The Browning Version-Qs-Ans-by Terence Rattigan

 

                  L-5  The Browning Version by Terence Rattigan

(A)   Short Answer-type Qs & Ans.

   Q1. Does Frank seem to encourage Taplow comment on Crocker-Harris?

   Ans. Yes, Frank encourages Taplow to comment on Crocker-Harris. He, very tactfully, asks him several questions about him in order to make Taplow comment on his teacher. He feels envious of Crocker Harris’ popularity also. He asks Taplow to repeat the mimicry of Crocker-Harris.
Q2.Why did Taplow go to Crocker Harris’s room?

  Ans. Taplow had to stay for extra time at Mr. Crocker Harris’s room as punishment because he had missed a class due to ill health a week ago. Taplow was to do some extra work for his teacher, who was leaving school due to his health problems.

 Q3. What was Taplow’s reply when asked by Frank about his future plans if he got favourable remove? What was Frank’s reaction to it?

   Ans. Taplow tells him that he would like to opt for science. Franks seems to be sad at  Taplow’s choice as he considers the latter (Taplow) a slacker (idler, loafer). But Taplow tells the young teacher in a protesting manner that he is not a slacker and he is extremely interested in science.

Q4. What justification did Taplow give to Frank in calling ‘Aeschylus’, muck?

  Ans. Taplow replies that he does not think that the play is ‘muck (mud, dirt/ worthless)’. He also adds that it has a good story about a wife murdering her husband and all that. Taplow expresses his dislike for the way it is taught to the students and it has a lot of Greek words.

Q5. Why did Taplow not leave Mr. Crocker’s house when Frank told him to do so as his teacher was late in reaching home? What did Taplow say to Frank, the young teacher in this regard?

   Ans. Taplow expressed his unwillingness to leave the place and also added that he could never think of disobeying Mr. Crocker-Harris. He also wondered at the consequences of disobeying his teacher. He imagined that Mr. Harris would not hesitate to follow him to his home if ever he disobeyed him.

   Q6.What did Taplow say about Mr. Crocker Harris lacking in emotions?

   Ans. Taplow said that Mr. Crocker Harris had no feelings. He said that he had shrivelled (dried) up like a nut from inside and he seemed to dislike people who liked him and this was quite funny to find such masters who did not like to be admired.

     Q7. What What did Taplow say about the joke cracked by Crocker-Harris in the class?

   Ans. Taplow tells Frank that, one day, Mr. Crocker-Harris cracked a joke in the class at which no one except him laughed because none including Taplow understood the joke. But, to be polite to his teacher, Taplow laughed. In the heart of hearts, he also felt sorry for the joke.

Q8. What did Mr. Harris tell Taplow, seeing him laughing at the joke?

  Ans. Mr. Harris appreciated Taplow’s progress in learning Latin. Then he asked Taplow to explain the whole joke to the students, who did not understand him.

Q9. Who is a sadist? Is Crocker-Harris a sadist according to the definition given by Taplow for this term?

   Ans. The sadist is the person who takes pleasure in causing pain or trouble to others. But this term does not suit to Crocker-Harris. He is a strict teacher, who does not like that the rules and regulations of school should be broken.

Q10. Who is Millie? What does she tell Tallow about Mr. Crocker Harris? Where  does she   send him?

Ans. Millie is Mr. Crocker Harris’s wife. She tells Taplow that Mr. Crocker is at the Bursar’s (accountant's) office and it would take quite a long time. She also suggests Taplow indirectly to go and come back after forty-five minutes. To get an excuse for sending him, she tells him to bring some medicine for her husband.

(B) Long Answer-type Qs.

 Q1. Comment on the attitude shown by Taplow towards Crocker-Harris.

   Ans. Taplow thinks very high of his teacher, Mr. Crocker Harris. He calls him a different kind of teacher, who believes in strict discipline. He is never loose in his behavior with the students.

He does not like that any of his students should miss his class. He has a very different way of punishing students. He keeps in his mind their betterment while punishing them. Taplow has been punished in such a  way. He wanted to make his loss that was caused due to his absence from class. He does not disclose the result of exams to achieve cheap publicity from the students.

