Arms and the Man - Character Details, Author Bio and Main Ideas

Raina - The play’s protagonist and heroine. Raina is a young woman living in the area in Bulgaria and born into the wealthy Petkoff family. She longs for her fiancé Sergius, who has just led a successful if ill-planned, cavalry charge against the Serbs. Raina meets and falls in love with Bluntschli, the Swiss “chocolate cream soldier” fighting for the Serbs.

Bluntschli - Swiss mercenary fighting for the Serbs, and Raina’s love interest, who she calls “the chocolate cream soldier.” He is skilled in warfare and emotionally refined but has a weakness for sweets. Bluntschli hides in Raina’s room with her help. When he returns in the spring to return Major Petkoff’s cloak, events are set into motion that brings out Catherine and Raina’s plan to help him, and that lead to his engagement to Raina and an ultimately happy ending.

Sergius - Raina’s fiancé, and the hero of the Battle of Slivnitza. Sergius, by his own and many others’ admission, has no military skill. He led the charge out of a mixture of foolhardiness and desire for self-promotion. Sergius flirts with the Petkoffs’ servant Louka, and the play ends in their engagement.

Catherine - Raina’s mother, and woman of the Petkoff household. Catherine wants to marry off her daughter to a wealthy and a prominent man. When Sergius appears to be this man, Catherine approves of the union. As it becomes clear that Sergius is not the man he presented himself to be, Catherine is willing to switch her loyalties to Bluntschli. Catherine is focused on making sure the Petkoffs’ are up-to-date in their home furnishings and technology.

Louka - The Petkoffs’ female servant. Louka is engaged to Nicola, the head male servant. She has a flirtatious relationship with Sergius, who is engaged to Raina. Louka wants to better her social station by marrying a noble and criticizes Nicola for having no aspirations over those of a common servant.

Major Petkoff - Head of the Petkoff family, and Raina’s father. The Major is a decent if unambitious soldier, and he seems concerned mostly with maintaining his family’s social position in the rural parts of Bulgaria. He and Catherine are willing to accept Bluntschli as Raina’s suitor by the play’s end only after he proves just how wealthy he is.

Nicola - Head male servant of the Petkoff estate. Nicola initially warns Louka for her willingness to make use of the information she’s heard as gossip against the Petkoffs. Louka feels that Nicola is not ambitious enough because he is content to be a servant for the rest of his life. Nicola ends the play by breaking his engagement politely with Louka, allowing her to be engaged to Sergius.

Author Bio: 

In 1856 George Bernard Shaw was born in a lower-middle-class neighbourhood in Dublin, Ireland, and was the youngest of three siblings. His mother, who was a professional singer, encouraged his interests in the arts, and eventually left Shaw’s alcoholic father. In his twenties, Shaw began a course of private reading at the British Museum, allowing him to engage not only with English poets like William Blake and Percy Bysshe Shelley but with the political thought of the 1870s. Written in 1893-4 and first performed in 1894, Arms and the Man is one of Shaw’s earlier plays and one that grows out of several contexts. The first is historical. There was a Serbo-Bulgarian War in 1885. Some scholars have called Arms and the Man a satire, or a work that criticizes political or social issues of the day. The second context man-woman relationship. 

Main ideas in the play:

Disappointment with war -War should not be seen as romantic. War is simply a job for soldiers, and nothing more. Bluntschli also destroys Raina’s romantic idea of war and heroism. 

The difficulty of romantic love: Raina does appear to love Sergius at the beginning of the play, but when she falls in love with Bluntschli, she realizes her love for Sergius was insincere. Louka, though engaged to her fellow-servant Nicola, does not appear to have ever been in love with him, and demonstrates that she is willing to work hard to marry into a higher rank.

Social class and social status: The Petkoff family represents the high social class and the servants in the family represent the low social class. Louka wants to belong to the high social class (by marrying Sergius), whereas, Nicola is happy to continue as a servant. 

Arms and the Man - Summary (Only for BBA)

https://smtd.umich.edu/performances-events/past-productions/10-11-arms-and-the-man

                                                       

Plot Overview: The play begins in the fall of 1885 during the Serbo-Bulgarian War. Raina, a Bulgarian woman from a wealthy family, learns from her mother, Catherine, that the Bulgarian cavalry have won a battle against the Serbs. Catherineadds that Sergius, Raina’s fiancé, was at the head of the charge, and was as heroic in life as he appears in the picture Raina keeps in her bedroom. Louka, their servant, enters and warns Catherine and Raina that escaped Serbs fleeing the battlefield might be in the area, seeking refuge in the houses of Bulgarian families. Raina is not worried and chooses to keep her window unlocked. In the night, a man enters the room through the unlocked window and says he will kill Raina if she makes a noise. The man is Swiss and an escaped soldier, fighting as a mercenary for the Serbians. Raina is shocked to see that the man is tired and hungry, that he does not glorify battle, and that he is merely happy to have escaped the carnage alive. Raina helps him hide behind a curtain just as Catherine, Louka, and a Bulgarian officer enter to search the room for any Serbs who might be hiding in the area. Raina convinces them that no one is in her room, and they leave. Raina gives the man chocolate creams, which she keeps in a box in her room, and is shocked to hear that the man has no ammunition for his pistol, as he normally only keeps candies in his pockets. The man argues that Sergius’s cavalry charge against the Serbs was foolish and succeeded only by sheer luck. The Serbs had machine guns but were given the wrong ammunition by accident, and therefore could not mow down Sergius and his men. Raina agrees to help the man escape later that night, though she rebukes him for making fun of her fiancé Sergius. The man sleeps as Raina enlists Catherine’s help, and when Raina and Catherine return, they allow the man to rest since he has not slept for days.

