What does the play The Lower Depths reveal about life in a Russian flophouse?

In his play The Lower Depths, Maxim Gorky portrays the bleak, harsh reality of life for society’s outcasts living in a dilapidated flophouse. The setting serves as a microcosm of the "seamy side" of Russian life, a world Gorky knew intimately from his own experiences as a laborer and wanderer.123

The play reveals the following about life in such an environment:

• Desperation and Illusion: The residents are trapped in a cycle of misery, finding only temporary relief through the arrival of a tramp named Luka. Luka offers them hope by listening to their stories and spinning illusions, which briefly uplifts them.1
• The Fragility of Hope: The play illustrates that such hope is often unsustainable. Once Luka wanders off, the characters are forced to confront their "bleak reality" again.1
• Tragic Outcomes: The lack of viable prospects leads to destructive consequences, including violence and suicide, as evidenced by a resident thief who kills the landlord and an alcoholic actor who takes his own life.1

Ultimately, the work highlights the profound hopelessness and social degradation experienced by those living on the margins of society.12