First year intermediate - English - Reference to Context (play)


Reference to Context from Play

Progress:

Lines

I wish she wouldn’t dwell -------------------- That’s all. Reference

Reference:

Professor Corrie is speaking to his widowed sister, Mrs. Meldon.

Explanation:

Professor Corrie apologizes to his sister for not having received her at the Station. He gives his experiment, as the excuse. He says, he was very busy, hence he didn’t go. Then he informs Mrs. Meldon, that big experiment is a great success. He has invented, just what he had in mind. He has invented exactly the thing he wanted to make.
Professor Corrie is certain that his successful experiment will make him famous, across the length and breath of the country and bring him fortune as well. He is sure that he will be rich, but more than that, he is convinced that he would be famous.

Lines

No, that’s true ------------------- is reticence!

Reference:

Professor Corrie is talking to his bereaved sister, Mrs. Meldon about his success.

Explanation:

Mrs. Meldon, though pleased that Professor Corrie’s experiment is a success has no inkling as to what his experiment is.
Professor Corrie acknowledges the fact that he has not told her anything about his success. He confesses that he believes in keeping secrets to himself. It is his principle in life, not to divulge anything unless one is forced to. He says no one knows anything about his invention, except himself.
In the Professor’s opinion, utter and complete secrecy is essential for the success of any invention.

Lines

Of course they will -------------------- And tin hats, too!

Reference:

Professor Corrie is having a chat with his sister, Mrs. Meldon. The talk is about Professor Corrie’s invention.

Explanation:

Since Professor Corrie is so secretive about his invention, Mrs. Meldon hasn’t the faintest idea, about his experiment. Professor Corrie is confident that his invention is so great that, when the British Government listens about his wonderful invention, they will jump for it. Though he agrees with Mrs. Meldon’s doubt about it.
He says, it was extremely difficult to make the cavalry generals, use the tanks, during the First World War. They were not prepared to make use of the tanks, until they were forced to use them. Only then, did they realize the value of the tank. He condemns them for not realizing the value of tank and for not accepting it as a weapon of great value and importance.
Likewise, the inventor of steel hats was not suitably rewarded for his invention. Although, non cab deny the utility and value of the steel helmets, in protecting the soldiers heads and also saving their lives.Therefore, in contempt, as well as in anger he refers to the cavalry generals as slaughterers of horses. That is they are useless good for nothing generals fit only for slaughtering horses.

Lines

Oh, how women do fuss ! ------------- impersonal devotion.

Reference:

Professor Corrie is speaking to his bereaved sister, Mrs. Meldon. He is thoroughly annoyed with her, for harping on the same string.

Explanation:

Professor Corrie was eager and impatient, to tell Mrs. Meldon about his successful invention, while Mrs. Meldon kept nagging him by telling him :
Come along, Henry! Your tea will get cold.
This upset him very much. So in this context he utters the above speech, in which he wrongfully condemns all women. He exclaims at the fussiness of women – at their readiness to get excited about the unimportant things. He condemns the women generally for breaking off important things for unimportant and trivial things. He feels that women lack in the desire to work with all devotion with al their heart and soul and with full concentration etc.
Professor Corrie further adds, you women are not fit for any single task, which requires complete devotion and energy, nor do you care for the feelings of others. That’s is why he feels, women have never been great artists or scientist.

Lines

You don’t realise ----------------------- butchery of boys.

Reference:

In this passage, the speaker is Mrs. Meldon and she is addressing her brother, Professor Corrie.

Explanation:

In this speech, we detect Mrs. Meldon’s hatred for war. When Professor Corrie mentions that his invention will create a revolution in the field of warfare. Mrs. Meldon thought that Professor Corrie had invented something, which would abolish warfare. On this remark, Professor Corrie chides his sister for being so very childish.
Then Mrs. Meldon says, the abolition of war is a subject after her heart. She tells Professor Corrie, you cannot imagine how deeply women like me, who have suffered because of the war feel about warfare which in her view is an organized manner in which young soldiers are slaughtered and brutally killed.

