Class 12 English Lesson 19 Play: Facing Death by Johan August Strindberg Literature Section

 

Lesson 2 One-Act-Play: Facing Death by Johan August Strindberg

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About the Playwright

 

Johan August Strindberg (1849–1912) was a Swedish writer, playwright, and painter. His theatre tries to create a perfect illusion of reality through detailed sets, an unpoetic literary style that reflects the way real people speak, and a style of acting that tries to recreate reality. In Facing Death, Strindberg dramatizes a heroic sacrifice made by a bankrupt man for the sake of his daughters.

Major characters of the Play

a.      Monsieur Durand - a pension proprietor, formerly connected with the state railroad who has three daughters

b.     Adèle- his daughter age twenty-seven

c.      Annette - his daughter age twenty-four

d.     Thérèse - his daughter age twenty-four

e.      Antonio - a lieutenant in an Italian cavalry regiment in French Switzerland in the eighties

f.       Pierre - an errand boy

Summary of the Play

The play 'Facing Death' is written by Swedish playwright August Strindberg. It is a one-act play carrying the story of Monsieur Durand, a former railroad worker and widower in financial ruin. Monsieur Durand is the prominent character of the play. He has three daughters. They are Adele, Annette, and Therese. They have no prospects for their future. He has tried to provide for his children, even letting out his house to tenants. Every attempt he has made got with ridicule and mockery but Monsieur Durand is determined and made a plan to ensure his daughters' financial futures, even if it takes him to face his death.

Facing Death carries the story of a father's love for his children. He sacrifices everything for the children. It opens with the conversation between the protagonist Monsieur Durand and his daughter Adele where they discuss the financial crisis of the family. She questions the responsibility of her father towards his daughters and family. Then, they talk about insurance whether her father has paid or not. The father mentions the mortgage. The family interacts with a financial crisis where the family has to pay dues and bills at several places like the grocery, the bakery, and the butcher shop which has not been paid for a long time. The father pays compliments to candles more than the food and other things. Adele seems disappointed to receive Antonio, a paying guest as the family has no money to manage breakfast, and therefore, she requests her father to go and receive him. She supports her mother and states her opinion that if her mother was alive; the family would not face such a time of financial crisis as she would manage it properly. All three daughters along with her look unhappy and dissatisfied with their father and his responsibility toward the family.

Meanwhile, Antonio arrives to have breakfast. Durand states to Antonio that the family has a loss in business and they are unable to manage anything for the family. Antonio desires to stay with the family as a guest for one more month. He desires to pay in advance but Durand is not ready to accept his proposal rather he openly mentions that the family is not able to run a business anymore. In reply to the question of Antonio, whether Durand belongs to a Swiss citizen by birth or not, he affirms. Durant goes outside for managing the bread. Then, Therese, the youngest daughter of the family enters the stage and she is very delighted to see Antonio there. Antonio praises her beauty and then they converse about her pet, cat. Then, Antonio puts his arms around her neck and kisses her which upsets Durand. Being angry at him, he threatens Antonio to go away from there and he leaves the place. His daughters become angry and sit by looking at their father's misbehaviors. Furthermore, they are angry and upset at him for his irresponsible behaviors towards the family.

As Durand is going away for collecting money for the family. He says the daughters to extinguish the fire and close the doors and windows. He asks Therese about her and Antonio's relationship. She accepts the relationship. Durand says her to go and marry him. Therese asks for forgiveness from her father for being cruel to him and not favoring and disregarding her father. They get confused about his outgoing and return or not in such a critical case.

After that, Durand returns home and discloses his past life with his wife or their mother how they fell in love, and how they settled in Switzerland after getting neutralized citizenship though their mother was French then, he left their mother and joined France in the war against Germany. It is their mother's carelessness and foolish speculation, she ruined their parental property. Even if how he took all the faults and obstacles as his responsibility after the death of his dear wife.

Finally, Durand recollects Adele that she should take care of her sisters and reveals the most significant fact in the house. Facing no income, Durand decides to burn down the house and poisons himself. He advises Adele, the oldest, to keep the truth secret and cash in on the fire policy to save the family. Then, he takes poison and sets fire to the house so that the family would receive a large sum of claims from the fire insurance agency as if he dies in the fire, and then the play terminates.

Understanding the text : Answer the following questions.

a.      Where does the play take place? 

The play takes place in the dining room of Monsieur Durand, a former railroad worker, widower, and owner of the boarding house who lives there with his three daughters.

b.     Why do the grocery, the baker, and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household?

The grocery, the bakery, and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household because the Durand household hasn't paid their bills for a long time. Therefore, they are unable to deliver even more goods until the bills are paid.

c.      Why does Monsieur Duran spend money on candles when he doesn't have money to buy even bread?

Monsieur Durand spends money on candles when he doesn't have money to buy even bread because he wants to light the candles on the death anniversary of his late dear son, René, who died in his infancy. Durand is saddened by his passing and still has a feeling of affection for the dead child. Durand has another intention to set his house on fire and get fire insurance money to make up for his daughters' fortunes as they grapple with financial troubles.

d.     Why did Monsieur Duran sell his life insurance?

Monsieur sold his life insurance to pay off the debtor's loan. His condition was so miserable that the debtor was quite angry with him for not paying the dues.

e.      Why has Monsieur Duran paid fire insurance?

Monsieur Durand has paid fire insurance to make a compensation claim later on. He intends to get compensation from the fire insurance by burning his house so that the money given as compensation will help his daughters.

f.       How did Monsieur Duran and Mrs. Duran run out of their inheritances from both sides?

Monsieur Durand and Mrs. Durand ran out of their inheritances from both sides of Mrs. Durand's carelessness and foolish speculation. Both of them lost paternal inheritance and maternal inheritance which was used in raising their daughters.

g.     Why does Monsieur Durand tell a lie about his birthplace?

Monsieur Durand tells a lie about his birthplace because of two different reasons. First, he fell in love with a woman before his age. He wanted to marry that lady. So he left his birthplace and moved to Switzerland. To save his and his wife's reputation, he tells a lie. Second, he fought against his motherland, France from the side of Switzerland. Therefore, to hide this shame, he tells a lie.

h.     What business is Monsieur Durand running to make a living?

Monsieur Durand is running a boarding house to make a living. He has converted his house into a lodge to earn money. He provides lodging and dining services to his guests. There is quite a good facility like a homestay.

i.       What plan does Monsieur Durand have to help his daughters with money?

Monsieur Durand plans to commit suicide and set his house on fire. He hopes to get compensation from the fire insurance policy so that he can help his daughters with the money. He wants to sacrifice his life for the sake of his three daughters.

j.       How does Monsieur Durand die?

Monsieur Durand dies committing suicide at last. He drinks poison to help his daughters with the amount of compensation from the insurance policy.

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