Facing Death August Strindberg Johan August Strindberg (1849-1912) was a Swedish writer, playwright , and painter. Ranked among Sweden's most important authors, his works fall into two major literary movements, Naturalism and Expressionism. His theater tries to create a perfect illusion of reality through detailed sets, an unpoetic literary style that reflects the way real people speak, and a style of acting that tries to recreate reality. Miss Julie (1888), Facing Death (1892), A Dream Play (1902), and The Ghost Sonata (1907) are some of his notable plays.Understanding the text Answer the following questior ‘Where does the play take place? ‘Why do the grocery, the baker and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household? ‘Why does Monsieur Duran spend money on candles when he doesn’t have money to buy even bread? ‘Why did Monsieur Duran sell his life insurance? Why has Monsieur Duran paid fire insurance? How did Monsieur Duran and Mrs. Duran run out of their inheritances from both the sides? ‘Why does Monsieur Duran tell a lie about his birthplace? ‘What business is Monsieur Duran running to make a living? ‘What plan does Monsieur Duran have to help his daughters with money? How does Monsieur Duran die?Understanding the text Answer the following questions. a. Where does the play take place? A verse ee val wear Ans: According to the setting of space in the play, it entirely takes place in the dining room, from where the kitchen is in the left side, the other rooms in the right side and a scene of the lake and hills just opposite.b. Why do the grocery, the baker and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household? See HTT fae PRATT Tee, Tee Ta TAT HTT Tees Garter fares Tea? Ans: The grocery, the bakery and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household because the previous bills had not been paid in time and they thought to deny goods to be sent to his house until old dues were cleared.c. Ans: Why does Monsieur Durand spend money on candles when he doesn’t have money to buy even bread? fet Samed Aradies tearat watt ter ad wh raat Gat ors ferret ter et According to the play, Monsieur Duran spends money on candles when he doesn't have money to buy even bread because it seems at first he wants to show his daughters that how dearly his son, Rene was. So, he says he has right to celebrate his son's death anniversary. But his real plan is to burn down the house and kill himself so that his daughters can claim 5000 Francs from the fire insurance and settle their lives.d. Why did Monsieur Durand sell his life insurance? Ans: Monsieur Durand sold his life insurance because he had withdrawn many loans from it and he was unable to refund them in time. Meanwhile, his wife used to threat him that she would become a prostitute if he didn't give her money. So, he had to sell his life insurance.Ans: Why has Monsieur Durand paid fire insurance? lea aise arreariare ga acest drerar Var faa era? Monsieur Durand has paid fire insurance because he knew he could stay no longer with his daughters living a hell-like life being abused every single day on unproven lies and hatred from his daughters. So, he knows if he burns the house on purpose and kills himself, then, his daughters can claim 5000 Francs which can settle their lives for good.f. Ans: How did Monsieur Durand and Mrs. Durand run out of their inheritances from both the sides? wat 4 gang aia, aioe araren tye aaa faery Mrs. Durand before her death finished most of her maternal-inheritance(ararare_ stat eal) by spending it on never-won lottery. She also asked for money with her husband and she said she would become a prostitute if he denied. Then, most of Mr. Durand’s paternal-inheritance(@a¥ 77417) was taken by his wife. Afier the death of Mrs. Durand, the remaining maternal-inheritance and Mr. Durand’s paternal-inheritances were spent on growing the three daughters up. That's how they ran out of their inheritances from both sides.g Ans: Why does Monsieur Durand tell a lie about his birthplace? Monsieur Durand tells a lie about his birthplace because he comes to Switzerland from his birthplace, France with his wife and settles in Switzerland. Unfortunately, he has to fight against Germany and France on behalf of Switzerland, then he turns his face in the last war against his own homeland France. Aftermath he begins to feel ashamed and decides not to go back his birthplace and tells everyone a lie that he was not born in France.h. What business is Monsieur Durand running to make a living? Sansa aterat wilt & ararara aera TS? Ans: According to the play, Monsieur Durand was a pension proprietor connected to the state railroad construction. Later, he turned his own resident as a lodge and currently he is running a lodge for the survival.i. Ans: ‘What plan does Monsieur Durand have to help his daughters with money? ass 7 Monsieur Durand has to help his daughters with money by asking his eldest daughter, Adele a favour. He asks her to get his youngest daughter Therese married with Antonio if she truly loves him. Likewise, he requests her to make Annette a teacher. Finally, he asks her to use money fairly by not keeping a single due.j- How does Monsieur Durand die? gas watt HSL? Ans: As Monsiur Durand plans to die, he takes a glass of water already contaminated with poison and keeps talking with his daughter Adele until the poison starts to kill him and the house starts buming. When the house entirely burns down, Durand also falls on the table due to poison and die.Reference to the context Sketch the character of Monsieur Durand. ae afta Tera | ‘Monsieur Durand is the protagonist (central character) of the play, "Facing Death’, His character can be sketched in multiple ways: Asa foreigner- He was in fact bom in France but lived in Switzerland de to hhis wife and daughters. He also fought the last war against his own homeland So, being s0 ashamed