Lines

Now, charlotte, when I say ------------ made more expedits.

Reference:

Professor Corrie is talking to Mrs. Meldon.

Explanation:

He declines the offer of Mrs. Meldon to have more tea. Then he prepares to explain about his invention.
He says, when I say that war should be revolutionized, I mean that it should be made seedy. That is to say, that it should end quickly. The First World War lasted for a ridiculous period of five years. It is absolutely nonsense. The war should not have lasted for more than five weeks.

Lines

Well – yes, I think you ----------------------- succumbs to it.

Reference:

Professor Corrie is in deep conversation with Mrs. Meldon about wars and how to end them speedily.

Explanation:

Mrs. Meldon is under the false notion that Professor Corrie has invented something, which would restrict the duration of wars. While Professor Corrie had something different in mind. He explains, in future, whenever war beaks out, the combatants should try their level best, to strike at the enemy, with all the force at their command. That is to say, the first attack should be so severe and devastating that the enemy would get crushed at once. In this way, the wars of the future would end very quickly.

Lines

Oh, a mother’s feelings ----------------- own feelings aside!

Reference:

Professor Corrie is talking to his only sister, Mrs. Meldon.

Explanation:

Professor Corrie was earlier explaining to Mrs. Meldon, about making the weapons of war, more horrible and devastating, in order to end the wars quickly in future. Mrs. Meldon utters a sarcastic remark saying that her son was 19, when he died and that was a horrible thing for her.
On this Professor Corrie state, you look at your son’s death, from a mother’s point of view. Put your mother’s feelings aside and look at your son’s death from a broad-point of view – the point of view of the Government.

Lines

Yes. I’ve made tests,------- thousands at once. Thousands!

Reference:

Professor Corrie is speaking to Mrs. Meldon, about his discovery.

Explanation:

He says, I have made tests and I have succeeded in having discovered a formula, which is exact and precise. It is a combination of chemical elements and explosives, which would destroy thousands, so completely, that not a trace shall be left. So devastating and lethal, is his invention..

Lines

Cheerful view! ------------------- Stupidest man on earth.

Reference:

Mrs. Meldon is the speaker and she is talking to her brother, Professor Corrie.

Explanation:

Earlier in their talk, Professor Corrie states, his invention would be available to his people. And if, a war comes along in the future, his government will have only to drop their bomb on their enemy, before they drop theirs on us and the war will have been won. On this Mrs. Meldon remarks, rather sarcastically, it was someone like him, who invented the kind of shell that, completely obliterated her son, Eddie. Professor Corrie pats Mrs. Meldon on the shoulder and tries to comfort her. He asks her to take a more cheerful view of life, rather than to keep lamenting on what happened in the past.
It is in this context that Mrs. Meldon remarks, rather angrily ------------cheerful view! Meaning how could she have a cheerful view of life, with her only son and husband, having got killed because of the war. Also, it was her son’s third death anniversary. So how could she be cheerful. That is why she says that she sometimes wonders at him that in spite of his cleverness, Mrs. Meldon regards him as the Stupidestman in this world.

Lines

Well of course ------------------- for a good many Germans.

Explanation:

Professor Corrie is speaking to his bereaved sister, Mrs. Meldon. He tries to console her after she narrates an emotional account about Eddie, of how he was a child and then grew up to be a handsome young man and how he was mutilated and destroyed.
Mrs. Meldon just could not overcome this tragic news that her son’s body was mutilated. That there was no decency in his death. So, she makes her point to Corrie that she cannot take a broad view of that.
On this Professor Corrie says sympathetically, that he understands and appreciates, her point of view. He admits that he son’s death as well as her husband’s is a grievous blow to her. It must have shattered her emotionally. Therefore, he comforts and consoles her and asks her to keep a check over her emotions. He also adds that we should take some comfort from the thought that, Eddie, by sacrificing his life, did his duty to his country. That, we should have some comfort from the thought that, Eddie might have killed a great many Germans before getting killed.

Lines

Yes people with broad --------------------- are a fool, Henry.