The second act begins in the garden of the same house, though it is now spring of 1886. Louka is engaged to the house’s head male servant, Nicola. Louka tells Nicola that he will never be more than a servant, and that she has higher aspirations. Louka tells him she knows many secrets about the Petkoff family, and Nicola says that he does, too, but would never blackmail his masters. Major Petkoff, the head of the family, returns from the war. He reports to Catherine that Sergius will never receive the military promotion Sergius craves, because Sergius has no command of military strategy. Sergius enters and is greeted warmly by the family, and especially by Raina, who still considers him a hero. Sergius says he has abandoned his commission in the army out of anger that he will never move up in the ranks. Sergius and Petkoff tell a story they heard about this Swiss soldier being hidden by two Bulgarian women during the soldier’s retreat. Catherine and Raina realize the story is about them, but do not say anything.

Sergius speaks with Louka in private and begins flirting with her. Louka reveals to Sergius that Raina might not remain faithful to Sergius, and Sergius is taken aback. They exit. A man named Bluntschli enters the family garden and Louka brings him to Catherine. Catherine realizes that he is the man that hid in Raina’s room, the same man that she and Raina helped escape. Catherine worries that Sergius and Petkoff, who are conferring over military plans in the library, might encounter the soldier. Sergius and Petkoff have no idea that the story they heard about a soldier being helped by two Bulgarian women involves the Petkoffs. Bluntschli has come to return Major Petkoff’s coat that Catherine and Raina lent him to escape. Raina is so happy to see him that she blurts out, “the chocolate cream soldier!” when she walks in the room, only to recover herself and blame her outburst, implausibly, on Nicola. Petkoff and Sergius, who have in fact already met Bluntschli during the war, ask Bluntschli to stay and pass the time.

In the final act, the various tensions of the play thus far are exposed. Louka tells Sergius that the man with whom Raina is in love is Bluntschli. Sergius challenges Bluntschli to a duel because of this, but Bluntschli explains his way out of it. A picture of herself that Raina placed in her father’s cloak for Bluntschli to find is exposed, proving that Raina has not been entirely truthful to Sergius. Raina admits that she has had feelings for Bluntschli since they first met. Major Petkoff is aghast. When Bluntschli acknowledges that he has loved Raina, Sergius and Louka reveal that they have been having a secret affair at Sergius’ instigation, and Nicola releases Louka from their engagement. Bluntschli, whose father has just died, has come into a great deal of money, so Raina’s parents are glad to marry her off to him and his handsome fortune. Raina is revealed to be twenty-three rather than seventeen, enabling Bluntschli in good conscience to ask for her hand in marriage. Bluntschli promises to hire Nicola, whom he admires, to run the hotels he has just received as part of his inheritance. Sergius accepts Louka has his lover in public, thus satisfying Louka’s desire to move up in the social ranks. The play ends with Sergius exclaiming, of Bluntschli, “What a man!”

Précis Writing

What is Precis Writing 

1.  It is an exercise in compression.

2. A precis is the gist of a passage expressed in as few words as possible.

3. A precis should give all essential points so that anyone reading it will be able to understand the idea       

    expressed in the original passage. 

4. A precis is in the precis writer's own word and it is about one-third of the original.

5. It is useful in grasping the ideas of a passage, extract, chapter or book.

6. It improves writing skills and teaches the quality of expressing much in few words.

7. You cannot insert your own remarks and criticism in a precis.

8. Always take the fact and data that is given in paragraph only.

9. Also, during a precis writing, you cannot insert a question.

10. A précis is a brief summary of a book, article, speech, or other text.

11. How long is a precis? 100-200 words

For more information please use this link: 

https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-correspondence-and-reporting/precis-writing/dos-and-donts-of-precis-writing

An example to understand precis writing better: 

Summarize the given passage.

We all know what we mean by a "good" man. The ideally good man does not drink or smoke, avoids bad language, converses in the presence of men only exactly as he would if there were ladies present, attends church regularly and holds the correct opinion on all subjects. He has a wholesome horror of wrong-doing and realizes that it is our painful duty to castigate sin. He has a still greater horror of wrong thinking and considers it the business of the authorities to safeguard the young against those who question the wisdom of the views generally accepted by middle-aged successful citizens. Apart from his professional duties, at which he is assiduous, he spends much time in good works: he may encourage patriotism and military training; he may promote industry, sobriety and virtue among wage earners and their children by seeing to it that failures in these respects receive due punishment; he may be a trustee of a university and prevent an ill-judged respect for learning from allowing the employment of professors with subversive ideas. Above all, of course, his "morals" in the narrow sense must be irreproachable. (189 words) - Bertrand Russell

Model answer

Characteristics of a good man

According to the author, an ideally good man is intensely religious and avoids bad habits such as smoking and drinking. He does not use obscene or indecent language and has a fear of wrongdoing and wrong thinking. He is professionally dutiful and takes an active interest in promoting virtues such as patriotism, industry and sobriety among workers and their children. If possible, he prevents the employment of professors with subversive ideas.

