PDF chapter test TRY NOW
SCENE: A small cottage interior. There is an entrance back right (which may be curtained). Another door to the left must be a practical door. The furniture is simple, consisting of a small table towards the left, a chair or two, and a divan rather upstage on the right. On the table is a telephone.
(When the curtain rises Gerrard is standing by the table making a phone call. He is of medium height, and wearing horn-rimmed glasses . . . He is dressed in a lounge suit and a great coat. His voice is cultured.)
Explanation:
The protagonist of the story "If I Were You" is Gerrard. This play is set in a small cottage where he lived. The play starts with the setting of the stage. In general, stage directions tell the reader about the position, properties, and movement of the players on stage, as well as how the stage appears, giving the reader a visual representation of the play's setting. And so, they are important to the readers to understand the background of the play.
In this play, there is a room with an entrance on the right-hand side which may be curtained. And, there was another door to the left side of the room, which was in regular use. The room had simple furniture: a small table to the left, a chair or two (which indicates there are not so many characters involved in the play) and a divan on the right side of the room. On the table, a telephone is kept.
As the play began, Gerrard was found standing by the table, making a phone call. Gerrard was of medium height and was wearing a horn-rimmed spectacle. Horn-rimmed glasses were originally composed of horn or tortoise shell. Mostly, they were made from thick plastic that resembles the hard material of which horns are made.
In contrast to metal frames, horn-rimmed spectacles are distinguished by their bold appearance on the wearer's face. And, Gerrard was wearing a lounge suit and a great coat. A lounge suit was considered as a customary formal wear worn during business hours. Gerrard was probably getting ready to go someplace, which is why he was dressed in a lounge suit. Also, Gerrard's voice indicated that he was cultured and well-educated.
Meaning of difficult words:
S.No | Words | Meaning |
1. | Cultured | Well-educated and able to understand and enjoy art, literature, etc. |
2. | Lounge suit | A man’s formal suit, consisting of jacket and trousers, worn during business hours |
3. | Horn-rimmed | Horn-rimmed specs have a thick, dark plastic frame |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2006). Beehive. If I Were You - Douglas James (pp. 138-144). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
Register for free to see more content