Question

Q. From Dear Departed .

Bring out the irony in the title of the play .

Answer 1

Ans :- The Irony in the title of the play is that it shows that some dear one has departed from the world . But in reality there is no one who has departed . The whole drama is related to grandfather's death but actually he is not dead . He is alive and talking to all .

Answer 2

Irony
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Stanley Houghton titles this play, 'The dear departed'. The title itself brings out the irony inherint in it. Mr. Abel merry weather, the grandfather in the play us considered to be dead. He is the 'dear departed' in the play. Ironically, the 'dear departed' is dear to none except to his granddaughter Victoria. For his greedy, selfish and hypocritical daughters, and thier husbands, the old man is nothing but a target of ridicule and mockery. Mrs.Slater, Henry and Jordans have no feelings of love, gratitude or sympathy for him. For them, 'mourning' for the dear departed is limited to wearing fine black dresses for mourning. Mrs.Jordan says shamelessly : "for myself it's such a relief to get into the black". When Mrs.Slater sniffs bad a tear, Ben asks her not to "give away". "We have all got to die sometime or other". The Jordans give more importance to having tea first than going upstairs and seeing the 'dead man. Mrs.Slater is so mean and greedy that she grabs the old man's bureau and the clock. She even gives the new slippers of the old man to her husband Henry. They are interested only in the insurance money. When Mr.Jordan comes to know the old man has not paid the premium, he calls the "dear departed" the '"drunken old beggar".