Through their actions and words:
* Greed and Materialism: Both sisters are obsessed with money and inheritance, constantly bickering over the deceased father's possessions and arguing about who deserves what. This exposes their shallow and materialistic nature.
* Hypocrisy and Self-Deception: They pretend to be mourning their father and upholding his memory, yet their actions show their lack of genuine grief and their primary concern for their own gain.
* Manipulation and Deception: They try to manipulate the situation to their advantage, lying about their father's last words and hiding the fact that he was secretly married to another woman. This reveals their dishonesty and cunning.
* Lack of Respect for the Dead: Their focus on the material possessions and their blatant disregard for their father's wishes show a lack of respect for the deceased.
Through other characters' observations:
* Henry (the son): He observes their greed and hypocrisy, often pointing out their flaws and challenging their actions. His comments expose their true nature.
* The neighbors: The other characters in the play, like the neighbours, also witness their actions and gossip about their behaviour. This reinforces the negative perception of the sisters.
Through the playwright's use of humor:
* Irony: The play uses irony to expose the sisters' hypocrisy and self-deception. Their attempts to appear virtuous and respectable are contradicted by their actions and words.
* Satire: The play satirizes the materialistic and self-serving nature of society, using the sisters as examples of this behavior.
In conclusion, the two sisters in "The Dear Departed" are exposed through their actions, words, the observations of other characters, and the playwright's use of humor and irony. They are revealed to be greedy, materialistic, hypocritical, and manipulative individuals, ultimately highlighting the playwright's critique of societal values and human nature.