Theatre. Part 1.

TASKS for Chapters 1-2

I. Explain in English or give definitions of and find contextual synonyms for the following words and phrases:

Complacency – the feeling of self-satisfaction - smugness

 Filthy – smth dirty or muddy - muddy

Supercilious – smb who is arrogant - contemptuous

military bearing – a soldier’s appearance and his skills how to behave - carriage

natural flamboyance – smt bright or flaring

stupendous – smth very important - tremendous

staggered – stepped - immense

 natural homage – respect, esteem

entanglement – the situation which is not clear enough - intricacy

 concubinage – a type of relationships when a man and a woman live together without getting married - cohabitation

languorous – listless or indifferent – inactive

flippant rejoinder – thoughtless answer

to risk smth - to expose to a chance of loss – run the venture

a quick study – some kind of quick search or exploration

II. Search for the allusions in the text. Define their type (literary, artistic, historical and others) and functions; explain their meaning.

1. Hamlet. (literary) The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare between 1599 and 1602.

1. George V (historical) (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death.

1. Queen Mary (historical). She was born Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes May in Kensington Palace on May 26, 1867 to Duke Francis and Duchess Mary of Teck. Young Mary was the great-granddaughter of George III and a second cousin to Queen Victoria.

1. Beatrice (literary). She is one of the most delightful characters in all of Shakespeare — certainly one of the most talkative and witty

1. Rosalind (literary). She is a fictional character and the romantic female lead in the play As You Like It (1600) by William Shakespeare.

1. Romeo (literary). He is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet. 

They are all used to show how much the main heroine was attached to the world of theatre and to as a proof we see the wide range of roles she had already played. 

III. Using direct and indirect evidence from the text give character sketches of Julia Lambert and Michael Gosselyn. Follow the plan:

Julia’s character is very profound and complicates, all her action have dual nature. Julia isnaturally polite to all the people, but still she can be very vulgar in her thoughts and in attitude toher assistant Evie: “Damn that rest!”, but “Julia was not a brilliant conversationalist, but her eyeswere so bright, her manner so intelligent, that once she had learnt the language of society she passed for a very amusing woman.” Moreover, Julia is quick on response, if someone hurts her feeling, she will revenge: “Tom meant nothing to Julia anymore, but she had a score to settlewith Avice and she wasn’t going to forget it. Slut!”Julia’s actions and relations with people are fully determined by her profession of anactress. The author gives direct characteristics to Julia: “She was born an actress and it was anunderstood thing for as long as she could remember that she was to go on a stage.”  She had large dark brown eyes. She talked very differently to herself and to other people. She wasn’t a brilliant conversationalist, but her eyes were so bright, her manner so intelligent. She had a great gift of mimicry. She felt alert and young. She was a very good-tempered woman

 Michael Gosselyn

He had a very good figure, a great mass of curling chestnut hair and large deep blue eyes, a straight nose and small ears. He was the best- looking actor on the English stage. The only thing that slightly spoiled him was the thinness of his mouth. He was six foot tall and he had a gallant bearing. He was so handsome that it took your breath away. He had an easy manner and he talked like a gentleman. He was good-looking and kindly. He was eager to get on. The second While Julia is in love with Michael, she does everything to get him. She tries her best to bea great actress, behaves with dignity and keeps excellent manners. The heroine plays a role of  plain girl for Michael parents in order to impress them: “She felt instinctively that she mustconceal the actress, and without effort, without deliberation, merely because she felt it would please, she played the part of the simple, modest, ingenious girl who had lived a quiet  country life.” She plays her part – and she is successful in it. But whether Julia in love with Michael or not, she plays a role of a loving and perfect wife. “Everyone knew that her marriage with Michael was exemplary. She was a pattern of conjugal fidelity.”

IV. Give a summary of the first two chapters.

The story begins with the conversation between two main characters of the novel -  Michael Gosselyn and his wife Julia Lambert. Through their dialogue, we come to know that Michael Gosselyn is fifty two year-old theater worker while his wife is a famous actress. Then Michael introduces her to the young accountant, Tom who is invited to have lunch with them. Soon Julia finds out that the young man obviously admires her and at the end of their meeting hshe presents him her photo with autograph. While examining photo albums, she begins to remember how everything began, both her acting career as well as her relationships with Michael. After getting acquainted with the respectable producer, Jimmie Langton, Julia made good progress in acting. Here, having been in one  troupe, she fell in love with Michael. We come to know Julia was attracted by Michael's beauty and genteelness and was determined to become married to him at all cost. However, Michael was rather dumb and blind to her schemes, furthermore, he was not a brilliant actor at all, he became so popular only thanks for his beauty.