Class 12 Section II English Lesson 19

Understanding the Text

a. Where does the play take place?

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

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

Ans 👉 As Durand hasn’t paid their bills for a long time, the grocery, the baker and the butcher send their bills to Durand’s household. As a consequence, they couldn’t provide any further items until the bills were paid.

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

Ans 👉 As a strange scenario, Monsieur Durand spends money on candles when he doesn’t have money to buy even bread. This is because he wishes to burn the candles on the death anniversary of his late loving son, Rene, who died in his childhood. From the death of his son, Durand was heartbroken.

d. Why did Monsieur Duran sell his life insurance?

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand sold his life insurance to pay off the loan to his debtor. He was in the worst condition and the debtor was furious with him for not paying his money.

e. Why has Monsieur Duran paid fire insurance?

Ans 👉 He wants to compensate for his daughter’s financial difficulties. Thus, to file compensation he has paid fire insurance. He wants to burn down his own house and claim compensation, with the proceeds going to his daughters.

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

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand and Mrs. Durand ran out of their inheritances from both sides due to recklessness and stupid speculation of Mrs. Durand. Both of them lost their parental and maternal assets.

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

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand tells a lie about his birthplace because he used to love a woman before his marriageable age. To marry that lady, he left his hometown and migrated to Switzerland. He tells a lie to protect his and his wife’s reputation. Also, he had fought against his homeland from the side of Switzerland. So he wanted to mask his humiliation. Therefore, he tells a lie.

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

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand is running a lodge to make a living. He turned his house into a lodge and restaurant. His visitors may stay with him there. He made it like a hotel with good facilities to earn money.

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

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand plans to burn his house and commit suicide to help his daughters with money, which will come as compensation for burning. He paid for fire insurance to claim compensation after he burns his own home. He wishes to give his life for the sake of his daughters.

j. How does Monsieur Duran die?

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand dies by committing suicide. He drinks poison and sets his own house on fire at the end of the play. The motto behind this was to help his daughters with money which will come as compensation from the fire insurance policy which he had paid earlier.

Reference to the Context

a. Sketch the character of Monsieur Duran.

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand is the leading character of the one-act play ‘Facing Death’ written by August Strindberg. In this play, he is portrayed as a widower, the owner of the lodge and a former railway worker. He is financially weak and he has three daughters. They all live in the lodge. He has turned his living house into a lodge to make a living. In this play, Durand is a loving, caring and protective father who has a fragile relationship with his daughters. Due to bankruptcy, his living is being hard. He isn’t even receiving love from his daughters as they always despise him and blame him. But it is shown in the play that despite the hatred and dislike of his daughters, he gave his life for the sake of his daughters. Also, he is a devoted husband and keeps worrying about his dead son. He is a sad hero who deals with financial hardships before tragically giving his life for the sake of his daughters.

b. How do we know that the Duran family has reached a dead end?

Ans 👉 By watching the sequence of his downfall and his miserable condition, we know that the Durand family has reached a dead end. Mr. Durand’s family is completely bankrupt and is spending their life in the lodge, which he turned into his own house to make a living. They already have lost ancestral property. His family has been borrowing money for years and he is full of debt. His daughters hate him and blame him though it was because of their mother’s recklessness. His family is dying of hunger and starvation. His relationship with his daughters is not good. His debtors are forcing him to pay their bills whereas Durand is surviving by eating rat food. And in his mind, he has a plan to kill himself and burn his house. By this sequence of action, we know that the Durand family has reached a dead end.

c. ‘The mother, though already dead, seems to have had a great influence on the daughters, especially Theresa.’ Do you agree?

Ans 👉 Yes, I must agree with this sentence as the mother, though already dead, had a great influence on the daughters, especially Theresa. When she was alive she used to teach hatred towards their father. She forcefully made them obey her. Most of the time she blamed her husband and taught the same to the daughters. After her death, Mr. Durand remained silent because he didn’t want his daughters to question their mother’s goodness. But due to their mother’s teaching, his daughters keep hating him. Especially Theresa, who always showed rude behaviour to the father. She threw matches away when he tried to burn tobacco and snatched the glass of milk from him. She was cruel towards the father and never showed respect or love.

d. Discuss the relationship between Monsieur Duran and his wife.

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand and his wife don’t have a sound relationship. Mrs. Durand always used to blame her husband even though she had wrecked the familial property herself. Due to her rash gambling and stupid speculation, she ruined the inherited property. She misused money on lottery tickets from the family budget. She threatened her husband with becoming a prostitute for money after being beaten. She taught all her daughters to hate their father and loaded them with negativity. She played the main role in diverting her daughters’ mindset against their father.

e. ‘Money determines the relationship between characters in this play.’ Elaborate this statement with examples from the play.

Ans 👉 ‘Money determines the relationship between characters in this play.’ This sentence is very true in the play Facing Death. In the play, money is highlighted as the main factor affecting every relationship. It is shown that money is very important in the life of Monsieur and his daughters. Money is the cause behind all difficulties and issues among his family. Mr. Durand’s family’s financial difficulties have led the entire family to live a miserable existence. His daughters hate him due to poverty. The baker, the grocery and the butcher refuse to provide items because of unpaid bills. His family faces starvation, and he even eats rat food. The lack of money brought hatred and humiliation. Thus, all the relationships in the play are controlled and broken by money.

f. Monsieur Duran kills himself so that his daughters would get 5000 francs as the compensation from the insurance company. What does his plan tell us about him?

Ans 👉 Monsieur Durand killed himself so that his daughters would get 5000 francs as compensation from the insurance company. This plan shows that he was a loving, caring, and self-sacrificing father. He endures hardship, starvation, and hatred but still wishes for his daughters’ welfare. His plan for their well-being illustrates that he is a responsible and devoted father who sacrifices his life for the happiness and stability of his children.

g. Discuss Facing Death as a modern tragedy.

Ans 👉 The play Facing Death by August Strindberg is a modern tragedy. Modern tragedy deals with the suffering of ordinary people rather than kings or nobles. It focuses on social, economic, and psychological problems. In this play, Monsieur Durand, a common man, faces financial ruin, loneliness, and hatred from his family. His downfall is not caused by fate but by social and economic hardships. He turns his house into a lodge, faces humiliation, and finally commits suicide to help his daughters. The realism, suffering, and tragic end make this play a true example of a modern tragedy.

Reference Beyond the Text

a. Write a few paragraphs describing the role of the father in the family.

Ans 👉 While both parents are equally important, a father plays an instrumental and key role in the family. He is the head of the family and is responsible for providing protection, love, and guidance. A father should always be there for his wife and children to provide emotional and physical support. Spending quality time with his children helps to build trust and strong emotional bonds.

A father is also a role model for his children. In families where the father is present, he becomes the first example of how to act, behave, and build relationships. Children observe their father’s actions and learn about love, respect, and responsibility from him.

Therefore, the father plays a vital role in maintaining harmony in the family. He provides strength and direction, ensuring that his family remains united, supported, and emotionally secure