Chapter 4
Drama
1-Mark Objective Questions & Direct Answers :
Q. According to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o in Decolonising the Mind, what is the primary vehicle of culture?
Answer: Language.
Q. What was Prafulla’s greatest ambition in the story Audition? [GU 2023]
Answer: To perform as an approved radio singer at All India Radio, Guwahati.
Q. Name the ancient tree mentioned in Sujata Bhatt’s poem prescribed for your study. [GU 2023]
Answer: The Oak tree.
Q. What physical deformity is shared by the conjoined twins Tara and Chandan in Dattani’s play?
Answer: They each have only one leg following their surgical separation.
Q. What does the figure of the witch symbolize in Sujata Bhatt’s poem, So Many Oaks? [GU 2024]
Answer: It symbolizes the historical persecution, marginalization, and silencing of intuitive female wisdom and nature-aligned identities.
Q. Who is the buyer of the property in Sacha Guitry’s one-act play Villa for Sale?
Answer: Gaston (bought from Juliette and immediately flipped to Mrs. Al Smith).
Q. Name the person referred to as ‘her’ in W.B. Yeats’ poem, No Second Troy. [GU 2023]
Answer: Maud Gonne.
Q. What precious gem was set in the grandmother’s lost family heirloom in The Ring?
Answer: An emerald surrounded by diamonds.
Q. In Jacinta Kerketta’s poetry collection Angor, what core subject do the verses primarily defend?
Answer: Adivasi indigenous identity, land rights, and the ecological destruction of forests.
Q. State whether the statement is True or False: The palanquin bearers sing gaily. [GU 2023]
Answer: True.
Q. In Mahesh Dattani’s Tara, what field of study does Dan (Chandan) pursue in London?
Answer: Playwriting / Creative Literature.
Q. Where was the narrator’s grandmother’s farm located in the story, The Ring? [GU 2024]
Answer: In the countryside of County Cork, Ireland.
Q. In which verse collection is Margaret Atwood’s poem, This Is a Photograph of Me, included? [GU 2024]
Answer: The Circle Game (1964/1966).
Q. What was the Hindi song that Prafulla intended to sing in Audition? [GU 2024]
Answer: “Tu Ganga Ki Mauj” from the film Baiju Bawra.
Part B: Short Analytical Questions (50 Words Each) :
Q. Explain the line: “With beauty like a tightened bow” (No Second Troy). [GU 2023]
Answer: Yeats compares Maud Gonne’s beauty to a tightly stretched bow. The image suggests that her beauty is not soft or passive but powerful, intense, and full of tension. It also reflects her strong, determined, and uncompromising personality, which makes her an extraordinary and formidable figure.
Q. Where is the speaker located in Margaret Atwood’s This Is a Photograph of Me? [GU 2023, 2024]
Answer: The speaker is located beneath the surface of the lake shown in the photograph. She remains hidden beneath the water and can only be noticed through careful observation. Her submerged position symbolizes a concealed identity and suggests the presence of an overlooked individual beneath an apparently peaceful surface.
Q. What is the significance of the title of Yeats’ poem, No Second Troy? [GU 2023]
Answer: The title alludes to ancient Troy and Helen, whom Yeats implicitly compares with Maud Gonne. Gonne possesses exceptional beauty, strength, and revolutionary energy. However, modern Dublin lacks the grandeur of ancient Troy. Thus, the title suggests that there is no second Troy worthy of such a powerful and tragic personality.
Q. Mention any two comparisons used to describe the bride in Naidu’s The Palanquin Bearers. [GU 2023]
Answer: Sarojini Naidu compares the bride to “a flower in the wind of our song” and “a tear glistening in the eyes of a bride.” These delicate comparisons emphasize her beauty, fragility, grace, and emotional state as she is gently carried in the palanquin.
Q. What was Prafulla’s Bhishma Pratigya in the story Audition? [GU 2023, 2024]
Answer: Prafulla’s Bhishma Pratigya was his solemn vow never to sing again. The discouraging and humiliating treatment he received during his audition deeply affected him. Feeling disappointed by the radio authorities, he decided to abandon his cherished ambition of becoming a singer permanently.
