"THEATRE" by W. S. Maugham (Chapters 11-13)

I.       Find the following words and phrases in the text and translate them into Russian:

a profound contempt to have first nights to be exemplary a pattern of conjugal fidelity to separate be ingenuous to cry almost at will common sense to elope with sb. Preposterous curtain calls prudish in for a penny in for a pound this was all a put-up job indecent in a flash to take liberties with sb. a matinee amiably well-chosen words to have no sequel to erase the episode from her memory pleasant reveries sauntered through her mind hectic flush to see in the flesh to hurt one's pride to have an inkling to pawn

глубокое презрение премьерные показы быть достойным подражания образец супружеской верности отделяться быть бесхитростным кричать  по своему желанию, усмотрению здравый смысл тайно сбежать с кем-либо нелепый вызовы актёра ; выходы на поклон ханжеский, излишне щепетильный за пенс за фунт это была заранее заданная схема неприличный в один миг, в мгновение ока позволять себе вольности с к-л дневной спектакль дружелюбно хорошо подобранные слова не иметь никакого продолжения стереть эпизод из ее памяти приятная мечтательность крутилась у нее в голове чахоточный румянец видеть во плоти ранить гордость иметь подозрение заложить

II.      Answer the following questions:

1.         How did Julia and Lord Tamerly get acquainted? Was Julia his mistress? What did Julia owe to Charles Tamerly?

“Charles Tamerley’s  father, the Marquess of Dennorant, had married an heiress and he had inherited a considerable fortune. Julia often went to the luncheon parties he was fond of giving at his house in Hill Street. There she got acquainted with Lord Tamerly. Julia wasn’t his mistress. He loved her but she didn’t.

“In those days Julia did not think it necessary to go to bed in the afternoons, she was as strong as a horse and never tired, so he used often to take her for walks in the Park. She felt that he wanted her to be a child of nature. That suited her very well. It was no effort for her to be ingenuous, frank and girlishly delighted with everything. He took her to the National Gallery, and the Tate, and the British Museum, and she really enjoyed it almost as much as she said. He liked to impart information and she was glad to receive it. She had a retentive memory and learnt a great deal from him. If later she was able to talk about Proust and Cezanne with the best of them, so that you were surprised and pleased to find so much culture in an actress, it was to him she owed it.”

2.         Describe Julia's acting when Lord Tamerly declared his love to her. How can you prove that it was only make-believe?

“Then Julia did a disgraceful thing. She sat down and for a minute looked silently at the miniature. Timing it perfectly, she raised her eyes till they met Charles's. She could cry almost at will, it was one of her most telling accomplishments, and now without a sound, without a sob, the tears poured down her cheeks. With her mouth slightly open, with the look in her eyes of a child that has been deeply hurt and does not know why, the effect was unbearably pathetic.”

Julia felt exhilarated. She is an actress and she only plays her role, she is an actress even in life.

3.         Why do you think Julia agreed to have tea with the young man? What was his name? Did Julia know it or not?

He was so young and she saw and imagined herself as a young. It was rather delicious for her that this young man tried to create an impression on her. His name was Tom. She didn’t know his name.

4.         Was the young man as shy as he seemed to be?

Firstly, he was shy.”He seemed shy, much shyer than he had seemed over the telephone “ .But then he wasn’t.

5.         How did he show his admiration for Julia?

He phoned her and offered her tea with a biscuit. Then he began to kiss her. “He put his arm round her waist and kissed her full on the lips. No woman was ever more surprised in her life. She was so taken aback that she never thought of doing anything. His lips were soft and there was a perfume of youth about him which was really rather delightful.” He was emphatically (настойчтв).

6.         What feelings did Julia experience after the date with the young man? How did she act after that? How old was Julia at that time? What's your opinion of Julia's behaviour?

She was extremely happy, it was a new adventure for her. Her eyes shone brightly and wonderfully. "I feel like a two-year-old.“

“Julia acted as though it was the first time. Her performance was brilliant. She got laughs that she had never got before. She always had magnetism, but on this occasion it seemed to flow over the house in a great radiance." She was 40 year old.

Your surrounding always reflects on you. She can’t refuse to Tom. She remembered her previous life and how happy she was. Her husband didn’t give her that passion and love that Tom gave. But she is older him and it is wrong to my mind to have an affair with him.

7.         Describe the episode of Julia's adventure on the train to Cannes. What was Julia's attitude towards this accident? Give quotations from the text and comment on them. What do you think of this adventure?

The trains south were so crowded that she had not been able to get a sleeper. One man, Spaniard, offers her his place. She agreed. They had a conversation, but that man didn’t want to leave her. When they began to say goodbye, the man kissed Julie and they had an affair. She didn’t want to sleep with him. But his beard attracted her.

-"He can hardly expect me to ask him to come and sleep in here," Julia said to herself. "I'm beginning to think this was all a put-up job. