The Dead Departed Part1

TS 10th Class English Guide Unit 2A The Dear Departed Part 1 Look at the picture and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1. What do you understand from the picture?

Answer: We see a cat being frightened by a rat, using a gun.

Question 2. Can you recall anything comic associated with these animals ?

Answer: Tom & Jerry.

Question 3. Can you imagine, what may be the conversation between the rat and cat ?

Answer: The rat would be threatening to kill the cat while it is requesting to let him go.

Question 4. How do people differ in enjoying humour; young and old; rural and urban; literates and illiterates?

Answer: The young people could enjoy most of the modern humours where as the old could enjoy the old fashioned ones, which may not be to the liking of the new generations.

The rural could be found among the rustic verities of humour rather than the class or standard modals which are found in the urban areas.

The literates will be able to enjoy much standard verities of classical jokes and humour, where as the standard of jokes enjoyed by the illiterates are usually low level, unsophisticated and rude in nature.

Oral Discourse

Role play - (based on the scene depicted in the picture).

Question 1. Now lets read a play in which the characters behave in a humorous way?

Answer: Students activity - to be done in the class.

Comprehension

I. Answer the following questions:

Question 1. What qualities of Mrs. Slater have you noticed?

Answer: Mrs. Slater is vigorous, plump, redfaced, vulgar, greedy, selfish, unscrupulous and mean. Mrs. Slater doesnt waste even a minute to grab the oldmans bureau, clock and slippers thinking that he is dead. She gives more importance to the mourning dress.

This shows us that Mrs. Slater is showy. She has no compassion for her father. She wants to grab her fathers things even before his death. She plans to outshine the Jordans in wearing mourning dress. She is impolite and insensitive.

Question 2. Why does Mrs. Slater decide to shift the bureau from her fathers room before the arrival of the Jordans? How does Henry react to the suggestion?

Answer: Mrs Slater wants to own her fathers bureau as she likes it very much. After her fathers death, she decides to shift the bureau to sitting room before the arrival of the Jordans. She thinks that her sister will lay a claim to it. At first, Henry is shocked at her decision

He feels that the two sisters should amicably divide their fathers things. Henry suggests her that it is not a good thing pinching her fathers things in an unfair way. Moreover, Henry is worried about the arrival of the Jordans while they are shifting the bureau.

Question 3. Why do the Jordans take a long time to get to the house of the Slaters? What does it show about the two sisters attitude towards each other?

Answer: Jordans dont have mourning dresses for the occasion. Their arrival is delayed as they have to get them. It shows us that they give more importance to showmanship. The sisters are not grief stricken at their fathers death. For them, grief is to be revealed through mourning dress and not by the feelings in ones heart. They are showy and mean. They dont have any love and affection for each other.

Question 4. Ben appreciates his father-in-law saying, Its a good thing he did. Later, he calls him a drunken old beggar. Why does he change his opinion about his father-in¬law?

Answer: Ben appreciates his father-in-law saying, Its a good thing he did, when he comes to know that he has paid his insurance premium. But when he hears that the old man, has not gone to pay the premium he changes his opinion and calls him a drunken old beggar since he has gone to the Ring-o-Bells. He changes his opinion about the old man because of his meanness and selfishness.

Question 5. What made Mr. Henry feel shocked to hear Victoria say, "Are you planning to pinch it" ?

Answer: Mr. Henry was shocked to know that even Victoria was able to see through the trickery of her parents in shifting the bureau. He was afraid that she might speak the truth in front of the Jordans. So, he tried to convince her that the bureau was given to her mother before the death of the grandfather

Question 6. Why does Mrs. Slater ask Victoria to change her dress?

Answer: Mrs. Slater rebukes her daughter victoria for wearing the colourful dress. She asks Victoria to change into black as they all have to adapt themselves to the regrettable occasion. Victorias grandfather is thought to be dead. Hence she must be in mourning

Question 7. Why does Henry doubt the Jordans arrival?

Answer: Mr. Henry doubts the Jordans arrival because both the families (the Slaters and the Jordans) have not been in good terms for years. When Mrs. Slater and Mrs. Jordan have quarrelled earlier, Mrs. Jordan has said that she would never set her foot in their house again

Question 8. Why is Victoria scared when she returns from Grandpas room?

Answer: Victoria goes into her grandpas room reluctantly when her mother asks her to bring the bunch of keys. Her parents have told her that the grandpa is dead. But when she enters the room, she sees grandpa getting out of bed. Hence, she is scared

Question 9. How does the Slaters and the Jordans respond to Mr. Abels death?

Answer: The Slaters and the Jordans are excited over the death of Mr. Abel, the father of two women. Mrs. Slater has pinched her fathers bureau, clock and slippers before her sisters arrival. They wear mourning dress and pretend to be sad but really they are happy as they want to divide the oldmans things between them

Question 10. What are the things done by the Slaters before the arrival of the Jordans?

