ONE-ACT PLAY

 1. A Matter of Husband -Forenc Molnar

Summary

‘A Matter of Husbands’ is a one-act play written by the most celebrated and controversial Hungarian playwright, Ferenc Molnar (1878–1952). It shows how an innocent is deceived and convinced easily by so-called clever and smart people.

The play begins with the appearance of a young woman, walking into a famous Actress’s house because she suspects her husband is there with her. She has been there to get her husband back who is attracted to the beauty of the Famous Actress. The Famous Actress denies that she has taken her husband though she meets him personally. She further asks for justification for why she has been blamed. The woman replies that her husband has sent her flowers and written a letter of apology for not being able to call her due to busy work. Additionally, she says that she found the letter on her husband’s desk and reads it in front of the actress. However, the actress weaves a twisting story and convinces the woman that it is a trick played by her husband to draw her attention to him. Finally, the woman realizes her mistakes and returns. When she leaves the room, the actress calls Alfred, hiding in the room.

  Understanding the text.                                                                                              

Answer the following questions.

a. What favour does Earnest Young Woman ask from The Famous Actress?

• Earnest Young Woman suspects her husband is having an affair with The Famous Actress. Therefore, she asks the actress for the favour of returning her husband.

b. What, according to The Earnest Young Woman, are the indications that her husband has fallen in love with Famous Actress?

• According to Earnest young woman, the evidence that her husband has fallen in love with Famous Actress is a letter and a flower.

c. Is Earnest Young Woman convinced by the argument of Famous Actress? How?

• Yes, the argument from a famous actress persuades Earnest Young Woman. The actress persuades her using her acting skills. The young woman kisses the actress, indicating that she believes her justification.

d. Where is the Earnest Young Woman’s husband hiding as they are talking about him?

• While they are talking about Earnest Young Woman's husband, he is hiding in the actress's bedroom.

e. When do you feel that Famous Actress is really good at acting?

• When Famous Actress weaves a story and easily convinces Earnest Young Woman, I feel that the famous actress is really good at acting.

f. How do we come to know that the Famous Actress and the husband of Earnest Young Woman are in love?

• We come to know that the Famous Actress and the husband of Earnest Young Woman are in love when the actress says that he can come out and we find him hiding in the room after the young woman leaves the room at the end.

h. Write down the plot of the play in a paragraph.

• Earnest Young Woman visits Famous Actress’s house because she suspects her husband is there with her. She has been there to get her husband back who is attracted to the beauty of the Famous Actress. The Famous Actress denies that she has taken her husband though she meets him personally. She further asks for justification for why she has been blamed. The woman replies that her husband has sent her flowers and written a letter of apology for not being able to call her due to busy work. Additionally, she says that she found the letter on her husband’s desk and reads it in front of the actress. However, the actress weaves a twisting story and convinces the woman that it is a trick played by her husband to draw her attention to him. Finally, the woman realizes her mistakes and returns. When she leaves the room, the actress calls Alfred, hiding in the room.

Reference to the text

a. Sketch the character of a Famous Actress.

• The Famous Actress is a clever stage actress. She uses make-up to keep herself looking good all the time. She always maintains herself as gorgeous to attract guys. She has a talent for acting. She uses her acting abilities to persuade the young woman that she is not having an affair with Alfred. However, her deception and cunning are uncovered when we learn that Alfred is hidden in her private chamber. She is an unethical young lady who has an extramarital affair with Alfred.

b. Shed light on the difference between an ordinary woman and an actress.

• An ordinary woman and an actress differ in many aspects. An ordinary woman like The Earnest Young Woman, Alfred's wife, in this play is simple and innocent and is easily deceived or convinced. She may not be as beautiful as an actress like The Famous Actress because she does not do any make-up and is not concerned with her appearance. On the other hand, an actress like The Famous Actress may look more gorgeous as she maintains her beauty to attract guys. The actress is good at acting.

c. According to Famous Actress, men associated with theatre use the theatre actresses to make their estranged wives jealous so as to woo them back. Do you agree with her argument? Why? Why not?

• No, I do not agree with her argument that men associated with theatre actresses make their estranged wives jealous to woo them back.  In the play, she simply tells a story to avoid the situation that would arise if she accepted that her husband is in love with her and was present in the room. However, there is a possibility that men will use female actors to make their wives envious so that they can have love and affection from their wives.

d. How does Famous Actress make a fool of Earnest Young Woman?

