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प्रश्न
Answer the following in detail:
Bring out the irony in the title of the play.
उत्तर
The title of the play ‘The Dear Departed’ literally means that somebody dear has departed/ died and is no more with us. It makes everyone closely connected with the departed person sad and upset. Everyone is at a loss and tries to cope up with the situation. In this case, the title is ironical because nobody in the family loved grandfather. He was dear to no one. They all are relieved that he is no more. They talk of everything from mourning outfit to what all he has left behind but nobody is in a hurry to even go and see him. He is supposed to be dead and lying in his room. They all decide to have tea, discuss the obituary that should go in the newspapers but no one either has tears in his/ her eyes or is missing the grandfather. They are very businesslike and their business seems to be what each one of them will get now that the old man is dead. In no way was he ‘dear’ to his daughters or their husbands. Mrs Jordan had not even visited her father in the last three years since the time he had moved to Mrs Slater’s home. So much for a dear father! If she was there today, it was to show off in the society and to ensure that she gets her share of whatever he has left behind. Ironical, isn’t it?
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Read an excerpt from the diary of a 72 year old man :
As I sit here alone and waiting
I gaze at people passing me by.
I try to smile and reach out to them
But no one notices; no one waits.
They look to me like I am nothingAre they afraid to be seen saying "Hi" to an old
man like me?
Once my life, it's like a flower,
I had bloomed into a child.
Now, like the dying flower
Waiting for my one day to comeIt will be then that I am gone,
And yet, I still would not have heard that simple word, "Hi"
That for so long my heart had desired.
• What do you think is he feeling?
• What situation do you think leads people to feel so?
• Can such people be helped? How?
Read the news story given below.
|
India's elderly face growing neglect Traditionally older people have been revered in India, signified by the touching |
Discuss in groups:
a) What are the reasons for the old people being "abused, harassed and
abandoned" in India?
b) What are the problems faced by the old people as a result?
Answer the following question briefly.
How does Mrs. Slater plan to outshine the Jordans? What does it reveal about her character?
Answer the following question briefly.
Why does Mrs. Slater decide to shift the bureau from grandfather's room before the arrival of the Jordans? How does Henry react to the suggestion?
Answer the following question briefly
What does Mrs. Jordan describe as 'a fatal mistake'? What is the irony in the comment she makes on Mrs. Slater's defense?
Answer the following question briefly.
Ben appreciates grandfather saying 'its' a good thing he did'. Later he calls him a 'drunken old beggar'. Why does he change his opinion about grandfather?
Answer the following question briefly.
What change does grandfather make in his new will? What effect does it have on his daughters?
Bring out the traits in Mrs. Slater's personality quoting evidence from the play.
| Trait | Evidence from the play |
| Greedy | |
| Overpowering/ dominating | |
| Blunt/ straight talking | |
| Impolite | |
| Insensitive |
Answer the following with reference to the context.
"I don't call that delicate stepping into a dead man's shoes in such haste."
a) Who makes this comment?
b) What prompts the speaker to say this?
c) Bring out the significance of this statement.
What is Stanley Houghton's primary purpose in employing irony in the play ‘The Dear Departed’?