Reference:

Mrs. Meldon is having a heart to heart chat with her brother, Professor Corrie, regarding her son, Eddie.

Explanation:

She narrates a long account about Eddie, right from the time that he was born till the time he gets killed in the war. Mrs. Meldon is grievously hurt about the fact that he son’s body was mutilated and destroyed and that there was nothing to bury. She just cannot forget about her son’s painful death. So she says,
You see, don’t you Henry, that I can’t take a broad view of that.
Then Professor Corrie tries to comfort her by saying that, we should take consolation from the fact that Eddie, must have accounted for a good many Germans. But this thought does not comfort Mrs. Meldon. In fact she makes it plain to Corrie and tells him that:
I can’t get any pleasure put of the thought that some poor German is suffering just as I am suffering.
She further tells Professor Corrie that her sympathies would be with the suffering German woman, rather than men like you.
People with broad-view (scientists), because you create weapons, which kill young soldiers. Therefore she regards all scientists as fools. She confesses that she is not clever and says, someone like me gives birth to a beautiful thing (Eddie), and you guys (scientists), with all you intelligence can only annihilate it and destroy it. As such, she regards henry, her brother as a fool.

Lines

Really, Charlotte, you’re------------------ can’t be helped.

Reference:

Professor Corrie is addressing his sister, Mrs. Meldon in a thoroughly angry frame of mind.

Explanation:

He blows his top, when Mrs. Meldon tells him, to ask for “thirty pieces of sliver”, as the price for his invention.
The “thirty pieces of silver” are a reference to the reward paid to Judas Iscariot, for betraying Jesus Christ. The phrase is often used to describe a bribe, given to a traitor. Mrs. Meldon, of course is not thinking of her brother, as a traitor to his country but to humanity in general.
Therefore Professor Corrie is thoroughly annoyed. He tells her, you are really unbreakable. He says, I bear a lot of your nonsense because, you are in sorrow. But there is a limit to one’s patience. He says, you have not even congratulated me, on my success. You don’t even have goodness to compliment me, even briefly and unenthusiastically. You have made yourself miserable by continuously feeling sorry over your son’s death over which nothing can be done. You have made even Hannah, unhappy and sad.

Lines

The fortune of war ------------------------ by a bayonet.

Reference:

Professor Corrie is talking to his sister, Mrs. Meldon.

Explanation:

Professor Corrie replies to Mrs. Meldon’s remark, his bomb is horrible, as it will make the bodies of man, women and little children rot, if it does not blow them to pieces. He says that it is the luck of my dear charlotte. Death is death. And what differences does it make, whether a man dies, by getting blown to pieces, by a bomb or got killed by getting stabled to death, by a bayonet. In fact, the bomb is more merciful of the two.

Lines

My dear Charlotte --------------- being damned unpatriotic.

Reference:

Professor Corrie is speaking to his unhappy sister, Mrs. Meldon.

Explanation:

He is replying to Mrs. Meldon’s suggestion that, he should destroy his formula, as his invention will destroy precious lives.
He says, if he were to oblige her, most sensible people would think that he had go mad. Only a few religious fanatics would praise his action. But the majority of the people would think that I am an idiot. Besides, they would consider my act, as unpatriotic, because it would deprive my own country from being in a strong position.

Lines

My dear Charlotte----------------- destroy my invention.

Reference:

Professor Corrie is in conversation with Mrs. Meldon.

Explanation:

He is astounded at her suggestion, that he should destroy his invention. He is convinced that her grief has loosened the screws of her mind. He feels, her sorrow has made her mad. How could he destroy his invention for which he has strived so hard – all his life. So, he regards her suggestion, as nothing short of madness.

Lines

Of course it is --------------------- mess like this!

Reference:

Professor Corrie, a little annoyed is talking to Mrs. Meldon.

Explanation:

He tells her, the formula of the bomb is in my mind. He made it from his own mind. He condemns her for making a terribly mess, in his laboratory by smashing the retorts and test-tubes etc. Mrs. Meldon felt that she had destroyed Professor Corrie’s invention.
Therefore, Professor Corrie says, even a foolish woman, would have known that Professor Corrie had the invention in his mind. He means, you are so stupid, that you don’t even know that, the formula of thebomb, must be in my mind.