 

 

Anniversary- summary

https://r-lerman.ca/portfolio/jokes-of-chekhov/

The Anniversary by Anton Chekov is a hilarious play about a banker who is preparing to meet some respected shareholders for the bank’s 15th-anniversary celebrations. The play revolves around four principle character. Mr Andrei Shipuchin – A diligent and hardworking banker who also has a soft corner for women. Mr Kirin –Bookkeeper-The brilliant but short-tempered accountant on whom the banker totally depends for preparing an impressive report for the bank. Ms Tatiana -The banker’s wife- A naive and rather innocent women who is also a chatterbox. She is very young and views life adventurously. Mrs Merchutkina-The madwomen- An old woman who is also a constant pest. She is neither susceptible to logic nor reasoning. Her persistent annoyance and outright lack of sympathy for the banker form the central theme of the play. The Act begins with the accountant busy preparing the financial report using the Abacus. He is already worn out due to days of continuous work. He tries to put long hours since the banker has promised him a golden watch if the meeting with the shareholders goes well. The fact that the banker will corner all the glory of his accounts hard work does not go down well with him. However, he continues his work for the watch. Mrs Tatiana comes to the bank as she has just arrived from her hometown after meeting her sister and mother. Her husband is surprised by her visit and spends time with her on a casual talk so as to make her feel good. But he is worried if he was preparing enough for the meeting later in the day. Tatiana continuously kept chattering about her train journey and her sister’s fiancé that even the accountant was growing very impatient. suddenly an old woman barged into the bank. She seemed highly agitated and rushed to Mr Banker’s seat. The banker wondered if this was an angry customer. Only to realise later that she was Mrs Merchutkina who had come in to ruin his day. Merchutkina wanted the bank to pay her husband’s complete wage of twenty-four roubles and thirty-six kopecks which she claimed had been wrongly deducted. The banker is also helped by his wife who demands Mrs Merchutkina to leave the bank immediately. Even the accountant tries to drive away, but he fails. Realising that there was no way out now, the banker finally hands over twenty-four roubles and thirty-six kopecks to her. Just when things were beginning to return to peace again, Mrs Merchutkina reaches out to the banker and asks, “Could my husband have his job back, your Excellency?” This banker upon reaching the end of his patience orders the accountant to throw her out from the bank. But the accountant mistakes Tatiana to be the cause of the banker’s anger and orders her out instead. In the ensuing confusion, the accountant ends up chasing the madwoman and Tatiana around the bank when the group of Shareholders walk in. the shareholders are unmoved and heap praise on Mr Banker on how he had raised the bank to a higher reputation. However, they stopped their praise midway and announce that they would come back some other day considering that there was hectic activity at the bank at present.

Sheriff's Kitchen - Summary

People have told stories about Robin Hood for more than 700 years. Nobody knows if he was a real     person or an invented character. In the legends, Robin was extremely intelligent and had a playful sense of humour. He loved playing tricks on people. Robin Hood was a benevolent outlaw, who robbed the rich and helped the poor. The Sheriff’s Kitchen is an interesting play by Ronald Gow, a renowned English dramatist. The Sheriff of Nottingham tried many times to arrest Robin Hood, but he did not succeed. Robin Hood outsmarted the plans of the Sheriff with the help of his devoted followers on every occasion. The Steward (A person employed to manage another's property, especially a large house or estate) entered the Sheriff’s kitchen three hours after dinner time. He was too hungry, but the Cook refused to serve him food as his master, the Sheriff had not arrived for dinner. They both quarrelled, but when the Steward promised to give two large jugs of ale (a drink), they were reconciled. Little John and Friar Tuck were followers of Robin Hood. They entered the Sheriff’s kitchen to steal the food. Meanwhile, the Sheriff came in with Robin Hood guarded by his soldiers. His hands were tied behind. The Sheriff put him in a cell and asked the Steward to take care of the prisoner. Little John planned to rescue Robin Hood. He stole a steel cap and leather coat and carried the halberd (sword) and stood like a sentry. Making the Steward drink a lot of wine, he took away the keys of the cell from the Steward and released Robin Hood. When the Sheriff came in his nightgown and nightcap, Little John seized him from behind and Robin Hood threatened him with a knife at his throat. The outlaws put the Sheriff in the cell and locked him. Thus, they escaped from the Sheriff.

Dear Departed - Summary

The story of the play begins with Mrs Slater telling her ten years old daughter, Victoria, to go upstairs and put on her white frock. Her husband Henry Slater comes home after sending a telegram to his sister-in-law, Elizabeth, and her husband Jordan to come to talk over Grandpa’s affairs who is presumed dead. Henry wonders if they would come because Elizabeth has said she would never set foot in their house again. But Mrs Slater tells her husband to wear Grandpa’s new slippers and proposes Henry to replace their untidy box of drawers with the valuable desks of Grandpa. After some hesitation, he agrees. Mrs Slater fastens the front door and they carry the old chest of drawers upstairs. Mrs Slater tells her daughter not to open the door till they come down. Victoria ushers in Ben and Mrs Jordan. Sisters kiss each other and men shake hands. Mrs Jordan says that he has gone at last and asks her sister whether she had sent for the doctor. Mrs Slater says that she sent Henry at once for Dr Pingle but he was out. Mrs Jordan says that she should have sent for another doctor because many persons have resorted to life after they were thought to be gone. Then they talk about his paying the premium. They consider the announcement in the papers and think of some appropriate verses. Then they say that they will look through his things and make a list of them. Mrs Slater tells Victoria to run upstairs and fetch the bunch of keys on her Grandpa’s dressing table. She is afraid to go but goes. Victoria returns very scared and tells that Grandpa is getting up. They are transfixed with amazement. The door open and Grandfather, Abel Merryweather comes in. They cannot believe their eyes. He comes forward to shake hand with his son-in-law, Mr Ben Jordan. He retreats with Mr Ben Jordan to a safe distance. Mrs Slater pokes him with her hand to see if he is solid. Only Victoria is glad that he is not dead. Mrs Slater snatches the slippers from her husband and gives them to Grandpa. Abel Merryweather asks them why they are in mourning. Mrs Slater invents an excuse and tells that Ben’s brother has died and they are going to his funeral. Grandfather says, perhaps, they have been waiting for him. Then he tells them to sit down and take tea. He says there is nothing serious. Due to over-drinking, he had become unconscious. Then he asks Mrs Slater and Henry what they had been doing with his bureau. Elizabeth blames her sister for stealing. The two sisters start quarrelling. Their integrity is exposed. Grandpa comes to know the reality. He tells them that he would change his will. He would give his money and things to the one with whom he lives. Both the sisters try to persuade him to do stay with them, but he says that it is a bit late. He declares that he will do three things on Monday next. He will go to the lawyer and change the will, pay the premium and get married to Mrs John Shorrocks who keeps the Ring-o-Bells at St. Philips’ Church. He invites all of them to attend the ceremony.

 

Death Trap - Summary

Three Military Regiments namely Andrieff Regiment, Lonyadi Regiment and Kranitzki Regiment guard Prince Dimitri, the reigning Prince of Kedaria. Dr Stronetz, a faithful physician, is also very loyal to the prince Demitri. The Kranitzki Regiment is being loyal to the enemy and the three officers of this Regiment, Colonel Girnitza, Major Vontieff and Captian Shultz are all set to murder Prince Dimitri as soon as the loyal Andrieff Regiment leaves from its duty. These officers of Kranitzki Regiment are disloyal to prince Dimitri but very loyal to Prince Karl, who is willing to kill prince Dimitri and want to become the king of Kedaria.

When the play “The Death Trap” opens the three guards of Kranitazki Regiment are seen plotting the assassination of Prince Dimitri so that Prince Karl can ascend the throne. They are very aware that Prince Dimitri is already suspecting them. Yet, they go ahead with the murder plan because they are being backed by the political support of Prince Karl.

Prince Dimitri is well aware that he is “trapped” and that his own guards are plotting to kill him. This is a painful realisation for him. He also knows very well that he would be killed at any moment as soon as his loyal Andrieff Regiment leaves. He has no weapons to defend himself. No one is allowed to see him except his friend and personal physician Dr Stronetz. Out of kindness and loyalty Dr. Stronetz devices a clever plan as a physician. Instantly, he asks the Prince to remove his robes for a fake of physical examination, which will help him to fool the officers of the disloyal Kranitzki Regiment.  

However, the hard truth behind the physical examination of the Prince reveals that he is really suffering from incurable heart disease. This is another shocking realization to the Prince. He decides to commit suicide instead of being killed in the hands of his disloyal guards. He requests Dr Stronetz to provide him with a phial of poison, which can kill him so that he can invite his death as a ruler without being killed. Dr Stronetz gives him a phial of poison. 

But as the final act of revenge, when death is inevitable to him, Prince Dimitri wants to die only after punishing his enemies. So, he mixes the entire phial of poison in a bottle of wine and invites the three officers for a final drink.  He shares the poisoned wine after drinking it himself. It is a sight of pity for the Prince but at the same time, he shows a clever act of revenge. The Prince thus overcomes his helplessness by his intelligence even though he cannot avoid his own death. Death Trap? - The Prince and his helplessness become the ‘death trap’ to the officers of Kranitzki Regiment as a result of their disloyalty.

The Adventure of the Dying Detective - Summary

http://drheimlich.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-death-of-sherlock-holmes.html

Dr Watson is called to tend Holmes, who is apparently dying of a rare tropical disease, Tapanuli fever, contracted while he was on a case. Watson is shocked, not having heard about his friend's illness. Mrs Hudson says that Holmes has neither eaten nor drunk anything in three days. Holmes instructs Watson not to come near him because the illness is highly infectious. In fact, he scorns to be treated by Watson and insults his abilities, astonishing and hurting the doctor. Although Watson wishes to examine Holmes himself or call in a specialist, Holmes demands that Watson wait several hours before seeking help. So, Watson is forced to wait, in extreme worry as Holmes mutters nonsense. While Watson waits, he examines several objects in Holmes's room. Holmes grows angry when Watson touches items explaining that he does not like his things touched. At six o'clock, Holmes tells Watson to turn the gaslight on, but only half-full. He then instructs Watson to bring Mr Culverton Smith of 13 Lower Burke Street to see Holmes but to make sure that Watson returns to Baker Street before Smith arrives. Watson goes to Smith's address. Although Smith refuses to see anyone, Watson forces his way in. Once Watson explains his errand on behalf of Sherlock Holmes, Smith's attitude changes extremely. Smith agrees to come to Baker Street within a half hour. Watson excuses himself, saying that he has another appointment, and returns to Baker Street before Smith's arrival. Believing that they are alone, Smith is frank with Holmes. It soon emerges, to the hiding Watson's horror, that Holmes has been sickened by the same illness that killed Smith's cousin Victor. Smith then sees the little ivory box, which he had sent to Holmes by post, and which contains a sharp spring infected with the illness. Smith pockets it, removing the evidence of his crime. He then resolves to stay there and watch Holmes die. Holmes asks Smith to turn the gas up full, which  Smith does. Smith then asks Holmes if he would like anything else, to which Holmes replies—no longer in the voice of a man near death—"a match and a cigarette." Inspector Morton then enters—the full gaslight was the signal to move in. Holmes tells Morton to arrest Culverton Smith for the murder of his cousin, and perhaps also for the attempted murder of Sherlock Holmes. Smith, still as arrogant as ever, points out that his word is as good as Holmes' in court, but Holmes then calls for Watson to emerge from behind the screen, to present himself as another witness to the conversation. Holmes explains his illness was a trick to induce Smith to confess to his cousin's murder. Holmes was not infected by the little box; he has enough enemies to know that he must always examine his mail carefully before he opens it. Starving himself for three days and the claim of the "disease's" infectious nature was to keep Watson from examining him and discovering the trick, since, as he clarifies, he has every respect for his friend's medical skills.