he never retumed France and lived as a foreigner in ‘Switzerland but he told everyone a lic that he was Swiss born, As a hardworker - At first he was a soldier. Then he got connected to the State rail road construction. He was a pension proprietor but Iater. he tumed his own resident as a lodge where he worked as a servant by clesning, sweeping, scrubbing floor, erranding for goods and foods. Asa true father - Even after Mrs. Durand died, he didn't give up his duties to offer his danghters his fatherly love, care and rnrturing though he was hated the most by them due to false stories made by his wife to his daughters, As a tragic hero - He knew he could not go back his birthplace. He paid all fatherly datics to his daughters. He knew he was bankrupted. He knew he could help his daughter even after his death. So, he had paid at least the fire insurance, which would make his daughters be able to settle their lives with 5000 Francs. ‘Thns, Monsicur Durand and his character can be judged based on the various roles he has played in the play.b. Ans: How do we know that the Durand family has reached a dead end? eam Rear are sea MT aA HET TAT TTT TL 2 We know that the Durand family has reached a dead end from the initial nasty conversations between Durand himself and his daughter Adele and Antonio later. In their conversation, Adele lets us know that over last two months no single guest has. stayed in the lodge. She also says that her father has spent all the money as dowry from her mother that they were supposed to obtain. From Durand we come to know that the rail road station has shifted to the west since then no guest has visited his lodge. He also tells Antonio that he is unable to serve Antonio coffee and bread anymore since all the supplies are over in the lodge. We also come to know that over last 10 years he has been borrowing money and never managed to return. The bakery, the grocery, and the butcher send to his houseliold with uapaid bills and other bills arrive in the middle of the play. ‘We also come fo know that he has already sold his life insurance because he had taken many loans but not refunded, When there is argument between Durand and Antonio, Durand throws last piece of gold at him for 10 Francs as Antonio claims for previously dues to pay off. There is not amu guest in the lodge. There are no foods in the house to eat themselves and give to the guests. There are only bills to pay back. ‘There are only hatred, misunderstandings and arguments. So, these all instances indicate that Durand family has come to end.“The mother, though already dead, seems to have had a great influence on the daughters, especially Theresa.’ Do you agree? ‘smn eh leet SCA TOTES Sa Ta ae oieTee ree ears ey vee BS Sane ae GIES? : Yes, I do agree with the statement. In the beginning of the play, Adele reminds her father how he has spent all money that the daughters should have got it as dowry from their mother. The daughters act like their father was all the reasons for bankruptcy. They believe if their mother was alive, she would seek the solutions for every problem, They bitterly hate their father as their mother had told them that he had run away from the last war and told everyone a lie about his birthplace. They didn't want to hear any single remark from their father about their mother. They scom ‘heir father so much that their father was the main cause landing there in poverty. ‘As Mrs. Durand threatened Mr. Durand that she would become a prostitute, if he didn't give her money. Similarly, when Mr. Durand argues and kicks Antonio out of his house, Therese grows with rage. Therese acks like her mother. She hates her father the most until she is told to get married with him. She even takes a glass of milk and matches away from her father. These daughters are entirely blinded by their motherly unfolded false stories and despise their father.d. Discuss the relationship between Monsieur Durand and his wife. Sang tae ears Sarasa BETH TTL | Ans: According to the play, we are not given enough information about their marriage life but from the bitter conversations between Monsieur Durand and his three daughters, we can figure that their relationship was worse than that we can assume. Afier Durand settled in Switzerland and never returned his birthplace, his wife seems to taken wrong benefits from her husband. We readers have not been given other chies but a topic of ‘lottery’ which shows a begging of their nasty relationship. ‘As Mrs. Durand falls a prey for ‘lottery" she starts spending her maternal-inheritance and asks for more money with Mr. Durand and blackmails him by saying she will become a prostitute if he denies her to give money. From Mr. Durand’s perspective he is helpless because he can't get back his country. He has a job in state rail road construction. He has a family. He has a sense of responsibilities towards his wife and three daughters. Being confined in this familial mess, he has no other options than to obey what his wife says. Mrs. Durand is so addicted to lottery that she showers all allegations on her husband. Poor Durand accepts all the charges and becomes the most hated character in the play. Afterall, this hero dies for his wife. and three daughters.e. ‘Money determines the relationship between characters in this play.” Elaborate this statement with examples from the play. coe Ca Area ae aaa eer ae Pate TERE Sere aa Sere aa scréend ee TET Ans: Read answers of Question numbers (b) & (4) and write a summary. f. Monsieur Duran 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? Rass ont onterd ard ore smears eA ach Atm weerere aga ered TSA 4,000 water aro SMtweeé rata Saat at ata enftené See aka aarseL 7 Ans: Read answers of Question numbers (b), (c) & (d). g. Discuss Facing Death as a modern tragedy. UPR ATT Tf THT CaTeeT TET set AT TET ATER ST TATE THE | Ans: Read answers of Question numbers (b), (c) & (d).