• Famous Actress makes a fool of Earnest Young Woman by weaving a story. According to the actress, the story is that they have just pretended to be in love so that the young woman would be jealous and pay attention to her husband, Alfred. With her good acting skills, the actress could easily persuade innocent people like the young woman.

e. The conversation between the two women takes place on the stage of the theatre. What role does the theatre house as a part of the setting play in A Matter for Husband?

• The stage of the theatre serves as the setting for 'A Matter of Husband,' which depicts a private chamber of the main character, "Famous Actress." It is uncomfortable to discuss such personal matters in public without such a setting. As a result, the theatre house, as part of the setting of the play, has functioned as a perfect venue in which they may freely discuss their personal concerns.

f. What do you think about the ending of the play?

• The play concludes with a surprising twist. The ending depicts how intelligent and cunning people deceive innocent people.

Reference to the context

a. Sketch the character of a Famous Actress.

• The Famous Actress is a clever stage actress. She uses make-up to keep herself looking good all the time. She always maintains herself as gorgeous to attract guys. She has a talent for acting. She uses her acting abilities to persuade the young woman that she is not having an affair with Alfred. However, her deception and cunning are uncovered when we learn that Alfred is hidden in her private chamber. She is an unethical young lady who has an extramarital affair with Alfred.

b. Shed light on the difference between an ordinary woman and an actress.

• An ordinary woman and an actress differ in many aspects. An ordinary woman like The Earnest Young Woman, Alfred's wife, in this play is simple and innocent and is easily deceived or convinced. She may not be as beautiful as an actress like The Famous Actress because she does not do any make-up and is not concerned with her appearance. On the other hand, an actress like The Famous Actress may look more gorgeous as she maintains her beauty to attract guys. The actress is good at acting.

c. According to Famous Actress, men associated with theatre use the theatre actresses to make their estranged wives jealous so as to woo them back. Do you agree with her argument? Why? Why not?

• No, I do not agree with her argument that men associated with theatre use theatre actresses to make their estranged wives jealous so as to woo them back.  In the play, she simply tells a story to avoid the situation that would arise if she accepted that her husband is in love with her and was present in the room. However, there is a possibility that men will use female actors to make their wives envious so that they can have love and affection from their wives.

d. How does Famous Actress make a fool of Earnest Young Woman?

• Famous Actress makes a fool of Earnest Young Woman by weaving a story. According to the actress, the story is that they have just pretended to be in love so that the young woman would be jealous and pay attention to her husband, Alfred. The actress could easily persuade innocent people like the young woman with her good acting skills.

e. The conversation between the two women takes place on the stage of the theatre. What role does the theatre house as a part of setting the play in A Matter for Husband?

• The stage of the theatre serves as the setting for 'A Matter of Husband,' which depicts a private chamber of the main character, "Famous Actress." It is uncomfortable to discuss such personal matters in public without such a setting. As a result, the theatre house, as part of the setting of the play, has functioned as a perfect venue in which they may freely discuss their personal concerns.

f. What do you think about the ending of the play?

• The play concludes with a surprising twist. The ending depicts how intelligent and cunning people deceive innocent people. In addition, it ends with a tragedy in that the young woman is not getting her husband back. 

Reference beyond the text

a. Write a paragraph describing your favourite actor/actress.

b. John Cassavetes says, “I’m very worried about the depiction of women on the screen. It’s gotten worse than ever and it’s related to their being either high- or low-class concubines . . . . There’s nothing to do with the dreams of women, or of woman as the dream, nothing to do with the quirky part of her, the wonder of her.” How do you assess Famous Actress in light of Cassavetes’ argument about the portrayal of women? 

 2. Facing Death- August Strindberg

Summary

The one-act play "Facing Death" by August Strindberg is about a father’s love and sacrifices for his children. Through this, the playwright tries to show that father leaves no stones unturned for bringing up his children; he is ready to do anything at the cost of life.

The main character, Monsieur Durand, is a retired former train worker who now lives with his three daughters, 27-year-old Adele, 24-year-old Annette, and 24-year-old Therese. The relationship between father and daughters is weak. They turned their house into a lodge to generate income because they were completely out of money. Adele works in the kitchen, and Durand performs a number of other jobs around the house, including serving guests, cleaning, bringing and delivering meals, etc., while the other two daughters have nothing to do except play, sing, and flirt with customers.