Model Millionaire - Summary

https://mrsdaffodildigresses.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/the-model-millionaire/

The protagonist of the story is a young man called Hughie Erskine. Hughie is handsome, charming and popular but he has been very unlucky as far as financial matters are concerned. He was left nothing of any great value in his father's will. He has tried his hand at several different businesses, all of which have failed. Having no job, Hughie's only source of income is two hundred pounds a year which is given to him by an elderly aunt. Hughie has fallen in love with a young woman named Laura Merton and she loves him in return. Laura's father, Colonel Merton, is fond of Hughie but, due to his poor financial prospects, he does not want the young man to marry his daughter. He has often told Hughie that he will only allow him to get engaged to Laura after he has earned ten thousand pounds. Hughie goes to see his artist friend Alan Trevor. He finds that Alan is painting a portrait of an old man who appears to be a beggar. The old man is wearing a tattered brown cloak and boots which have been mended many times. He has a rough walking stick in one hand. In the other hand, he is holding out an old hat as if to ask for money. His face is heavily wrinkled, and he looks extremely sad. Both Alan and Hughie agree that the old man is an excellent subject for a painting. Hughie, however, cannot help feeling sorry for the man. He thinks it is unfair that, although Alan's paintings regularly sell for two thousand guineas, he only pays his models one shilling an hour to pose for him and does not give them a percentage of the money which he makes from sales of their portraits. When Alan leaves the room, Hughie looks in his pockets. He finds that the highest denomination coin which he has is a sovereign. Although it means that he will have to economize more than usual for the rest of the month, Hughie gives the coin to the old man, who appears very happy to receive it. Hughie leaves soon afterwards. Alan and Hughie meet up again later. The artist tells his friend that, after he left, the old man asked several questions about him. Alan goes on to say that he told the old man all about Hughie, Laura Merton and the condition which Colonel Merton set that prevents their marriage. Hughie is unhappy that his friend told "that old beggar" all about his private life. The amused Alan tells Hughie that the old man he was painting was Baron Hausberg, one of the wealthiest men in Europe and someone who often buys Alan's paintings. For reasons which Alan does not really understand, the millionaire baron had asked to be painted as a beggar. The tattered clothes he was wearing were supplied by Alan. Hughie feels ashamed about having given a coin to a millionaire, although Alan tells him not to worry. The following day, a representative of Baron Hausberg comes to Hughie's house with an envelope. The writing on the envelope says that it contains a wedding present "from an old beggar". Inside the envelope, Hughie finds a check for ten thousand pounds. Hughie and Laura get married. Baron Hausberg attends their wedding.

Postmaster - Summary

https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/postmaster-how-rabindranath-tagores-poignant-tale-became-one-of-satyajit-rays-masterpieces-3997425.html

“The Postmaster” is set in the “humble village” of Ulapur, Bengal, during the nineteenth century and the rule of the British Raj. The British owner of an indigo dye factory in Ulapur has convinced the imperial government to open a post office in the village, and a man from Calcutta is contracted to become the postmaster. He moves to Ulapur and works in a hut that serves as a simple post office, but he finds that he is unable to fit in with the other men in the town, who are less educated than him and have little time to socialize because of their work at the factory. The postmaster, though, has not much work to complete, and he spends his time attempting to write poems about his natural surroundings. Despite his small salary, the postmaster asks an orphaned village girl named Ratan to complete housework for him, for which she receives some of his food. Ratan is twelve or thirteen, poor, and unlikely to get married, likely because she lacks a dowry. Nonetheless, the postmaster’s loneliness leads him to strike up a conversation with Ratan, even though her class status is distinct from his. The two tell stories from their childhood, and they become close, talking late into the night. Ratan begins to think of the postmaster’s family as her own. The postmaster decides to teach Ratan to read, and she learns quickly from him, eager to become literate. However, the continual presence of heavy rainwaters in Ulapur causes the postmaster to become ill, and though Ratan nurses him back to health, he decides that he has to leave his post in the village. After he is refused a transfer to another village, he quits his job altogether. The postmaster explains to Ratan that he is leaving Ulapur, shocking her. Ratan asks the postmaster to take her home with him. Ratan declares that she doesn’t want to stay in Ulapur without him. The postmaster then tries to give Ratan a sum of money—his left-over salary—but she refuses the payment, fleeing. The postmaster travels by boat to Calcutta and recalls Ratan’s “grief-stricken face,” which speaks a “great inarticulate universal sorrow.” He realizes that he cannot go back to her, and he ponders the “many separations” and “many deaths” that is in life. Ratan, left behind in Ulapur, nurses a “faint hope” that the postmaster might return. It is suggested that Ratan’s “hope” is utterly futile and ultimately cannot support her in the face of tragedy and loss.