Q. State the reason why human beings are called blind and deaf in So Many Oaks. [GU 2024]
Answer: Human beings are called blind and deaf because they have become disconnected from nature. They fail to recognize the presence, wisdom, and memories preserved in the ancient oak trees. Their spiritual blindness prevents them from understanding nature and the voices of those who have suffered throughout history.
Q. How does Gaston outwit Juliette and Mrs. Al Smith in Villa for Sale?
Answer: Gaston cleverly takes advantage of the negotiations between Juliette and Mrs. Al Smith. He agrees to buy the villa from Juliette for 200,000 francs and sells it to Mrs. Al Smith for 300,000 francs. Thus, through clever bargaining, he earns a profit of 100,000 francs.
Q. Why was the lost ring precious to the narrator’s grandmother in The Ring? [GU 2023]
Answer: The ring was precious to the grandmother because it was a family heirloom with deep emotional value. It was connected with her marriage, family memories, and her past. Therefore, its importance was not merely monetary; it represented love, family attachment, memories, and personal history.
Q. What does the word “gaily” suggest about the palanquin bearers’ attitude? [GU 2024]
Answer: The word “gaily” suggests that the palanquin bearers are cheerful, joyful, and enthusiastic. Although carrying the bride is physically demanding, they perform their task with lightness and pride. Their rhythmic movement and joyful song transform their labour into a graceful and celebratory experience.
Q. Explain how Bharti’s moral guilt manifests in Mahesh Dattani’s Tara.
Answer: Bharti’s moral guilt arises from her involvement in the unfair decision to give the third leg to Chandan instead of Tara. Her guilt later appears through excessive concern for Tara, emotional distress, and a strong desire to compensate for the injustice. Her guilt continues to affect her deeply.
Q. What is the central postcolonial argument presented in Ngũgĩ’s Decolonising the Mind?
Answer: Ngũgĩ argues that colonialism controls not only land and political institutions but also people’s minds through language and culture. Colonial languages can alienate people from their native heritage and identity. Therefore, genuine decolonization requires the revival and use of indigenous languages in literature and cultural expression.
Q. How does O. Henry depict sacrifice in The Trimmed Lamp?
Answer: O. Henry depicts sacrifice through Nancy’s willingness to endure difficulties while maintaining her dignity and moral values. Her patience and self-discipline are contrasted with the desire for immediate material comfort. Through Nancy, O. Henry suggests that genuine character, self-respect, and integrity are more valuable than superficial prosperity.
Q. Why did the radio authorities fail to support regional artists in Audition? [GU 2023]
Answer: The radio authorities failed to support regional artists because of their indifferent and bureaucratic attitude. They followed rigid procedures and showed little understanding of the aspirations of local performers. Their lack of encouragement and appreciation discouraged talented artists like Prafulla and prevented them from receiving proper recognition.
Q. What is the significance of the “submerged self” in Atwood’s poetry? [GU 2024]
Answer: The “submerged self” represents a hidden and silenced identity. In Atwood’s poem, the speaker remains beneath the water, symbolizing how an individual can be overlooked by the visible world. The image encourages readers to look beyond the surface and discover the concealed experiences and identity of the speaker.
Q. How does Jacinta Kerketta portray nature in Angor?
Answer: Jacinta Kerketta portrays nature as an essential part of Adivasi life, identity, and cultural heritage. Forests, rivers, and hills are presented as living sources of memory and belonging. She also highlights their destruction through industrial exploitation, displacement, and environmental injustice, thereby expressing ecological concern and resistance.
Part C: Analytical Long Questions (200 Words Each) :
- Discuss the poet’s conflicting feelings of admiration and frustration in No Second Troy. [GU 2024]
Answer: In No Second Troy, W. B. Yeats expresses both admiration and frustration towards Maud Gonne. He admires her extraordinary beauty, courage, strong mind, and heroic personality. Her beauty is compared to a “tightened bow”, suggesting strength, intensity, and powerful energy.