Durand borrows money from people to buy food for the family while they are experiencing a financial crisis. The bills from the butcher, bakery, grocery shop, etc. rise day by day. One day, their errand boy Pierre goes to fetch bread but comes back empty-handed with bills to pay. However, Durand manages money to purchase candles to mark the death of his only son, René.

Fortunately, on that particular day, Antonio, a guest, arrived to check into the lodge. However, because he lacks the money to purchase food supplies, Durand does not want him. However, the guest pays in advance for his help and states that he is prepared to remain for a month. At the moment, he remembers that last summer he had no guests for almost three months, and finally, an American family came and saved them. Then Durand goes and gets bread, whereas Therese comes in and starts flirting with Antonio. While coming back, he is shocked to see that Therese and Antonio were kissing. However, Therese and Annette both claim that they did not kiss; it is a lie. Raged, he drives Antonio away, throwing coins at him, but Annette and Therese are upset with their father because they want the guest to stay.

After the guest is chased away, Durand’s daughters are disrespectful to him. They even take his glass of milk, for he did not bring bread. They force him to drink a glass of water. In addition, Therese steals the match and hides it when he attempts to light his bribery pipe. He has nothing to eat so he eats the rat’s bait. The daughters misbehave with him, calling him a wretch. They even ask him why he has not killed himself. They also accuse him of being in the current situation. They appear to back up their claim that the house would not have been destroyed if Mother had still been alive. On the other hand, Durand argues that their mother is responsible for the situation that they are going through at the moment. He further claims that their mother used to waste money buying lottery tickets. When Durand tries to stop her from doing so, he threatens that she will become a prostitute.

When it starts blowing wind, Durand tells his daughters to extinguish the stove fire and keeps the insurance documents safely. He also claims that he will give insurance money for them. Hearing this, the daughters behave better toward him. He agrees to let Therese marry Lieutenant Antonio if he truly loves her after observing her dissatisfaction. Therese is overjoyed to learn this and asks for an apology for her misconduct towards him, then hands the matches and milk back to him. The daughters are confused by the father’s behaviours. He instructs Adele to hide documents from a fire insurance policy and begins to reveal the things he has held hidden within his heart. He begins telling his daughters the secret. He says that he was born in France. He fell in love with a woman with whom he got married later. They came to Switzerland and gained Swiss citizenship in order to marry. During the final war, he served in the Swiss Army, fighting against the French army. It indicates the man armed himself against his own country. To conceal his guilt, he claims to have been born in Switzerland.

He also asserts that it was his mother's negligence and foolish actions that led him to lose the ancestral and maternal possessions. As a result, he had to give up his job and start the pension/hotel. He claims that while his wife was still alive, his children learned to despise him. Mostly she blamed her husband, and she was effective in making her kids hate their father. After she passed away, he kept quiet for the rest of his life because he did not want his daughters to question their mother's morality. However, the daughters defend their mother, saying that it is honorable to defend the dead who cannot defend themselves. In reply, Durand says sarcastically that they should not defend him because he is still alive and asks Adele, the eldest daughter, to protect her sisters and give them motherly affection. Her father further asks her, drinking something from a glass, that she should find a place for Annette as a teacher, and he urges that she must manage the money when it falls due. Furthermore, he hands out the key while claiming that the family papers are in the chiffonier.

He finally kills himself with poison and sets fire to the house in order to claim insurance money for the sake of his daughters.

 Understanding the text.                                                                                              

Answer the following questions.

a. Where does the play take place?

• The play takes place in the dining room in Durand’s pension or lodge, which has a long table.

b. Why did the grocery, the baker and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household?

• The grocery, the baker and the butcher sent their bills to the Durand household because they had not been paid for a long period. Therefore, Pierre, an errand boy, got back empty handed.

c. Why does Monsieur Durand spend money on candles when he doesn’t have money to buy even bread?

• When Monsieur Duran does not have enough money to buy even bread, he spends money on candles to mark the anniversary of the passing of his only son, René, because he was dear to him and whom he misses a lot. 

d. Why did Monsieur Durand sell his life insurance?

• Monsieur Duran sold his life insurance to settle his debts to others.

e. Why has Monsieur Durand paid fire insurance?