  Taplow thinks that he does not like buttering from students. He shrinks when he comes to know that someone likes him. He is not a sadist like some other teachers in school. In spite of his strictness, he is popular with students. That’s why the teachers like Frank envy him.

Q2. What do you gather about Crocker-Harris from the play?

   Ans. Crocker-Harris is a strict teacher, who believes that rules and regulations in school must be followed by everyone. He does not believe in favouritism. He does not disclose the result of exams to students before time.

  He is not a sadist, who feels happy buy putting others in difficulties and troubles. He loves his duty and cares for his students. He tries to make up for the loss caused by any means. He has a different way of punishing students. On his last day, he had called Taplow so that the loss caused by his absence from the class could be made up.

He has control on his emotions and so he is never swayed by them while deciding about the students’ results or in other situations also. In fact, he is an ideal teacher From Taplow’s point of view.

Q3. Describe Taplow’s character as shown in the one-act play.

   Ans. Taplow is a boy of sixteen who studies in the lower fifth grade. He wants to study science. But Agamemnon seems to be boring for him. He is a disciplined student, who obeys the rules and regulations of the school. He is obedient to his teacher Mr. Harris Crocker also. He accepts the punishment given to him by his teacher positively.

He knows that he is punished by his teacher for missing the class for one day. He does not consider it as punishment; rather he thinks it extra work given to him by his teacher. His teacher, Frank tries to make him against Mr. Harris Crocker.

But Taplow respects and defends his teacher. He waits for him patiently even though his teacher is late for ten minutes. Thus Taplow is a well-disciplined student as shown in the one-act play.

(C) Some Important Passages for Comprehension

Passage 1

“My dear Taplow, I have given you exactly what you deserve. No less; and certainly no more.” Do you know sir, I think he may have marked me down, rather than up, for taking extra work. I mean, the man’s hardly human. (He breaks off quickly.) Sorry, sir. Have I gone too far?

Q1. Name the lesson and its writer.

Ans. The lesson is The Browning Version by Terence Rattigan

Q2. Who is the speaker and whom is he speaking to?

Ans. The speaker is Tallow. He is speaking to Frank, a young teacher.

Q3. Who is referred to as ‘Sir’ in the above passage?

Ans. The word ‘Sir’ is referred to Frank, Tallow’s young teacher.

Q4. What is Tallow doing by speaking the quoted words in the passage?

Ans. He is mimicking his teacher Crocker-Harris.

Passage 2

Anyway, Crock isn’t a sadist. That’s what I’m saying. He wouldn’t be so frightening if he were — because at least it would show he had some feelings. But he hasn’t. He’s all shrivelled up inside like a nut and he seems to hate people to like him. It’s funny, that. I don’t know any other master who doesn’t like being liked —

Q1. Who is a sadist?

Ans. The person who takes pleasure out of others’ sufferings or troubles is called a sadist.

Q2. About whom the person is speaking and to whom?

Ans. The person is speaking about Crocker-Harris, a teacher. He is speaking to Frank, a young teacher.

Q3. Who is the speaker in the above passage?

Ans. Tallow, a student is the speaker in the above passage.

Q4. What does the speaker mean by saying that ‘he’ is “all shriveled up inside like a nut…”?

Ans. He means to say that his teacher has no emotions.

Q5. What is the meaning of ‘shrivelled’?

Ans. Wrinkled

Passage 3

   TAPLOW: No, sir. I’m not. In the form the other day he made one of his classical jokes. Of course, nobody laughed because nobody understood it, myself included. Still, I knew he’d meant it as funny, so I laughed. Out of ordinary common politeness, and feeling a bit sorry for him for having made a poor joke. Now I can’t remember what the joke was, but suppose I make it. Now you laugh, sir.

Q1. Who is ‘he’ in the above passage?

Ans. The pronoun ‘he’ stands for Crocker-Harris.

Q2 Who had cracked the joke?

Ans. Crocker-Harris

Q3. Why did not the students laugh?

Ans. They did not laugh because they did not understand it.

Q4. Why did Tallow laugh?

Ans. He laughed to please his teacher. He showed common politeness.

Q5. Why did Taplow feel sorry?

Ans. He felt sorry for the joke was the poor one, lacking in humour.