Question

decribe the summary of the Drama .. DEAR DEPARTED

Answer 1



The Dear Departed Summary Class 10th English



The Dear Departed Summary Class 10th English

INTRODUCTION

A true test of people is how they behave towards the elderly. With modernisation, reverence of the elderly seems to have suffered a grievous blow. All happiness to the elderly is parsimoniously measured out. Too often the elderly suffer death by invisibility long before their physical demise. The daughters in ‘Dear Departed’ are very materialistic and like beasts of prey, they are only ready to pounce on the money and belongings of their father. Keeping father at home has become a tiresome burden. Looking towards the elderly has become a matter of comfort and financial aid rather than for inspiration and emotional strength. For a civilised society a new culture of giving needs to be ushered and one must give to the elderly without any selfish motive. We must remember that the difference between a helping hand and an outstretched palm is only a twist of the wrist.

SUMMARY

The play ‘The Dear Departed’ presents an interesting situation that has tragically become common place in the world of today. The scene of the play is set in the sittingroom of a small house in a lower middle-class district of a provincial town. The setting of the play reveals that the tea-table has been laid. Mrs Slater, a plump and active lady is in mourning and she is getting ready to receive some guests. She beckons to her daughter Victoria, who is ten year old, and instructs her to change into something sober. It is revealed that Victoria’s grandfather has passed away and the Slater family is getting ready to receive Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Ben. Victoria expresses surprise at this news because her aunt and uncle had not paid them a visit for years. Mrs Slater reveals that they were coming over to talk about grandfather’s affairs, on hearing of his death. In the meanwhile Mr Slater enters. He is a heavy man who stoops he is also in mourning dress.

Answer 2

$\large{\bold{THE \: DEAR \: DEPARTED}}$

In The Dear Departed, written by Stanley Haughton, poet uses vary literally devices to criticise basic human characteristics. He uses a mixture of dramatic irony, sarcasm, simultaneous speech, humour and twist in the plot to criticize human traits. The characters in the story are two - dimensional and there is no development. This allows us to easily see through their character and understand their actions.

In this short play, Haughton manages to portray irony in many different ways. Firstly, the title is already irony. The departed, Abel Merryweather, is not one bit dear and precious to them. The only thing the sisters are interested in is the money or valuables he owns.