• The plot of the play reveals that Monsieur Durand intended to set fire to the house and seek compensation for his daughters' betterment. Therefore, he has paid for fire insurance so that he can claim it later.

f. How did Monsieur Durand and Mrs. Durand run out of their inheritances from both the sides

• Some of the paternal inheritance was spent on raising children, but the majority of it was spent carelessly and foolishly by Mrs. Durand, such as on lottery tickets. This resulted in Mr. Durand having to quit his job and start his lodge to generate income for survival.

g. Why does Monsieur Durand tell a lie about his birthplace?

• Despite being a Frenchman by birth, Monsieur Durand came to Switzerland to wed a woman. There, he received citizenship. He had to fight against France, his birthplace, when the war began since he was a Swiss national. This is the reason behind Monsieur Durand's fabrication of his place of birth.

h. What business is Monsieur Durand running to make a living?

• In order to support himself, Monsieur Durand owns a boarding house or lodge. Following the financial crisis, he turned his home into a boarding house that offers lodging and food services to guests.

i. What plan does Monsieur Durand have to help his daughters with money?

• Monsieur Durand plans to commit suicide and set fire to the house so that his daughters can get compensation from the insurance company. He believes that the money from the compensation can help his daughters.

j. How does Monsieur Durand die?

• Monsieur Durand dies of the poison that he intentionally drinks.

Reference to the context

a. Sketch the character of Monsieur Durand.

Monsieur Durand is the key character in the play "Facing Death." He is a retired former train worker who now lives with his three daughters, 27-year-old Adele, 24-year-old Annette, and 24-year-old Therese. He has the responsibility to rear his daughters as his wife has already died. He is now in financial crisis. However, he has left no stone unturned to feed them. Finally, he sees no other option but to poison himself and intentionally set fire to the house for the compensation his daughters would receive from the insurance company.

Despite the hatred from his daughters, he is never deviated, and stands tall and tries to fulfill his responsibilities towards them. He is an example of heroic father. This all indicates how a father sacrifices his life and all of his desires for the sake of his children's happiness. 

b. How do we know that the Durand family has reached a dead end?

Mr. Durand has made every effort possible for his survival and the upbringing of his daughters. For instance, he runs a boarding house to generate income for the family. He borrows money from others to feed them. The bills to be paid are increasing day by day. Finally, he sees no other options to provide his daughters with better food and cover other living expenses, leading him to commit suicide. This entire incident informs us that the Durand family has reached a dead end.

c. ‘The mother, though already dead, seems to have had a great influence on the daughters, especially Theresa.’ Do you agree?

Mothers have the prime impact on children. Yes, I agree that the mother in the play, though already dead, has greatly influenced the daughters, especially Therese.

The daughters learned how to behave around their father from their mother. Therefore, they treat him badly, as they perceive their father as a bad guy who was not good to their mother. In other words, it is evident in the play that they form their minds around what their mother told them about their father. For instance, their mother never spoke good words to their father. She hated her husband, Durand, and just taught the daughters to hate him. As a result, they are never kind to their father. The father, on the other hand, tries to convince them that all the inheritances were used up due to their mother’s foolish actions, but they never believe the mother was wrong. Another example of how the father behaves is that when Durand says he is bringing them money, the daughters are happy and begin behaving better around him. Furthermore, there is no indication that the daughters are saddened by what their father does for them. Moreover, they shout at him, calling him a wretch, a pig, etc. This is what they learned from the mother. These all indicate that the mother taught the daughters to value money over the feelings of humans. However, Mr. Durand loves his daughters and sacrifices his life for them.

d. Discuss the relationship between Monsieur Durand and his wife.

It is clear that the relationship between the main character, Monsieur Durand and his wife was not good. While Mrs. Durand was alive, she blamed her husband for the economic failure and taught her daughters to hate him. As a result, the daughters were never kind to their father despite his love and sacrifices toward them. In fact, Mrs. Durand spent most of inheritances on buying lottery tickets. 

e. ‘Money determines the relationship between characters in this play.’ Elaborate this statement with examples from the play.

The story of the play ‘Facing Death’ revolves around money and the problems its scarcity brings. The characters’ relationships in the play are influenced by money. The biggest problem in this play—and the one that has become the source of all other difficulties—is money. The financial struggles of Mr. Durand's family have caused them to live in misery and without many basic necessities. Due to a lack of money, this family is in the terrible situation of having no proper food. Their poor economic condition is exemplified when Mr. Durand eats rats’ bait as he has been starved for a long period.