The Count's Revenge:

Lines

"It comes to this, ................. and we are ruined."

Reference:

These words are put into the mouth of Albert. He is addressing his mother, the Countess of Morcerf, in his own home, Rue-du-Helder in Paris.

Explanation:

Albert is extremely disturbed at the news, he has read in the newspaper about his father's disgrace. He tells his mother, it comes to this meaning that things have come to such a stage that his father is openly and publicly disgraced in the newspaper. He says our honour and self-respect are badly damaged by this disgrace and we are destroyed, we are finished.

Lines

"My father's disgrace is mine ................. down into the mire."

Reference:

These lines are uttered by Albert. he is deeply upset about his father's disgrace. It is on this issue that, he is talking to his mother, the Countess of Morcerf.

Explanation:

Albert is extremely sensitive. He just could not tolerate his father's disgrace. He regards his father's disgrace, as his own. He is ashamed, even to go by his father's name. He sys my father's name has been utterly disgraced. Our disgrace has become the talk of town.

Lines

"Ah, the crime is .................. whom I shall punish."

Reference:

Albert is the speaker of the above lines. He is addressing his mother, the Countess of Morcerf, regarding the disgrace of his father, the Count of Morcerf.

Explanation:

He is obviously in disgust, at his mother's suggestion that if the President of the Republic is to be blamed for the disgrace of his father, he would kill him for it. He says, the Deputies are not at fault for condemning my father. They merely performed their duty. After seeing all the proofs, they pronounced my father guilty. I am not after the one, who is behind my father's disgrace. The one who published the news of my father's treachery in the press. He is the one I am after. He is the one I am looking for and he is the one I shall punish.

Lines

"Why? Indeed! it is no ............. and of our good."

Reference:

The above words are spoken by Albert to his mother, the Countess of Morcerf.

Explanation:

Albert answers his mother's question, as to why he wishes to punish the man, who made his villainy public. He is says, it is now, no longer a matter of right or wrong or of truth or falsehood. Meaning that it is not whether or not his father is guilty of the crime. It is a question of the family's honour and self-respect. Since the family's honour, has been tarnished, he is going to punish the person, responsible for it.

Lines

"But, Ah! are the cloud .............. and returned to Paris."

Reference:

The speaker in the above lines is Monte Cristo. He is addressing his friend Albert in his house.

Explanation:

Monte Cristo has come, to pay his compliments to the Countess (his former beloved) and Albert. Monte Cristo, after paying his regards to the Countess, turns to Albert. He takes him by the hand, but notices the trace of anguish and worry, on his brow. He says, I see from the wrinkles on your brow, that you are unhappy. That after returning to Paris, from normally where we were holidaying together, you have doubtless, met with some form of tragedy or the other. That's why the look of unhappiness on your face.

Lines

"I need hardly ask you .................. of my father's disgrace."

Reference:

Albert is the speaker in the above lines. He is talking to his friend, the Count of Monte Cristo.

Explanation:

Albert tells his friend, on his friend's inquiry about his misfortune. Whole Paris is talking of it. Meaning that, you would have heard about his father's disgrace.

Lines

"But, when a man has done ................. The rule|follow."

Reference:

Monte Cristo is talking to his friend. Albert.

Explanation:

He is in fact, replying to Albert's request for his help to be his second in the duel that he intends to fight against his father's enemy. Monte Cristo says, it would be difficult for him to be his second.
He says if a man insults you, or hits you, a blow then a duel is the best way of taking your revenge of him. Then adds slowly and with deliberation that when a man does you a terrible harm, gives you slow deep and perpetual pain then you should treat him in the same manner. He says, if a man damage your eye, then you should also damage his eye. If he breaks your tooth then you too would be justified in breaking his tooth.
In other words, Monte Cristo believes in punishing in the same manner, as his enemy had harmed him. Monte Cristo, is referring to the torture, Count of Morcerf, Albert's father inflicted upon him.

