Today, quirky or eccentric outsiders are often afforded a measure of tolerance or even respect. In the nineteenth century, however, these original thinkers were often regarded as dangerous crackpots and subjected to scorn -- or worse. John Kendrick Bangs' The Idiot follows the ups and downs of one such unfortunate fellow in a most amusing fashion.
Geoffrey Chester is charmed by the beautiful woman Aline Chapdelaines he glimpses daily on his way to work. For Geoffrey, it's love at first sight. But romance seems impossible because of the exclusive Creole society to which she belongs. The discovery of an old manuscript brings him closer to her in this delicate depiction of the old régime in New Orleans.