Money plays a crucial role in the relationships between the family members in the play. For example, Mrs. Durand is blamed for using up all the inheritances, so the relationship between Mr. Durand and his wife, Mrs. Durand, is as fragile as their economic condition at present. Moreover, the relationship between Mr. Durand and his three daughters is not good, as he is not able to provide all their basic needs, like food. Therefore, his daughters treat him badly. However, when he talks about the money that he is going to receive from insurance company, their behaviour toward him is better. This indicates that the relationship among the characters in the play is determined by money.

 f. Monsieur Durand kills himself so that his daughters would get 5000 francs as the compensation from the insurance company. What does his plan tell us about him?

Monsieur Durand kills himself so that his daughters would get 5000 francs as the compensation from the insurance company. His plan tells us that he is really concerned about his daughters’ future.

Monsieur Durand thinks that his daughters are never kind to him as he is not able to fulfil their basic needs. In other words, he believes that the lack of money is the reason why he is hated by his own daughters. Therefore, he plans to poison himself and set fire to the house so that his daughters would be benefited from the money they would receive from the insurance company as compensation. This signifies that a father makes every effort possible for the happiness of his children. 

 

g. Facing Death as a modern tragedy.

A "tragic play" is a play that deals with tragic events and has a sad ending, particularly one that involves the death of the main character. Tragic plays might deal with real mishaps, wrongdoings, or disasters that cause remarkable pain, destruction, and trouble. Tragic plays encompass both classical and modern tragedies. The protagonists of the modern tragedy are typically from middle- or lower-class families, and there may be many prominent characters. Modern tragedies are more realistic since the story revolves around common people and their problems. In addition, conflict is generally caused by defects in society, the law, or the characters.

As defined above, "Facing Death" is an example of a modern tragedy because, firstly, it has more than one main character. Secondly, the characters represent lower-class people, and the story revolves around the economic crisis and the problems it invites. Another reason is that the play ends with the death of one of the main characters, Mr. Durand. In other words, it has an unhappy ending, as happens in a modern tragedy. 

Reference beyond the text

a. Write a few paragraphs describing the role of the father in the family.
b. In his famous essay “The Experimental Novel,” Emile Zola says:

This is what constitutes the experimental novel: to possess a knowledge of the mechanism of the phenomena inherent in man, to show the machinery of his intellectual and sensory manifestations, under the influences of heredity and environment, such as physiology shall give them to us, and then finally to exhibit man living in social conditions produced by himself, which he modifies daily, and in the heart of which he himself experiences a continual transformation. (21)

To what extent do you agree with Zola’s idea that human beings’ intellectual as well as emotional capacities are determined by their environment and heredity? Discuss with examples including Facing Death. 

3. The Bull - Bhim Nidhi Tiwari

Main Characters

Summary

‘The Bull’ is a one-act play by legendary Nepali writer and poet Bhimnidhi Tiwari. The feudal structure that prevailed in 18th-century Nepali society is criticized in the play. The play portrays the dread that three significant characters, the bull doctor and two cowherds, Jitman and Gore, feel after King Rana Bahadur Shah's bull, Male, dies.

The first scene of the play begins when Jitman and Gore, two terrified cowherds, approach Laxminarayan, the bull doctor, as he is getting ready for hookah. They arrive in the yard to notify Laxminarayan that Male, the king's favorite animal, has passed away. They are all now concerned about a potential penalty from the king. They believe that the bull doctor will be shaved, while the cowherds may receive the death penalty. They discuss possible ways of getting saved from any possible punishment. Laxminarayan consoles the cowherds that he will try to save them, but he is surprised at how the dull has died. In reply, Gore expresses his opinion that the bull who lives on grass cannot digest fine rice or the lentil soup of split red gram. He also claims that this has caused rice and other commodity prices to rise. In addition, he states that humans have not gotten snacks of maize while the bull has been served bananas, guavas, sugarcane, etc. as snacks. Another cowherd, Jitman, agrees with his mate and adds that they have to sleep in straw in the winter while the beast, the bull, gets a mattress, a quilt, and a mosquito net. The bull doctor also agrees with them. He further instructs them to go and stay at the cowshed and not to utter that the bull has died, and he goes to the palace to tell the king about the illness of the bull.

