A wealthy man from the early twentieth century has been identified with Emperor Henry IV of Germany, a ruler of the eleventh century. His entourage insists on maintaining the delusion until the unexpected finale of the play unfolds.

Pirandello manages to deconstruct the human individual before scientists manage to deconstruct the atom of matter. With acuity and insight, he examines what Schopenhauer calls 'true lie', which is nothing but a creature of our imagination, constantly refuted by the multifaceted nature of human character.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]