Catherine (businesslike, her housekeeping instincts aroused)...Raina : ...not so cruel.
(a) : What description of Catherine's character have we been given by the dramatist at the beginning of the play ? Is the present description of her in keeping with her character ? How ? (2 + 1)
In the introduction of the play, George Bernard Shaw, gives us the following description of Catherine's character "a woman over forty, imperiously energetic......who might be a very splendid specimen of the wife of a mountain farmer, but is determined to be a Viennese lady". In this description the dramatist highlights pro-active, quite dominating nature and her keenness to enhance her social status - to prove to thew world that she is a genteel person of high social standing.
The above description is in keeping with the present description of Catherine especially with the word "businesslike" - on hearing that there may be fugitives running through the town she immediately takes matters into her own hands rather than just giving orders to her servants. In the comment "her housekeeping instincts aroused" our description of her character increases and we know that she is a responsible and caring mother and homemaker.
(b) : Explain "housekeeping instincts" (1)
"Housekeeping instincts" refer to the natural (instincts) tendency to care for the home and that all that goes in creating a safe, comfortable and wholesome residence for a family (household). These "instincts" have traditionally been expeccted of good housewives and mothers.
(c) : "safe" - what threat did Catherine and Raina expect to their safety ? (3)
Catherine and Raina had been informed by Louka who had rushed up to Raina's room in a panic, that the house needed to be secured against possible shooting in the streets of their town as the Serbs who had been defeated had been chased through the Dragoman pass and could come through the town. It was expected that the Bulgarian cavalry and the towns people would be after the fleeing Serbian soldiers in an attempt to capture or kill them.
Catherine was thus going to the ground floor of the house to secure the windows and doors aganist any possible entry of the enemy into that area of the house, in the same way as Raina had closed the door / window leading out to Raina's balcony.
(d) : Who is Raina referring to when she mentions "our people" ? (2)
When Raina mentions "our people" she is referring to their towns people who, now that the defeated Serbian soldiers are fleeing through their town and are being chased by the Bulgarian cavalry, will see it as their duty to join their soldiers in capturing or killing the enemy soldiers.
(e) : In what way were the "people" being "cruel" ? (1)
Raina considers that it is cruel to kill enemy soldiers (Serbs) who had already been defeated and who were running through their enemies territory and being confronted by hostile and violent people who were filled with hatred for them and were as keen as the Bulgarian soldiers to kill them. Those fugitives had no chance against the Bulgarian army and population. Thus is would not be fair and thus cruel to kill people who were practically defenseless.
(a) : What description of Catherine's character have we been given by the dramatist at the beginning of the play ? Is the present description of her in keeping with her character ? How ? (2 + 1)
In the introduction of the play, George Bernard Shaw, gives us the following description of Catherine's character "a woman over forty, imperiously energetic......who might be a very splendid specimen of the wife of a mountain farmer, but is determined to be a Viennese lady". In this description the dramatist highlights pro-active, quite dominating nature and her keenness to enhance her social status - to prove to thew world that she is a genteel person of high social standing.
The above description is in keeping with the present description of Catherine especially with the word "businesslike" - on hearing that there may be fugitives running through the town she immediately takes matters into her own hands rather than just giving orders to her servants. In the comment "her housekeeping instincts aroused" our description of her character increases and we know that she is a responsible and caring mother and homemaker.
(b) : Explain "housekeeping instincts" (1)
"Housekeeping instincts" refer to the natural (instincts) tendency to care for the home and that all that goes in creating a safe, comfortable and wholesome residence for a family (household). These "instincts" have traditionally been expeccted of good housewives and mothers.
(c) : "safe" - what threat did Catherine and Raina expect to their safety ? (3)
Catherine and Raina had been informed by Louka who had rushed up to Raina's room in a panic, that the house needed to be secured against possible shooting in the streets of their town as the Serbs who had been defeated had been chased through the Dragoman pass and could come through the town. It was expected that the Bulgarian cavalry and the towns people would be after the fleeing Serbian soldiers in an attempt to capture or kill them.
Catherine was thus going to the ground floor of the house to secure the windows and doors aganist any possible entry of the enemy into that area of the house, in the same way as Raina had closed the door / window leading out to Raina's balcony.
(d) : Who is Raina referring to when she mentions "our people" ? (2)
When Raina mentions "our people" she is referring to their towns people who, now that the defeated Serbian soldiers are fleeing through their town and are being chased by the Bulgarian cavalry, will see it as their duty to join their soldiers in capturing or killing the enemy soldiers.
(e) : In what way were the "people" being "cruel" ? (1)
Raina considers that it is cruel to kill enemy soldiers (Serbs) who had already been defeated and who were running through their enemies territory and being confronted by hostile and violent people who were filled with hatred for them and were as keen as the Bulgarian soldiers to kill them. Those fugitives had no chance against the Bulgarian army and population. Thus is would not be fair and thus cruel to kill people who were practically defenseless.
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