Two Corporals - Summary

https://askopinion.com/differences-between-hitler-and-napoleon

In ‘The Two Corporals’, the curtain rises on Napoleon’s Tomb at Les Invalides. It was in the evening of a day in the first week of June 1940 - Flags of the Grand Army. It has the two tyrants belonging to different periods of history. It is assumed that they both meet and talk about their goals in life. It gives us a picture of two different dictators with different traits in their characters. Napoleon Bonaparte has learnt the bitter truth of reality while Adolf Hitler has to learn his lesson. Val Henry Gielgud (1900–1981) was an English actor, writer, director and broadcaster. He was a pioneer of radio drama for the BBC. The dialogue between Hitler and Napoleon reveals the character of both the dictators. Hitler has great pride and is arrogant. Napoleon who is also proud has the magnanimity to understand that he owes a lot to his soldiers and generals. It is the words that come as dialogue that reveals to us the nature and character of these giants of history. The play opens with the German dictator Adolf Hitler visiting the tomb of Napoleon in June 1940. He asks his assistant to leave him in the site for some time. Hitler describes Napoleon as the greatest of captains, of lawgivers, of conquerors. Once Hitler’s assistant leaves the site, Napoleon is seen standing near the tomb. He addresses Hitler as a house painter and corporal in the German Arm. Hitler replies that he is the Chancellor of the Third Great German Reich - Conqueror of Europe. Hitler goes on to talk about his great exploits like ‘Paris is under my heel’, ‘I smashed Poland in three weeks’, ‘Italy is my ally’ and he says that he will conquer England in a matter of weeks. Both the dictators discuss the military campaigns they conducted in Spain and Russia. Napoleon has failed in all these exploits, but Hitler is confident that he will win. Hitler says that he worshipped Napoleon. He says, ‘your career was my inspiration’. When Napoleon asks Hitler to show him his children, he replies that all the children of Europe are mine. Suddenly we see six children seated on the steps of the tomb. The first boy says: ‘I sold newspapers in Warsaw. Your bombers killed me’ One girl says that she was tortured by Hitler’s soldiers. Another girl says that she lived in Athens and she starved to death. Napoleon leaves the scene with a warning to Hitler “No man is so big that he cannot become too big for his boots. He will destroy himself. I have warned you, Adolf Hitler. Hitler is no mood to listen to this advice from a former dictator. He leaves the tomb with these words; He shall see that I will succeed where he failed. The play ends with Napoleon seated on his tomb taking a pinch of snuff and saying these words - ‘An unpleasant, common little man, I am glad I shall not see him again’

Old Man River - Summary

https://serc.carleton.edu/details/images/1005.html

It shows how the members of a family manage to escape when their house is surrounded by floodwaters. Amy and Betty are at home with their neighbours Rose and Sara.  Their parents are away from them and it keeps raining for three days.  There is a cloudburst and the melting of the snow causes the river level to rise.  It is late afternoon. Jim Hall a 17-year-old neighbour comes to rescue the children.  He organizes a disaster rescue team and keeps things ready for an emergency. Tom Peters and Miss. Marsh comes there in a rescue boat.  With their help, the children are rescued. The play focuses on the importance of acting during a crisis and First Aid awareness. The children help one another and stay calm till help arrives. The significant role played by the Red Cross is also highlighted in this play. It was a day when the rain is so heavy that it flooded the area. A group of friends were stuck inside a house called for help. The rescue boat came but one of the girls broke her leg pretty badly. So, the nurse helped them with the first aid and then took her to the hospital. Another boat was sent to rescue the remaining children at home. The characters in the Play are - Amy Marshall who is 17 years old. She is the eldest child in the family. She is in charge of her sister Betty Marshall. Her mother has gone out with her brother Dick to the dentist. Her father was away in Chicago on business.  Her mother is not able to drive back to home because the bridge between their home and town is underwater. Rose Field is staying with them and she is excited to stay in the Marshall residence. Jim Hall is another neighbour who comes to check on the children. He shares with them the news that it is a cloudburst (is a sudden heavy rainstorm) and the river is rising fast. The Burnett Dam, which is in the neighbourhood, is destroyed. Jim is the one who motivates and encourages the children to stay alert. He tells Amy not to show that she is scared. He also asks her to get all the things together like water, food, blankets, coats, lights etc. His experience comes from the days he has served on the Junior Red Cross emergency squad during the war. He tells Amy that one safe place where they can take shelter in the attic (space found directly below the pitched roof of a house) Rose Field’s sister follows her and she is caught in the waters. Jim goes out to rescue her. Jim climbs on to the roof and starts waving the flashlight. He hopes that someone will see the light and rescue them. As the water level rises all the occupants of the house huddles together in the attic. Mr Peters, a member of the Red Cross Disaster Committee and Penny Marsh arrives in a boat to rescue them. Dorothy Deming’s play is about life in times of crisis. American nurse and children's writer. She is the author of books like Anne Snow Mountain Nurse. 