Lines

"It is Arab custom ............. of a deadly enemy."

Reference:

The Countess of Morcerf is the speaker and she is speaking to her son. Albert.

Explanation:

The Countess is referring to an Arab custom. which is that an Arab never eats or drinks, in the house of his deadly enemy. Albert is astonished at this disclosure that his dear friend Monte Cristo has never eaten or drunk in his house even though he is his dearest friend. But Albert cannot understand in what way, can Monte Cristo be regarded as a deadly enemy.
It is fairly obvious, the Countess is ware that, under the grab of Monte Cristo, it is Edmond Pantes, her former lover, who regards her house, as the house of his enemy (her husband).

Lines

"Ah, the mysterious stranger! .............. count want with us."

Reference:

The above lines are spoken by the Count of Morcerf. He is speaking to Albert his only son.

Explanation:

Morcerf is speaking in a sarcastic tone, to his son about the frequent visits of the Count of Monte Cristo to his house. He refers to him, as the mysterious stranger because Monte Cristo is a stranger for him.Besides his visits to his own house have always been kept secretive. So Morcerf says, what did the stranger the count who is foreign to him who has created quite a stir in Paris, whan with them. In a sarcastic manner, he says that did the noble, the handsome, the ever kind count want with us.

Lines

“I MEAN TO THROW --------------------- PIERCE HIM THROUGH THE HEART.”

Reference:

The speaker is Albert and he is answering his friend Beachamp, on his inquiry that he was serious about challenging Monte Cristo, his father’s enemy.

Explanation:

He clarifies, I mean to challenge the Count of Monte Cristo. He says, I will give him choice of weapons and if he chooses swords – being an expert swordsman, I would pierce the tip of my sword, through his heart, at dawn, to-morrow morning. Albert has made up his mind about avenging his family honour, despite the fact that Monte Cristo, is his friend.

Lines

“THE VILLAIN RESOLVED TO--------------------- HATCHED AGAINST MORTAL MAN.”

Reference:

These words are uttered by Monte Cristo. He is addressing the Countess, who has gone to his house, to request him to spare her son, Albert’s life.

Explanation:

In answer to the Contess’s question, ‘why did he disgrace her husband’? he bids her to sit down and narrates the story of how her husband, Count of Morcerf formerly Fern and Mondego, hatched a devilish plot to marry Mercedes. He plotted the plan to marry Mercedes (as the Countess was formerly known. He was determined to win her hand. With the help of plotters and schemers, he made a devilish plan to put Monte Cristo, out of the way. It was the most terrible plot a person could ever plot against a human being. With the help of false evidence, he got Monte Cristo, improved for 20 years in an underground dungeon.

Lines

“NO, EDMOND. I CANNOT ---------------- 14 YEARS OF WRONGFUL IMPROSONMENT.”

Reference:

The speaker in the above lines is the Countess of Morcerf. She is addressing the Count of Monte Cristo.

Explanation:

The countess had gone to Monte Cristo’s house, to ask him, why he had brought about disgrace of her family and to request him to spare the life of her son, Albert. Monte Cristo then narrated the events of 20 years ago, when he was condemned as a traitor to his country by the Count of Morcerf then a fisherman. He was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. But luckily, after 14 years Monte Cristo escaped from the prison and pursued Morcerf and finally disgraced him by publishing the news that it was he who was a traitor. After learning the true facts, the Countess does not blame Monte Cristo for humiliating her husband. She says even if you take a far more worse revenge than you have for being wrongfully kept in prison for 14 years I shall not blame you.

Lines

“I CANNOT EXPECT TO------------------- ADMIRE AND RESPECT YOU?”

Reference:

The Countess of Morcerf is making a fervent appeal to the Count of Monte Cristo to spare the life of her only son, Albert.

