Plot Summary The play The Dear Departed depicts the tragic scenario of deteriorating moral values in today's middle class, where children show no care for their elderly parents and are only interested in grabbing their belongings. Initially, Abel Merryweather's daughter falsely declares him dead to quickly claim his possessions with her husband. However, the truth surfaces when Abel, still alive, confronts their greed. Shocked by their behavior, Abel decides to live independently and change his will, planning to marry Mrs. Shorrocks to ensure genuine care in his old age. The play highlights the abandonment of familial duty and the consequences of selfishness in contemporary society. Paragraphs 1. How does The Dear Departed reflect the social attitudes towards family and death? The Dear Departed reflects the selfish and materialistic attitude of people towards family and death. In the play, the Slaters and the Jordans are more concerned about inheriting thei