Hewers of Coal - Summary

https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/colorado-coal-miners-canary-coal-mine-was-mouse

The next two lessons in the book Six One Acts Plays talk about two disasters - One is a coal mine disaster and the play Old Man River talks about a disaster caused by floods. These lessons teach us invaluable lessons in disaster management and survival skills. The play 'Hewers of Coal' presents a group of miners and shows them at a time when they all face a crisis. The characters are nicely differentiated and drawn with great insight into human nature. There is no room for useless dialogue of irrelevant action in the play. Because of the limited space, the exposition of the theme and its development take place simultaneously. On the whole Hewers of Coal is a moving play which shows human nature both at its basest and finest. Hewer - A person who hews, makes or shapes with an axe. Four men and a boy are trapped at the coalface (an exposed surface of coal in a mine) in this famous play about a 1930's mining disaster. The play shows human nature both at its best and worst. The play elucidates that co-workers and supervisors should be empathetic towards their own problems. The characters are a cross-section of what one would find in a Mine: Dick, understanding, sympathetic and full of kindness. Billie, young innocent kid. He is forced to work in the mine for running the household because of ill father and dead mother. He is exceedingly lovable because of his innocence. Peter, a handyman doing odd jobs, selfish but changes a lot in the second half of the play.  and uncooperative. Bob, the gaffer - (a person who exercises control over his workers), bossy and hard- hearted and unfriendly. He is not friendly with Dick in the first part of the play but is thankful to Dick towards the end of the play. Joe, hungry, exhausted and desperate. His hunger slowly puts him to death and frees him from all suffering and makes the play a tragedy.  Joe Corrie (1894-1968) was a Scottish miner, poet and playwright best known for his radical, working-class plays. Joe Corrie himself was working in the coal mines. Hence, he was well attuned to the problems faced by miners. Thus, the play depicts perfectly a time of crisis in the depths of coal mines. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44791998

Fortune Teller - Summary

Preface:

“The Fortune Teller” is a short story written by Karel Capek, a famous Czech writer.  The story is about a fake fortune teller (astrologer) in England called Mrs Myers.  How she is trapped by the detective inspector Mr MacLeary and punished by the Magistrate Kelly is the story.  But how her prophecy turns out to be true is the irony of life. Everyone’s judgment goes wrong but not the predictions of the fake astrologer.

The Predictions by Mrs Myers

Inspector Mr MacLeary spreads a net to catch Mrs Myers by sending his wife Mrs.MacLeary.  His wife pretends as if she is a 20 years old unmarried girl -Miss Jones. Mrs Myers reads the cards.  She predicts that the girl is going to marry a young rich businessman before the end of the year.  An elderly man will be an obstacle in her way, but she will succeed and move across the ocean after marriage. The fee -one pound and one shilling is paid for her predictions.

The Trial Scene in the Court

The inspector files a case against Mrs Myers. She is summoned to court for trial.  She argues that Mrs.MacLeary appeared as an unmarried anxious girl that is why I predicted so.  However, her fraudulence is proved, and she is sentenced to exile.  She also has to pay the penalty of 50 pounds.

The Irony of Life 

A year later, the judge Mr. Kelley meets the inspector by chance. He is shocked to know that Mrs.MacLeary eloped with a young rich businessman from Melbourne. She crossed the ocean a weak ago for Australia. Mrs Myers is a fraud, but her prediction becomes true.  The inspector and judge are able to judge Mrs Myers but not the mysterious happenings in life. Destiny overrules human intelligence.

Wurzel Flummery - Summary

In April 1917, a not particularly important but rather enjoyable thing happened: Wurzel-Flummery by A.A. Milne premiered in London.  It was his very first play, had absolutely nothing to do with the war going on, and started off a career that would establish him as one of the better-known playwrights of the time.  And most importantly, it is very, very funny.  During its initial run, the play was part of a trio of one-act plays (the other two by Milne’s friend and advocate J.M. Barrie) for eight weeks and was well-reviewed “with words such as ‘witty’, ‘delightful’, and ‘brilliant’ freely used”

The tale concerns two Members of Britain’s Parliament:  the first, Robert Crawshaw, a middle-aged conservative, the other, his friend Richard Meriton, who is a rival from across the aisle, a young liberal that just happens to be seeking the hand of the former’s daughter, Viola. The way they approach the dilemma is typical of their characters.  Dick, the younger, has been staying with Robert’s family and has fallen in love with Viola, the daughter of the house.  Their engagement is a secret one as the play begins, largely because they are concerned about how Robert will react.  He is, as Viola reminds her fiancé, not terribly keen on the younger man. An unexpected visit by a peculiar attorney Denis Clifton presents a dilemma to these successful politicians:  A mischievous old man Antony Clifton has left both M.Ps a fortune of 50,000 pounds for each in his will, conditional upon their agreement to change their names to a ridiculous name of his own invention: Wurzel-Flummery.  If Robert Crawshaw, M.P. or Richard Meriton, M.P. (or hopefully both) wants to inherit this legacy, they must immediately give up their surnames – the names under which they have won seats in Britain’s majestic House of Commons – to become Robert and Richard Wurzel-Flummery. They have a dilemma whether it will be right to refuse the money because of the shameful condition, or would it be wrong to reject such a legacy, considering the good it might do. The audience is reminded that wives and daughters are expected to give up their own names soon after entering adulthood, but the men are so horrified at the thought.  As a politician, the good name they gained so far is important, but that good name recognition costs money. A fortune might make them a better representative, more independent, more able to do the people’s will.  So, both Robert and Richard are deeply (and humorously) conflicted… and both take the money, and the name, in the end.