Explanation:

She says, I cannot expect to have a deep impression upon your heart nor expect to change you mind. But will you not listen to the request of the one who loved you once who never willfully did you any wrong and who has never stopped admiring or respecting you. Would you not spare the life of my son. The Countess begs of Monte Cristo. This entreaty the Countess makes after Monte Cristo, reveals him to her and narrates the events of 20 years ago. How he was wrongfully confined to prison for 20 years by her husband Morcerf and how he escaped after 14 years and disgraced her husband by publishing the news that he had accepted bribes from the Turks and surrendered to them, the fortress of Yanina in 1823. Thus after listening to Monte Cristo story she implores him to save the life of her son, Albert.

Lines

“AH, MORREL. WHEN A------------------- THE HEART FROM HIS BREAST.”

Reference:

This speech is made by Monte Cristo to his friend, Morrel.

Explanation:

Morrel had come to inform Monte Cristo (at night), that all arrangements had been made about the duel. That it was to take place at 8 O’clock, in the morning at Bois-de-Vincenes. Prior to uttering the above words, Monte Cristo, signed his will and asked Morrel to be a witness. It is then that Monte Cristo utters, the above words. He says to Morrel, when a man decides to take his revenge, he should first of all remove his heart from his chest. Monte Cristo is referring to the Countess whom he still admires and due to whose entreaties, he agrees to spare his (Albert’s) life.

Lines

“NONETHELESS, I THINK THAT------------------- WISH IT WERE NOT.”

Reference:

These words are spoken by the Countess of Morcerf, to her husband the Count of Morcerf.

Explanation:

They are discussing their son, Albert who had gone to fight a duel against Monte Cristo for disgracing his father Count of Morcerf. The duel was to have taken place at 8 O’clock. It is past 9 O’clock, so both are concerned about Albert. Morcerf expresses his fear that Monte Cristo is an excellent shot and it is he who will fire first. Despite his apprehensions the Countess says, that it will be Albert, who will be victorious in the duel. She knows that he will because she had requested Monte Cristo not to kill her son. And Monte Cristo had promised not to kill Albert. But the countess says, in some ways, she wished her son was not victorious because his life would be saved but it would be Monte Cristo who will give his life.

Lines

“DOUBTLESS, THEN, YOU MADE------------------ GAVE SOME EXPLANATIONS.”

Reference:

These are Morcerf’s words, which he addresses to his son, Albert.

Explanation:

He says these words because Albert informs his father that the duel never took place. That he apologized to Monte Cristo. This he did because the Countess unveiled the events of 20 years ago and told the whole story of Morcerf’s crime to her son, Albert. She had requested Monte Cristo, to spare the life of her son, Albert. Thus it is due to the efforts of the countess, that Albert’s life is saved. On this, the count of Morcerf says the above words. He says, without doubt, you must have apologized to Monte Cristo or given some explanation that is why you are save.

Lines

“YOU HAVE CAME BACK ---------------- THE TOMB YOU SHALL RETURN.”

Reference:

These words are spoken by the count of Morcerf, to Monte Cristo.

Explanation:

He is in great anger. He is astonished to find that (Monte Cristo) Edmond Dantes, as he was known formerly (20 years ago) has re-appeared before him. Count of Morcerf, through a conspiracy, condemned his friend, Edmond Dantes to 20 years of imprisonment in an underground dungeon. But after 14 years, Edmond Dantes escaped and came to Paris. Here he took the title of the count of Monte Cristo. In order to take his revenge he published the news of Morcerf’s crimes. That he had taken bribes from the Turks and surrendered the fortress of Yanina, in 1823. Albert had challenged Monte Cristo for disgracing his father. But because of the countess, both Albert and Monte Cristo, don’t fight. The Countess took her son into confidence and told him all about his father’s misdeeds. Likewise she apologized to Monte Cristo and begged of him to spare her son’s life. Monte Cristo could not turn down the request of his former beloved. Thus the duel is averted. Now Monte Cristo and Count of Morcerf, come face to face. It is then, that Morcerf utters the above remarks. He says, to Monte Cristo, that you have come back from you grave (underground dungeon), and to the grave you shall return. Saying these words he pulls out a pistol and points it towards Monte Cristo meaning to shoot him.

0 comments:

Post a Comment