Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
And say you do it by our permission;
..... ..... ...... .....
(a) Identify the speaker.
(b) Who is being granted permission ?
(c) What is the speaker afraid of ?
(d) What opinion do you form of the speaker ?
OR
"You must make your public happier :
Give them something, sharper, snappier.
We must aim for better billings,"
(a) Identify the speaker of the above lines.
(b) Who does 'we' refer to ?
(c) What must be done for 'better billings' ?
(d) What trait of the speaker's character is revealed through the above lines ?

Answer 1

(a) The speaker of the given extract is Marcus Junius Brutus

(b) Mark Antony, Caesar's friend is being granted permission.

(c) The speaker is afraid of the fact that, Mark Antony may reveal the truth behind Caesar's murder to the mob.

(d) The speaker is very wit and cunning as he has killed his best friend due to the flattery and ill thoughts of other senators.

OR

(a) The frog is the speaker of the above lines.

(b) As the conversation is happening between frog and nightingale, we refer to them.

(c) Better billing here depicts good earning of money. In order to get better billings, they have to make the public happier by exhibiting something sharp and interesting.

(d) When we compare the voice of the nightingale with that of the frog, the former's voice is very pleasant and sweet whereas the latter's voice is irksome. The speaker (frog) is very clever and uses the weakness of the nightingale and its talent to make money.