The Suitor and Papa
I. Answer these questions in one or two words.
1. Who is the suitor in the story?
Ans: The suitor in the story is Pyotr Petrovitch Milkin.
2. Who asked for a stag party?
Ans: Milkin’s friend asked for a stag party.
3. How many daughters did Kondrashkin have?
Ans: Seven daughters.
4. What ‘hereditary vice’ did Pyotr mention as an excuse to avoid marriage?
Ans: Drinking bouts.
5. For which crime did Pyotr say that he was on trial?
Ans: Embezzlement.
6. What ‘horrible secret’ did Pyotr reveal to escape from the Kondrashkin family?
Ans: He claimed that he was a runaway convict.
7. Why did Pyotr meet his friend Dr. Fituyev?
Ans: He met him to obtain a fake certificate declaring him insane.
II. Answer these questions in a few words each.
1. Why did Pyotr’s friends ask for a stag party?
Ans: Pyotr’s friends asked for a stag party because they had heard rumours that he was going to marry Nastya.
2. How did Kondrashkin counter Pyotr’s argument that his views were different from those of Nastya?
Ans: Kondrashkin argued that it is unrealistic for a husband and wife to share exactly the same opinions. He believed that differences gradually disappear with time, just like a rough road becomes smooth with regular use.
3. Why did Pyotr say that he was unworthy of Nastya? How did Kondrashkin react?
Ans: Pyotr said he was unworthy because he felt he was not a good match for Nastya. Kondrashkin dismissed his concern and insisted that Pyotr was a perfectly suitable husband for his daughter.
4. How did Kondrashkin dismiss Pyotr’s claim that he had taken bribes?
Ans: Kondrashkin brushed aside the accusation by saying that such things were common and not serious enough to prevent the marriage.
5. Why did Kondrashkin fear that Pyotr might be sent to Siberia?
Ans: Kondrashkin feared this because Pyotr claimed he was being tried for embezzling forty-four thousand rubles, a crime punishable by exile to Siberia.
6. Why did Kondrashkin call Pyotr dishonest?
Ans: Kondrashkin called him dishonest because Pyotr kept inventing excuses to avoid marrying Nastya instead of honestly admitting that he did not want to marry her.
7. Why did Dr. Fituyev refuse to give Pyotr the certificate he wanted?
Ans: Dr. Fituyev refused because he believed that refusing marriage was not madness. He jokingly said that those who want to marry are the ones who might need such a certificate.
III. Answer these questions briefly in your own words.
1. Why did Pyotr get disturbed by the rumours about his marriage? What did he do to deal with the situation?
Ans: Pyotr was disturbed by the rumours because he had no intention of marrying Nastya, yet people believed that the marriage had already been arranged. To stop the rumours, he visited Kondrashkin to explain that he could not marry Nastya. However, when Kondrashkin refused to accept his excuses, Pyotr began inventing several false confessions and stories in order to escape from the marriage.
2. Which crimes of Pyotr, according to Kondrashkin, might send him to Siberia? How did he react to these confessions?
Ans: Pyotr claimed that he was on trial for embezzlement and later even said that he was a runaway convict. At first, Kondrashkin tried to ignore or justify these crimes because he was eager to marry his daughter to Pyotr. However, when Pyotr confessed that he was a runaway criminal, Kondrashkin became shocked and terrified. Feeling that he had unknowingly sheltered a criminal, he angrily ordered Pyotr to leave the house immediately.
3. Why did Pyotr decide to adopt ‘Hamlet’s device’? Why did he fail?
Ans: Pyotr decided to adopt “Hamlet’s device,” meaning he planned to pretend to be insane so that he would not be legally allowed to marry. For this purpose, he went to his friend Dr. Fituyev to obtain a medical certificate declaring him mentally insane.
However, his plan failed because Dr. Fituyev refused to give him such a certificate. The doctor believed that refusing marriage was actually a sign of wisdom rather than madness, and therefore Pyotr could not be declared insane.
IV. Practice Questions
1. Describe the character of Kondrashkin.
Ans: Kondrashkin is a court councillor and the father of seven daughters. He appears to be extremely eager to get his daughters married, which makes him overly enthusiastic about Pyotr as a potential son-in-law. Throughout the story, he ignores or dismisses Pyotr’s many faults and confessions, including his drinking habit and accusations of corruption.
His reactions show that he is desperate to reduce the burden of having so many daughters to marry off. At times, his behaviour even suggests that he is willing to overlook serious flaws in order to secure a husband for his daughter. This makes him appear both humorous and somewhat irresponsible as a father.
2. Was Pyotr more self-centred than Kondrashkin?
Ans: Yes, Pyotr appears to be quite self-centred in the story. Instead of honestly admitting that he does not want to marry Nastya, he continuously invents excuses and lies to escape the situation. He shows little concern for the feelings of Nastya or her family.
However, Kondrashkin also shows a degree of selfishness. His strong desire to marry off his daughter makes him ignore Pyotr’s faults and the possible consequences for Nastya’s future. Thus, both characters display self-centred behaviour, though Pyotr’s dishonesty makes his selfishness more obvious.
3. Who do you think won the game?
Ans: In the end, it seems that Pyotr wins the game. Although Kondrashkin tries repeatedly to trap him into marriage, Pyotr finally manages to escape by frightening Kondrashkin with the claim that he is a runaway convict.
The story develops like a humorous battle of wits between the two men. Pyotr tries different tricks to avoid marriage, while Kondrashkin stubbornly refuses to accept his excuses. Eventually, Pyotr’s final confession shocks Kondrashkin enough to drive him away, allowing Pyotr to avoid the marriage he never wanted.