Rohit Yadav
Thinking about the Play
1. What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says “And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
Answer
At first, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money. He was not sincere when he told Lomov that he had always loved him and that he was like his own son. He had decided that he would not give Lomov any money if he tried borrowing from him. If he truly meant what he had said, then he would not have thought of not giving him money. He said so only because Lomov had come with the proposal to marry his daughter.
2. Chubukov says of Natalya: “… as if she won’t consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat…” Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.
Answer
Chubukov thought that Lomov was a good marriage prospect for his daughter. He had been waiting for this proposal. When Lomov expressed his doubt regarding Natalya’s consent to the proposal, Chubukov immediately told him that she was in love with him. However, this was not true. Natalya did not seem to be in love with Lomov at any point in the play. It seemed like she was more attached to her land, meadows and dogs than to Lomov. In fact, the way they kept getting into arguments about trivial matters suggests that neither Lomov nor Natalya was in love with the other.
3. (i) Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters use to speak about each other, and the accusations and insults they hurl at each other. (For example, Lomov in the end calls Chubukov an intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has himself called Lomov a “malicious, double-faced intriguer.” Again, Lomov begins by describing Nayalya as “ an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.”)
Answer
(i) Several words and expressions have been used by the characters to describe each other. Some of them are as follows:
Chubukov: grabber; intriguer; old rat; Jesuit
Natalya: a lovesick cat; an excellent housekeeper; not bad-looking, well-educated
Lomov: a good neighbour; a friend; impudent; pettifogger; a malicious, double-faced intriguer; rascal; blind hen; turnip-ghost; a villain; a scarecrow; monster; the stuffed sausage; the wizen-faced frump; boy; pup; milksop; fool
Thinking about the Language
Question I.
1. This play has been translated in English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more – Russian than English?
For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or my treasure in an English play?
Expressions not used in contemporary English are- my angel, my beloved, my beauty (Here these expressions, are used for an adult man) and ‘all that sort of thing’ (not explaining what it is just leaving it as it is) and ‘how may you be getting on’? reported speech
II. You must have noticed that when we report someone’s exact words, we have to make some changes in the sentence structure. In the following sentences fill in the blanks to list the changes that have occurred in the above pairs of sentences. One has been done for you.
1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked (as in Sentence Set 1).
2. To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb __________.
3. The adverb of place here changes to ___________.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the ______________ tense (as in Sentence Set 3).
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to ______________tense. For example, ____________ changes to was getting.
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb _______________in the reporting clause (as in Sentence Set 1).
7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change to third person pronouns such as____________, ___________, ___________ or __________in reported speech.
Answer
1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked.
2. To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb declared.
3. The adverb of place here changes to there.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the past tense.
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to the past continuous tense. For example, am getting changes to was getting
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb respectfully in the reporting clause.
7. The pronouns I, me, our, and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change to second-person pronouns such as he/she, him/her, their or his/hers in reported speech.
III. Here is an excerpt from an article from the Times of India dated 27 August 2006. Rewrite it, changing the sentences in direct speech into reported speech. Leave the other sentences unchanged.
“Why do you want to know my age? If people know I am so old, I won’t get work!” laughs 90-year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors. For his age, he is rather energetic. “What’s the secret?” we ask. “My intake of everything is in small quantities. And I walk a lot,” he replies. “I joined the industry when people retired. I was in my 40s. So I don’t miss being called a star. I am still respected and given work when actors of my age are living in poverty and without work. I don’t have any complaints,” he says, adding, “but yes, I have always been underpaid.” Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. “No doubt I am content today, but money is important. I was a fool not to understand the value of money earlier,” he regrets.
Answer
90-year-old A.K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors, laughingly asked why we wanted to know his age. If people knew he was that old, he would not get work. For his age, he is rather energetic. We asked him what the secret was. He replied that his intake of everything was in small quantities and he walked a lot. He said that he had joined the industry when people retired. He had been in his 40s. So he did not miss being called a star. He was still respected and given work, when actors of his age were living in poverty and without work. He said he did not have any complaints, adding that he had always been underpaid. Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. He said that no doubt he was content at present, but money was important. He said regretfully that he was a fool not to understand the value of money before.
MCQs
Question 1.
What happens to Lomov when he is in an excited state?
(a) He started running
(b) His heartbeat increases.
(c) His brain started working
(d) None of the Above
Answer
(a) He started running
Question 2.
Who is squeezed between Lomov and Natalya emotionally?
(a) Natalya’s father
(b) Natalya’s mother
(c) Natalya’s brother
(d) Natalya’s aunt
Answer
(a) Natalya’s father
Question 3.
How much are the meadows worth?
(a) 100 roubles
(b) 200 roubles
(c) 300 roubles
(d) 500 roubles
Answer
(c) 300 roubles
Question 4.
Who gave the meadows to Natalya’s father?
(a) Aunt’s grandmother of Lomov
(b) Aunt’s grandfather of Lomov
(c) Aunt’s sister of Lomov
(d) Aunt’s brother of Lomov
Answer
(a) Aunt’s grandmother of Lomov
Question 5.
What is the dispute over?
(a) Over Oxen Meadows
(b) Over Pigs
(c) Over Buffalo
(d) None of the Above
Answer
(a) Over Oxen Meadows
Question 6.
What defect does the guess have?
(a) lame
(b) old age
(c) short in the muzzle
(d) all of them
Answer
(d) all of them
Question 7.
According to Lomov, what amount would be good enough to buy a squeezer?
(a) 60 Roubles
(b) 35 Roubles
(c) 25 Roubles
(d) 40 Roubles
Answer
(c) 25 Roubles
Question 8.
The play is set in which country?
(a) India
(b) France
(c) Russia
(d) Japan
Answer
(c) Russia
Question 9.
What had Natalya been doing when Lomov called for her?
(a) cleaning the house
(b) washing clothes
(c) shelling peas
(d) cooking food
Answer
(c) shelling peas
Question 10.
What do they argue about after holding each other’s hands?
(a) dogs
(b) land
(c) marriage venue
(d) the cuisine
Answer
(a) dogs
Question 11.
What was the topic of the second argument?
(a) the land
(b) the proposal
(c) the dogs
(d) none
Answer
(c) the dogs
Question 12.
How did Natalya react when her father told Lomov was here to propose to her?
(a) she gets angry
(b) she sends her father to get him
(c) she’s amazed
(d) both 2 and 3
Answer
(d) both 2 and 3
Question 13.
What did Chubukov have to say about the land?
(a) they were his
(b) They were Lomov’s
(c) they were still disputed
(d) they belong to none of them
Answer
(a) they were his
Question 14.
Why was Natalya arguing about the land?
(a) she can’t stand unfairness
(b) it was worth a lot
(c) she was jealous of Lomov
(d) All of the above
Answer
(a) she can’t stand unfairness
Question 15.
Which land were they fighting about?
(a) Oxen Meadows
(b) Birchwoods
(c) Burnt Marsh
(d) All of the above
Answer
(a) Oxen Meadows
Question 16.
“And it’s impossible for me not to marry”. Why does he say so?
(a) He’s 35 already
(b) He suffer from palpitations
(c) He has troubled sleep
(d) All of the above
Answer
(d) All of the above
Question 17.
Why was Lomov wearing his evening dress?
(a) to pay New Year Eve’s visit
(b) ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage
(c) borrow money
(d) borrow land
Answer
(b) ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage
Question 18.
Who is the writer of the play “The Proposal”?
(a) Robert Frost
(b) Anton Chekov
(c) Carolyn Wells
(d) Robin Klein
Answer
(b) Anton Chekov
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