Answer: Mrs. Slater is greedy and selfish. She loves her fathers things more than her father himself. Before the arrival of the Jordans, she has grabbed her fathers bureau and his wall clock. She has made her husband make use of her fathers new slippers

The Dear Departed 1 Summary in English

Stanley Houghtons The Dear Departed is a social play which reveals the pathetic condition of the elderly and how they are ill treated, neglected and deserted by their own children. It is a satire that criticizes the degradation of moral values in the modern

It shows the hollow relations between two daughters and their father. This play reveals the breaking of human relationships in the modern world. The two daughters and their husbands have waited for the Oldmans (Mr.Abels) death. They dont show any concern for the old man. They only want his belongings, but never love him

Mr. Abel Merryweather, an old man had two daughters - Amelia and Elizabeth. Amelia is married to Henry Slater and Elizabeth to Ben Jordan. Victoria is the Slaters only daughter. Abel is a widower and since the death of his wife, he has been living by turns with his daughters

At present Abel stays with the Slaters. One morning when Mrs. Slater takes up a bit of something on a tray and goes into the old mans room, Finding the man in deep sleep, she feels that he is dead. Without checking if the old man is really dead, the Slaters send a telegram to the Jordans revealing the much awaited death

Mrs. Slater asks her daughter Victoria to change her dress before her aunt Elizabeth and uncle Ben come. She tells her that they are coming to talk over grandpas affairs. Henry wonders if they will come at all as Elizabeth has said she would never set her foot in their house again. But Mrs. Slater says that Elizabeth will come fast enough after her share of what their father has left

Mrs. Slater asks her husband to wear grandfathers new slippers so that those could be theirs. Then she tells him that she always wanted to have grandfathers bureau after his death. She says that they could put their shabby chest of drawers upstairs where the bureau is. So she asks her husband to help bring down the bureau. Mrs. Slater fastens the front door and they carry old chest of drawers upstairs

In the meantime Victoria comes there after she changes her dress according to her mothers instructions. Henry is shocked when Victoria asks him if they are planning to pinch the grandpas things. Henry and Mrs. Slater put the bureau where the chest of drawers is. Mrs. Slater carries the grandpas clock under her arm and puts it on the mantlepiece. Then there is a knock at the door and Victoria ushers in Ben and Mrs. Jordan. Mrs. Jordan says that finally their father has been dead

Mrs. Slater replies that he is severty-two a fortnight the previous Sunday. She also tells her that her father has been merry that morning and has gone to pay his premium. Then he is found dead on his bed. Then Mrs. Slater asks them if they will go up and look at him. Mrs. Jordan prefers tea. Then they think about the announcement in the papers. They want to look through the oldmans bits of things and make a list of them

Mrs. Jordan tells that father has promised his gold watch for Jimmy. Mrs. Slater is amazed to hear this. Ben talks about the insurance money. He asks if they have got receipt for the premium paid by the old man. VRtoria informs that grandpa hasnt gone to pay his insurance that morning. At this, Ben calls the old man as drunken old begger. Mrs. Slater says that it is nothing short of swindling after she has kept him for three years

Mrs. Slater tells Victoria to run upstairs and fetch the bunch of keys thats on her grandpas dressing table. At first Victoria doesnt want to go into grandpas room. She goes out reluctantly. Then both the sisters talked about the bureau. After sometime Victoria returns very scared and tells her mother that grandpa is getting up. They are transfixed with amazement because they all think him to be dead. The door opens revealing the old man Abel Merryweather. They cant believe their eyes

Glossary

get her own way (id.) = persuade other people to allow you to do what you want

Dye = Do you (used in awkward situations)

precocious (adj) = intelligent/ gifted/ talented

bureau (n) = a writing desk with drawers

drive a hard bargain = work hard to negotiate agreements in ones own favour

daft (adj) = stupid / silly

pinch (v) = steal

mantlepiece (n) = a shelf projecting from the wall over the fireplace

usher(v) = lead/show the way/welcome

complacent (adj) = self-satisfied/unconcerned

chirpily (adv) = cheerfully and actively

snug (adj) = warm and comfortable

overdue (adj) = not paid by the expected time

swindling (n) = cheating somebody for property or money;

transfixed (v) = became motionless in fear

chuckling (v) = laughing quietly out of mild amusement or satisfaction

clad (adj) = wearing a particular type of clothing;

malicious (adj) = harmful

vigorous (adj) = strong, active or emergetic

plump (adj) = having a full rounded shape, fleshy

vulgar (adj) = rude and offensive

amazed (adj) = surprised or wondered

for ages (n) = for a long time

stooping (adj) = bending forward and down

drooping (adj) = bending or hanging downwards through tiredness

worn out (adj) = too old or damaged to be used

trifle (n) = thing, question or activity that has little value

stupefied (adj) = so surprised, bored or tired that one cant think clearly

shabby (adj) = in poor condition through much use or being badly cared for

stagger (v) = walk unsteadily

mourning (n) = feeling of sadness owing to somebodys death;

annoy (v) = cause slight anger, irritate

reluctantly (adv) = unwillingby

obviously (adv) = clearly