ðə tˈaɪɾəl kˈæɹɪktɚ, ɐ tˈiː. ˈɛs. ˈɛlɪət skˈɑːlɚ, ɪz ɐn ˌælkəhˈɑːlɪk hˌuː lˈuːzᵻz hɪz wˈaɪf ænd hɪz klˈoʊs fɹˈɛnd ænd kˈɑːliːɡ ænd pˈɑːsᵻbli mˈeɪl lˈʌvɚ ɔnðə sˈeɪm dˈeɪ.
The title character, a  T. S. Eliot scholar, is an alcoholic who loses his wife and his close friend and colleague – and possibly male lover – on the same day.