At the same time, Yeats is frustrated by her uncompromising nature and revolutionary activities. He feels that her passionate political involvement has contributed to unrest and violence in Ireland. Yet, he does not completely blame her, as her fierce nature is an essential part of her character.
The reference to Helen of Troy further emphasizes her heroic and potentially destructive personality. However, Yeats observes that modern Ireland has no second Troy—a setting grand enough for such a powerful figure. Thus, the poem combines personal disappointment with deep admiration and presents Maud Gonne as a remarkable but tragic personality.
- Comment on the significance of the title in the short story Audition. [GU 2024]
Answer: The title Audition refers directly to Prafulla’s attempt to prove his singing ability before the All India Radio authorities at Guwahati. For him, the audition is an important opportunity to gain recognition and fulfil his dream of becoming a successful singer.
However, the audition also has a deeper and ironic significance. Instead of receiving encouragement, Prafulla encounters an indifferent and discouraging attitude from the authorities. His sincere performance is treated without proper appreciation, turning his hopeful experience into one of humiliation and disappointment.
The audition therefore becomes more than a simple musical test. It represents the conflict between genuine artistic aspiration and an insensitive bureaucratic system. The experience ultimately leads Prafulla to take his Bhishma Pratigya never to sing again. Thus, the title marks the crucial event that changes the course of his life.
- Trace the theme of gender discrimination and familial complicity in Mahesh Dattani’s Tara.
Answer: Mahesh Dattani’s Tara exposes the destructive effects of gender discrimination within the family. Tara and Chandan are conjoined twins who share a third leg. Although Tara has a better chance of benefiting from the leg, the family decides to give it to Chandan because he is the male child.
This decision reflects the patriarchal preference for sons and the belief that a boy deserves greater opportunities than a girl. The operation ultimately fails, leaving Tara disabled and deeply affecting both twins.
Familial complicity is also central to the tragedy. Bharti and her father become involved in the decision, allowing patriarchal expectations to influence their judgement. Bharti later suffers from intense guilt, but her remorse cannot reverse the harm done to Tara.
Through this tragedy, Dattani shows that gender discrimination can exist even within apparently loving families. The play strongly advocates equality, justice, and ethical responsibility.
- Examine Sacha Guitry’s Villa for Sale as a satirical critique of social snobbery and commercial greed.
Answer: Sacha Guitry’s Villa for Sale is a humorous satire on social pretension, materialism, and commercial greed. Through Juliette, Mrs. Al Smith, and Gaston, Guitry reveals how social manners often conceal selfish financial motives.
Juliette wants to sell the villa because it has become a burden to her. Mrs. Al Smith, meanwhile, views the property mainly in terms of convenience and commercial value rather than its cultural or aesthetic importance.
Gaston is the most opportunistic character. He cleverly purchases the villa from Juliette for 200,000 francs and sells it to Mrs. Al Smith for 300,000 francs, earning a profit of 100,000 francs.
The amusing transaction exposes the greed and pretensions of the characters. Guitry uses comedy and irony to criticize a society where money, status, appearance, and self-interest often dominate human relationships.
- Analyze the grandmother’s character, inner strength, and composure in The Ring. [GU 2024]
Answer: In The Ring, the grandmother is presented as a dignified, patient, and emotionally strong woman. Her character reflects the values of experience, resilience, family attachment, and self-control.
The loss of her precious ring becomes a test of her patience. The ring has deep sentimental value because of its connection with her marriage, family, and past. Yet, she does not respond with unnecessary anger or panic. Instead, she remains calm and patiently searches for the lost heirloom.
Her inner strength is evident in the way she faces difficulties without losing her dignity. She possesses the emotional maturity that comes from a lifetime of experience. Even when the ring is recovered, her response is quiet and sincere rather than boastful.
Thus, the grandmother symbolizes the quiet strength of an older generation. Through her character, the story emphasizes patience, dignity, resilience, and the lasting importance of family memories.
- Discuss how Sarojini Naidu conveys collective rhythm and lyrical aestheticism in The Palanquin Bearers. [GU 2024]
Answer: Sarojini Naidu’s The Palanquin Bearers is a highly musical poem that presents the graceful movement of traditional palanquin bearers. Their coordinated steps and repeated singing create a strong sense of collective rhythm.
