The Odd Couple Summary Essay, Research Paper
Zach Melamed
English
12/19/00
The Odd Couple
Act 1
Five friends, all guys are sitting around playing poker in Oscar’s apartment. The place really messy
because Oscar’s wife left him. The men are just hanging out, playing cards and eating food. Murray, a policeman,
is wondering where Felix is because he has not missed a Poker game in over two years. The men wonder if he is at
the movies or out with a girl. Frances, Felix’s wife calls to say that she and Felix are getting a divorce and he sent
her a suicide telegram. The men begin worrying about Felix.
There is a knock at the door; it is Felix. They all agree to act like nothing has happened. Felix walks in
and kind of looks around and out the window, not really saying anything. He says he has to use the bathroom. His
friends become a little worried about him going alone but they let him anyway. Oscar and his friends jump up from
the poker table and crowd around the bathroom listening for sounds of suicide but they only hear Felix crying.
Felix comes out and tells them about the divorce. Felix runs around the apartment talking about his unhappiness.
He has no place to stay and misses his wife already. His friends try to calm him down and finally stop him. Oscar
is so fed up with Felix’s running around the apartment and complaining that he throws a glass of water at him!
Felix sits in the chair and complains of a stomachache. He admits to taking a few pills before he left his
house. His friends become worried but Felix tells them that he threw them up before so he should be all right. His
friends decide that they should go home and they leave Felix alone with Oscar. Oscar convinces Felix to live with
him since now they are both single.
Act 2-Scene 1-(2 weeks later)
Oscar and Felix host another poker game but this time the atmosphere is very different. The men are
using coasters and napkins. Felix is waiting on them and cleaning up after them. Some of the men are fed up with
this organized way of playing poker and express their frustrations complaining about the smell of cleaner and such.
This breaks up the game and the men leave Oscar and Felix alone. Oscar suggests that they go out on a double date
with the two sisters upstairs. Felix is unsure about it because he still isn’t over his wife but , he agrees.
Scene 2
The sisters arrive and introductions are made along with some small talk. Oscar gets the girls some drinks
and leaves Felix in the living room with the sisters. They start to talk about Felix’s divorce and all three of them
end up in tears. Oscar comes in upset with what he sees. The sisters suggest going to their place for dinner instead
because the food Felix made is burnt. They leave to go prepare the meal. Felix mopes around the apartment, upset
about his divorce and his dinner. Oscar is excited to go the sisters’ apartment. Felix refuses to go with him and
Oscar storms upstairs alone.
Act 3
Felix and Oscar are in the room doing their different things. Oscar is giving Felix the silent treatment.
Eventually a work is spoken and a fight begins. Oscar tells Felix to pack his suitcase and leave. Felix obeys and
walks out. Oscar starts to feel guilty and call him back but it is too late. The men arrive for the poker game and
wonder where Felix is. Oscar explains that he kicked him out of the apartment. Gwendolyn, one of the sisters,
knocks on the door and informs Oscar that Felix is upstairs crying to Cecily. Cecily and Felix come down and into
the apartment. The sisters tell Felix to get his things and come back up to stay with them for a few days. The phone
rings and it is Blanche,Oscar’s ex-wife. She is thanking Oscar for the alimony and it is a good conversation. As he
hangs up, Felix is leaving and Oscar invites him to the poker game next week. Felix accepts the invitation. The
game resumes and life is back to normal.