Theatre Part VI

Tasks for Chapters 15-18 

I. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases:
 
condescending letter – снисходительное письмо
pearl studs – жемчужные запонки,
peevish – возбужденный,
make head or tail of it – ничего не понимать,
fatuous irony – глупая ирония
to get back on sb – отделаться откого-то
song and dance – сцена, скандал,
to spend a lot on green fees – тратиться на аренду поля для гольфа,
despicable – презренный,
to give sb a treat – доставить кому либо удовольствие ,
to wheedle sb into –впутывать кого-то во что-то,
prudishness – высокомерие
to take liberties with sb – вести себя развязно с кем-то,
to grudge sb – завидовать,
conspicuous – очевидный,
to take the rough with the smooth – стойко переносить превратности судьбы,
to have a joke up your sleeve – держать шутку наготове,
to mortify sb – усмирять,
disconcerted –смущенный

II. Explain the following metaphors. Who do they refer to?

It won't hurt him to discover that I'm not all milk and honey. – These were Julia’s words when she thought that she had gon too far to humiliate Tom by sending him money.

I'm not the woman to desert a sinking ship. – These are  Dolly’s words. She didn’t want to ruin Julia’s reputation by spreading rumors about her love affair with a young boy.

 

III. Give a character sketch of Dolly de Vries. Pay special attention to the description of her appearance: "Dolly de Vries was now a woman of sixty. …and a slight cockney accent revealed itself." Dwell on her relationship with Michael and Julia. How did she feel about Tom?

Dolly de Vries was now a woman of sixty. She was very fat, and her face, with its large nose and heavy red lips, seemed larger than life. There was a slightly masculine touch in her black satin dress, but she wore a double string of pearls round her neck, a diamond brooch at her waist and another in her hat. Her short hair was dyed a rich copper. Her lips and her finger-nails were bright red. Her voice was loud and deep, but when she got excited the words were apt to tumble over one another and a slight cockney accent revealed itself. She adored Julia, but didn’t like Michael as well as she didn’t like Tom, because he grabbed all Julia’s attention.

IV. Speak on Julia's reputation and talent. Do you agree that no one expects an actress to be a pattern of propriety?

Being a really great actress of her time, Julia didn’t find any difficulty for her to think over every detail, every scene of her life, not only on the stage: the way she was dressed, the way she turned her head and what she sayed. The woman was not aware that she deliberately observed people, but when she came to study a new part vague recollections surged up in her from she knew not where, and she found that she knew things about the character she was to represent that she had had no inkling of. It helped her to think of someone she knew or even someone she had seen in the street or at a party; she combined with this recollection her own personality, and thus built up a character founded on fact but enriched with her experience, her knowledge of technique and her amazing magnetism. People thought that she only acted during the two or three hours she was on the stage; they did not know that the character she was playing dwelt in the back of her mind all day long, when she was talking to others with all the appearance of attention, or in whatever business she was engaged.

V. Answer the questions:

1. Why did Julia offer Tom the money for servants' tips? Do you think she made the right decision?

It was her revenge on Tom because he didn’t pay attention on her while they were in Taplow. She understood well enough that it was very painful for Tom such remaidance about money, attitude to him as a servant.  

2. Did Julia manage to induce Tom to see her again after that?

Yes, Julia managed to induce Tom to see her again saying that they had been too much to one another to part like that.

3. Did Dolly believe that Julia didn't have a lover? Why?

No, Dolly didn’t believe that Julia didn’t have a lover.

4. Whom did Dolly finally decide to talk to about Julia's cheating?

Even after all these years Dolly was a little frightened of Julia, as there was something about her that prevented you from taking liberties with her. The woman at last came to the conclusion that Michael had to speak to his wife. She had never liked Michael, but after all he was Julia's husband and it was her duty to tell him at least enough to make him put a stop to whatever was going on.

5. Why did Dolly not confess to Michael that she suspected Julia of having a love affair?
Dolly had no proof; she only had an intuition that she could not mistrust; she wanted to say yes, but she controlled it. The woman couldn’t give Julia away. Her husband might go and tell her and Julia would never speak to her again. He might have Julia watched and catch her out. No one could tell what might happen if she told the truth.

6. Why did Michael suggest buying Dolly's share out?

He thought the woman could suffer from Julia’s broken reputation.

7. What was the reason for Dolly's desperate jealousy?

When Dolly got into her magnificent and very expensive car and drove back to Montagu Square she could not hold back the heavy, painful tears that filled her eyes. She felt old, lonely, unhappy, and desperately jealous, because there was somebody else who loved and wanted to help Julia, her husband Michael.

8. How did Dolly try to convince Julia that Tom was not very discreet?
She said "You know how malicious people are. You've always led such a quiet, regular life. You've gone out so little, and then only with Michael or Charles Tamerley. He's different; of course everyone knows he's adored you for ages. It seems so funny that all of a sudden you should run around all over the place with a clerk in the firm that does your accounts." She tryied to explain that poor young tom couldn’t attract her attention as he didn’t have anything that’s why people spread a rumours.

9. Why couldn't Julia fall asleep after the lunch with Dolly?

Because so many gossipis about her and Tom and their possible love affairs.  

VI. Summarize the events of chapters 15-18

On vocation Julia wanted to spent plenty of time with Tom, but he preferred to communicate with Julia's son Roger, as they were at the same age and have common topics to be discussed. Julia was so jealous and his actions make her disappointed so much. The actress knows he is a snob, so she let's him enter the high society. Tom is realy poor, thats why she showeres him with expensive gifts and pays off debts. The man gave her money back and Julia realized that she made a mistake. She loved Tom and wanted him to return. Julia met Dolly who told her the gossips about the actress and Nom but Julia tried to make Dolly sure that was not true. However Julia did not believe her and told Michael that.