"He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind, and the fool shall be servant to the wise in heart." -Proverbs 11:29
Inherit the Wind is the title of this play because it is part of a quote from the Bible that is quoted twice in the book, and it describes a major theme of the play. The quote basically means that if a person brings trouble to his family, then he will gain nothing and be a fool. It means the person will be left with nothing but "hot air." The title is a good one because it ties in with the religious issues in the play, and it describes some of the major characters in the play. The first time the verse is quoted, it is said by Brady to Reverend Brown. Reverend Brown represents a religious fanatic who doesn't really follow the teachings of forgiveness from the Bible. He even condemns his own daughter. When Brady quotes the verse, he is basically calling Brown a fool. The second time, the verse is quoted by Drummond after the trial is over and Brady has unexpectedly died. Drummond thinks that the reporter, Hornbeck, is a fool for stirring up trouble in the country. Inherit the Wind is a good title because it sums up a major theme of the play: that bringing trouble on one's own family or people will accomplish nothing and only make the person into a fool.
