Question

What is the summary of The Dear Departed

Answer 1

The play ‘The dear departed’ present an interesting situation that has tragically become common place in the world of today. The scene of the play is set in the sitting room 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 an 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 uncle had not paid a visit for year’s altogether. 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 stooping and heavy man and he is also in mourning dress. 

Henry Slater is skeptical whether Elizabeth will come or not for last time when Mrs. Slater and Elizabeth had quarreled she had vowed never to pay a visit again to their house. Mrs. Slater gives Henry new slippers of her father. She also plans to take away the new bureau of the grandfather and shift it to their room, before Elizabeth and Ben arrive. Both the husband and wife, lock the front door and shift the bureau down and put their old chest of drawers there. Victoria wants to know why they were stealing grandfather’s things but her mother tells her to remain quiet. Grandpa’s new clock is also taken away. Meanwhile there is loud knocking at the door and the Slaters take plenty of time to look normal Mrs. Jordan and Ben pretend to be emotional at the death of Mr. Abel Merry weather. Both the ladies compare their mourning dresses, criticizing the others outfit. Mrs. Jordan is surprised to discover that no doctor had been summoned to check her father. Mrs. Slater insists in a stubborn manner that she had been keen on Mr. Pringle and if he was out of station, they couldn’t be offensive to call someone else. Mrs. Slater reveals that her father had been happy in the morning and he had apparently gone to pay the premium of his insurance policy. He was generally going to “Ring-O-Bells’ frequently and the night before he had come drunk and had gone to bed without having dinner. Mrs. Jordan and Ben prefer to have tea before going and look up father. All four of them start discussing about the obituary and the kind of announcement in the newspaper to be inserted. Mrs. Jordan wants a long poem but Mrs. Slater protests by saying that father had willed his gold watch to her son jimmy. Mrs. Slater feels very offended and refuses to believe it. 

Victoria his premium but had instead gone over to ‘The Ring of Bells’, the public house and managed by John Shorrock’s widow. Everyone starts blaming the old man for not playing his premium. Victoria is instructed to go over a grandpa’s room get the receipt of the premium. Mrs. Jordan is surprised to note a new bureau and she wishes to know the details because she doubts on Mrs. Slater’s version. Victoria enters, looking dazed. She gives the shocking news that grandpa was stirring and moving. After sometimes Mr. Abel Merry Weather enters and is surprised to see his other daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan. He reveals that he was well and just had a slight headache he notices Henry wearing his new slippers and takes them. Mr. Abel wishes to know, why all were in mourning dresses. Mrs. Jordan makes up some story to pacify him. Abel Merry weather enjoys tea and has a generous slice of the apple-pie. He grumbles and scolds Mrs. Slater for taking away his bureau. 

Mrs.Jordan gets agitated and accuses her sister of robbing her father. The husbands also join their wives in hurling accusations at each other Abel discovers about his death. He addresses his daughters directly and declares that he was going to change his will and all the money will go to the one, in whose house he dies. Both the daughters fight with each other to keep their father. Abel is candidly watching all the fun. At last he makes his announcement which shocks everyone. On Monday, he would go to the lawyer and alter his will, and then he would go to the insurance office and pay his premium. After that he would go to the church and get married to Mrs. Shorrock. Everyone is shocked. Abel reveals that he had at last found someone who was happy to keep him. He exits with an invitation of his marriage. He also thanks Mrs. Slater for shifting the bureau down-stairs for now it will be easy to cart away to “Ring-O-Bells’.

Answer 2

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

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.