The second scene is set in the courtyard of Basantapur Palace, where Laxminarayan arrives, bows down to the king, and informs him that the bull is ill. As he is cunning and clever, he says that the bull does not wake up, eat breakfast, or move, and it is sleeping as if it is relaxed. He compliments the bull’s beauty, walking style, and heroic battle. He proposes that the bull be taken to the hill to help with climate change and the bull’s health. Initially, he agrees with Laxminarayan. Later, the king decides to personally inspect the bull’s condition and leads a convoy on the palanquin to the cowshed at Thulo Gauchar.

Jitman and Gore at the cowshed in Thulo Gauchar are waiting desperately to hear what the king said. They talk about running away from there; however, they believe that they would be arrested and killed. At the moment, they can see the king approaching, with Laxminarayan ahead of the others. When he arrives at the cowshed, he instructs Jitman to massage the hind feet and Gore to wave the fan from the front to convince the king that they have cared for the bull to the utmost. Moreover, he tells them to bow down, not to look up, and utter that the bull has died from their mouth, while he starts grinding medicine. After the king’s arrival, he calls out, "Male." The king says that the bull seems to have died. Right after hearing that the bull has died, Jitman starts crying, placing his head on the thigh of the bull. Seeing that, Gore also stops waving the fan. He falls down on the horns of the bull and starts crying. These all make impression on the king that they love and have made every effort possible to save it. As a result, the king gives Jitman a tip of four hundred rupees and Gore five hundred rupees. Finally, the king goes away, ordering Laxminarayan to bury the dead bull by performing rituals.

 Understanding the text.

Answer the following questions.

a. Why have Gore and Jitman come to see Laxminarayan?

• Gore and Jitman have gone to see Laxminarayan to inform him about the death of the king’s most beloved bull, Male.

b. What, according to cowherds, is the reason behind the death of Male?

• According to the cowherds, the reason behind the death of Male is that the animal, which lives on grass, is given fine rice and lentil soup made from split red gram, causing indigestion.

c. Why does Ranabahadur want to see the bull himself?

• Ranabahadur does not want to trouble the bull while taking it to the hill, therefore he wants to see the bull himself to assess its condition and determine whether it can be treated at Thulo Gauchar.

d. Why does Laxminarayan run ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar?

• Laxminarayan runs ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar to tell the cowherds to do something that would convince the king that they care about the bull so much and, therefore, he would not punish them. So, Jitman massages the bull's hind feet while Gore fans it from the front.

e. Why do Gore and Jitman cry when the king declares that Male is dead?

• Gore and Jitman cry when the king declares that Male is dead to show their supposed affection for the bull. Moreover, they believe that this would earn the king’s forgiveness. Otherwise, they think they would be punished by the king.

f. How do we learn that the bull is dead?

• The bull's tail has loosened, according to the cowherd, and its eyes are still. The bull's ears have fallen down, the king continues, and it neither breathes nor consumes anything. These clues lead us to believe that the bull is no longer alive.

g. How does the play make a satire on the feudal system?

• The play satirizes the feudal system that existed in Nepali society in the 18th century. It shows how upper-class individuals, including the monarch and others, treated those from the lower class. Ordinary humans were in worse condition than animals because they were given less respect, comfort, and care. They were deprived of the fundamental rights of clothing, food, and shelter. But they had to put in a lot of effort for the benefit of upper-class people.

The cowherds, Jitman and Gore, in the play represent the lower-class people who had miserable lives, but the king’s most beloved bull, Male, had a more comfortable life as it was served better food, given better care, and so on. The cowherd always had to live in terror because they would be punished for any wrongdoing. As a result, they concealed the fact of the bull's death and pretended in front of the king that they cared deeply about it in order to save their lives. 

h. Write down the plot of the play in a paragraph. 

• Two horrified cowherds, Jitman and Gore, come to the bull doctor, Laxminarayan, to tell him that Male, the king's beloved animal, has died. They are now worried about the king's possible punishment. They are comforted by the bull doctor, who advises them to remain in the cowshed and keep away from mentioning the bull's death. He then makes his way to the palace to tell the monarch about the bull's condition. The cowherds at Thulo Gauchar are anxiously awaiting the king's response. When Laxminarayan finally arrives ahead of the king and others, he instructs Jitman to massage the bull's hind feet and Gore to wave a fan in front of it. After examining the bull, the king declares that it is dead. They pretend to cry when they hear this to show the king that they genuinely care for the bull and want to save themselves from the possible punishment. As a result, the monarch orders Laxminarayan to bury the dead bull and leaves Jitman and Gore with tips of 400 and 500 rupees, respectively.