Naidu uses delicate similes to describe the bride. She is compared to a flower swaying in the wind, a bird moving over water, and a laugh or dream floating gently. These images emphasize her beauty, lightness, and fragility.
The repeated phrases and rhythmic structure imitate the swaying movement of the palanquin. The bearers sing “gaily”, suggesting that they perform their duty with joy and pride rather than considering it a burden.
Thus, Naidu transforms ordinary physical labour into a beautiful musical experience. The poem combines rhythm, repetition, imagery, and cultural beauty to create a graceful lyrical picture of a traditional Indian wedding.
- Critically assess the fragmentation of identity and submerged self in Atwood’s This Is a Photograph of Me. [GU 2024]
Answer: Margaret Atwood’s This Is a Photograph of Me explores hidden identity through the image of a submerged speaker. At first, the photograph appears to show only a peaceful landscape containing a lake, hills, and a house. The speaker’s identity is therefore absent from the visible surface.
Later, the speaker reveals that she is beneath the water. This sudden revelation changes the reader’s understanding of the photograph. The submerged self represents an identity that is hidden, silenced, and overlooked.
Atwood uses the contrast between the visible landscape and the concealed speaker to emphasize the difference between appearance and reality. The reader must look beyond the surface to discover the person hidden within the image.
Thus, the poem presents identity as fragmented and partially invisible. The “submerged self” becomes a powerful symbol of concealed experience and the need to recognize voices that remain unnoticed.
- Discuss the use of indigenous motifs and ecological resistance in Jacinta Kerketta’s Angor. [GU Model]
Answer: In Angor, Jacinta Kerketta connects Adivasi identity with the natural environment. Forests, rivers, hills, and other elements of nature are presented as essential parts of indigenous life, culture, memory, and heritage.
The poet also criticizes the destruction of nature caused by industrial development, mining, displacement, and exploitation. Such activities do not merely damage the environment; they also threaten the traditional lives and identities of Adivasi communities.
The title Angor, meaning “embers”, suggests both destruction and continuing resistance. Even after suffering exploitation and displacement, the spirit of the indigenous people continues to burn like an ember.
Through these indigenous images, Kerketta gives nature a living presence and connects ecological protection with social justice. Her poetry therefore becomes a voice of resistance against environmental destruction and the loss of indigenous dignity.
- How does Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o conceptualize language as an instrument of cultural imperialism in Decolonising the Mind?
Answer: In Decolonising the Mind, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o argues that language is a powerful instrument of colonial control. Colonialism does not conquer only land and political institutions; it also attempts to control the minds and cultural identities of colonized people.
The colonial education system gives greater importance to European languages while suppressing indigenous languages. As a result, children may become separated from their own history, culture, traditions, and environment. Their native language can gradually become associated with inferiority, while the colonial language is presented as a symbol of intelligence and success.
Ngũgĩ therefore considers linguistic domination a form of cultural imperialism. He argues that decolonization requires the restoration of indigenous languages in education, literature, and cultural life. Reclaiming native languages becomes an important means of recovering cultural identity and resisting colonial mental domination.
- Examine the role of fate, irony, and the surprise ending in O. Henry’s The Trimmed Lamp.
Answer: O. Henry uses fate, irony, and an unexpected reversal in The Trimmed Lamp to highlight the difference between superficial wealth and genuine character. The story presents Nancy and Lou, two working women who have different ideas about improving their lives.
Lou is attracted to immediate material comfort and fashionable appearances, while Nancy patiently works to improve herself through knowledge, manners, and self-discipline. Their different choices create the basis for the story’s irony.
The ending reverses the expectations of the two women. Lou’s pursuit of wealth and social advancement does not bring her the happiness she expects. Nancy, on the other hand, is rewarded for her patience, dignity, and genuine qualities.
Through this reversal, O. Henry shows that appearances and material prosperity cannot guarantee happiness. The surprise ending reinforces the idea that sincere character, patience, and moral worth are ultimately more valuable than superficial success.
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