The Bishop's Candlesticks - Summary

   

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/381961612139552321/

   The Bishop is a noble and kind-hearted soul who lives with his sister Persome. The Bishop is always ready to help anyone in distress. The doors of his house are always open for the poor and the needy. He has donated everything except Candlesticks gifted by his dying mother. The Bishop’s sister Persome feels that most people take advantage of his simplicity and nobility. In her opinion, he is often cheated and misused of his generosity. One such person is Mere Gringoire; the old woman who lives on the top of the hill and does not work. He is made to pay for an old lady’s house rent. One day in the midnight the Bishop sits to read. A convict enters the Bishop’s house and asks for food at the point of his knife. He threatens to kill the Bishop if he tries to call out. The convict is rude, suspicious and full of fear. The Bishop calls Persome to open the cupboard. He treats him with kindness and provides him with cold pie, wine, and bread to eat. The convict tells his painful story. He told Bishop that he lived in prison for ten years. His wife, Jeanette was ill and dying of hunger. He stole a piece of bread for his wife but was arrested soon. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. While in jail, he was informed that his dear wife had died. He lived in the hell for ten long years and had broken the prison and came out. The Bishop is moved on hearing the convict’s story and asks him to sleep in his house and assures safety and security. Saying this, the Bishop goes inside to sleep. The convict happens to see the candlesticks on the mantelpiece. He was told before by the Bishop that they were given by his mother. Unable to resist the temptation, the convict steals them and runs away. When Persome and the Bishop get up the next morning, they find the candlestick missing. While they are discussing the missing candlestick there is knocking at the door. A sergeant enters with three soldiers and the convict. They tell Bishop that the convict is walking on the road with the candlesticks and they have arrested him on suspicion. The cops remember the candlesticks of the Bishop and so they bring the silver candlesticks there to get identified. Though the candlesticks are very dear to the Bishop, (it is the parting gift presented to him by his mother) he saves the convict from going to hell by telling he has gifted them to the convict and calls convict his friend. The convict is deeply touched by the noble gesture and generosity of the Bishop. Now, he is full of repentance and asks for the Bishop’s blessings. The Bishop blesses him and also gives the candlesticks as a gift. Then he shows him a secret road to Paris. The convict’s human values and human goodness are restored due to the noble act of the Bishop. The convict becomes a man again and leads an honest living in Paris.

Five at 'The George' - Summary

https://crimereads.com/books-to-read-when-winter-isolation-sets-in-and-cabin-fever-takes-over/

Five at “The George” by Stuart Ready tells the story of five people who had some association with the murder of their friend, an Indian Army Colonel Foster. Three years back, he was found dead under mysterious circumstances one night in bed after a meeting at Colney Lodge. Now they all receive a telegram asking them to meet the sender at an inn not far from the scene of the colonel's death. Each of them comes to the inn - the George – Crewsworth, responding to the anonymous telegram unknowingly about the presence of the others at the exact place. They meet there and their discussion rotates around the murder. All of them had been with him at his house on the night he died. The climax of the play reveals the real murderer who blabbers out the truth out of his foolishness. The scene opens in the entrance hall of the George Inn in a small country. The first one who arrives to the place is Captain Standish. He enquires the landlord of the inn and comes to know all about the place. He also finds that the Colney is ten miles away from George. He is followed by Mrs Vane and Mr Merridew. They arrive at the place to meet a person who sent each a telegram which was signed by one Mr. ‘L’. These three come into contact and remember each other for they had met once at Colney in the meeting hall arranged by Colonel Foster. Standish too informs about his own telegram. He just came to see the person behind it as he is in the town for some reason. Soon Mr and Mrs Weir join them as they too received the same type of letter signed by the same person ‘L’. The three recognizes Mr and Mrs Weir as they too attended Foster’s meeting that night. They all now have a curiosity of being there at that odd hours in the snowy night. The appointed time of the meeting by the anonymous is 9. 30 and they all assembled there by 9.10. They order their drink and they have a continuous discussion of the murder and the outcome of the case. At first, they thought that death was due to heart failure but now they realise that it was not, and it had some foul play. They start to look for the motive behind the murder. Mrs Weir is the sole heir of Colonel Foster, Mrs Vane was once engaged with the Colonel, but the idea of marriage was dropped for some reason. Mr Merridew was a business partner of Colonel and Standish gave up his ex-lover in marriage to the Colonel for money, but he was deprived of money. So, each one had a motive to go with the act. They decided that someone is planning to trap them, and they doubt an Australian named Mr Larner, a close friend of Colonel who vowed to take revenge on the murderer. But Standish knows well that he got drowned on his way to England. All the five get terrified and smell some danger behind the scene. When the exact time arrives, they all plan to leave finishing their drink. On their leaving, they see a glass of drink untouched on the tray which none ordered for. A policeman on duty who is on rounds enters the place and suspects them all for being there at late hours. He accuses them of trespassing as the inn where they are drinking has been closed for several weeks. The truth is discovered that there is no landlord for the inn as he had left the place three weeks before. He asks all the five to follow him to the police station for further enquiry. Out of his weariness, he goes to have the drink which remained on the tray. When he was about to drink, Standish blabbers out that the drink is poisoned. Thus, the truth is revealed. Throughout the play, mystery and suspense over the death of Colonel Foster go hand in hand and the writer at the end of the play brings out the true murderer all by his own without many difficulties.

P.B Shelley - Biography

https://www.biography.com/writer/percy-bysshe-shelley

P B Shelley (1792-1822) composed this poem in 1819 near Florence, Italy and published it in 1820. Shelley wanted to spread his message of reform and revolution through the poem. Some also believe that it was written to mourn the death of his son William in 1819. Percy Bysshe Shelley was an important English Romantic poet and was one of the most highly regarded and influential poets of the 19th century. Percy Bysshe Shelley is one of the epic poets of the 19th century and is best known for his classic anthology verse works such as Ode to the West Wind and The Masque of Anarchy. He is also well known for his long-form poetry, including Queen Mab and Alastor. He went on many adventures with his second wife, Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. On July 8, 1822, just shy of turning 30, Shelley drowned while sailing his boat. 

Source 2-  Panorama Page no - 60 

Source 1- https://www.biography.com/writer/percy-bysshe-shelley