife and a much older, absent-minded husband who uses knotted handkerchiefs to remember things.
- The husband's inability to recall a significant message leads to his wife's boredom and her affair with a young lover.
- The husband eventually remembers the message – that his wife is unfaithful – only after witnessing her intimate moment with her lover.
- The discovery and staging of "Knot" highlight Nušić's lesser-known works and themes of civil life and marital dynamics.