Reference to the context

a. Discuss the late eighteenth-century Nepali society in terms of the relationship between the king and his subjects as portrayed in the play.

• In terms of the relationship between the king and his subjects as portrayed in the play, there was the existence of the feudal system in the late eighteenth-century Nepali society. People in the society were categorized as upper-class people, like the king and others; middle-class; lower-class people, and slaves. The condition of Jitman and Gore in the play indicates that ordinary people lived in a miserable condition that was worse than that of animals because they were given less respect, comfort, and care. They were deprived of the fundamental rights of clothing, food, and shelter. But they had to put in a lot of effort for the benefit of upper-class people.

b. What does the relationship between Laxminarayan, and his wives tell us about the society of that time? To what extent has the Nepali society changed since then?

• The relationship between Laxminarayan and his wives reveals a lot about the society that prevailed in Nepal in the latter half of the eighteenth century. First of all, it shows that under the reign of Ranabahadur Shah, patriarchal societies were the practice and men had the upper hand over women. Laxminarayan's seven wives are further evidence that polygyny was practised at the period. He treated his wives like household workers, which is an example of the dominance of men over women. Second, since they lacked literacy, people were unable to speak out against dehumanization by royals like the monarch and his relatives. Last but not least, women were restricted to their homes. They were never allowed to act at their choice. However, Nepali society has recently undergone significant changes. In modern society, women are seen as one of the wheels of a cart that help move families, societies, and countries forward. The way that people viewed them in the past has changed. With the help of various programs, they are strengthened and made aware of their significance to society. They are educated as they can attend school, college, and universities. They now hold leadership positions in numerous corporate and public organizations.

c. Shed light on the practice of chakari as portrayed in the play. Have you noticed this practice in your society?

• Chakari is a service rendered to a person of higher rank with the expectation of receiving favor; it is an effort to appeal to a person of higher rank by demonstrating one’s poverty or distress, using sweet talk, flattery, etc. This is obviously portrayed in the play. For example, the status of Jitman, Gore, and Laxminarayn was significantly lower than that of the king. In order to survive, they had to do many things in favour of the king. When the bull died, they all tried to please the king so that they would be saved from possible punishment. There are many examples of the practice of chakari in our societies. For instance, if one works in an organization and wants to get promoted, he or she has to do many favourable things for the boss. It is almost impossible for one to reach the topmost position in all sectors in Nepal, resulting in dissatisfaction among the employees.

d. How does Laxminarayan outsmart Ranabahadur?

• The king, Ranabahadur Shah, the four-footed animal lover, raised a bull named Male. One day, when his dearest bull, Male, dies, the cowherds, Jitman and Gore, go to Laxminarayan, the legal officer of the king, to inform him about the death, asking him to save their lives because they are worried about possible punishment. Laxminarayan, who is smart, clever, cunning, and intelligent, goes to the king with the message of the bull’s death. He, rather than telling the king about the death of the bull, tells him about the bull’s sickness. He also suggests taking the bull to the hills so that it can relax due to the pleasant weather. In addition, he convinces the king that he has administered the medicine, which has relieved it a bit. When the king and his soldiers arrive at the cowshed, he runs ahead of them and orders the cowherds to fan the bull and massage its feet in order to impress the king with how well they care for the bull. When the king declares the bull's death after examination, the cowherds act as if they are truly saddened. Seeing this, the king gives them some money as tips. Laxminarayan also pretends that he is so sorry for the loss.

e. Sketch the character of Laxminarayan.

• Laxminarayan, a character in the play "The Bull," is about 40 years old. He serves as the legal adviser of the king, Ranabahadur Shah. He also works for the Samarjug Company as a subedar. He has seven wives, all of whom he treats like his workers. His behavior toward his wives shows that he views them as a means of amusement and as merely servants who must serve their husbands. He enjoys smoking, but he is also smart, cunning, and intelligent. He has the capacity to persuade everyone easily. With this ability, he outwits the king and saves the lives of two cowherds from the potential punishment of the king.

Reference beyond the text

a. Write an essay in about 300 words on “The Nepali Society: Past, Present and Future”.
b. In his “Satire 9”, Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux says:

      But satire, ever moral, ever new

      Delights the reader and instructs him, too.

      She, if good sense, refine her sterling page,

      Oft shakes some rooted folly of the age.

Do you agree with the poet? Discuss the lines with reference to Bhimnidhi Tiwari’s play “The Bull”.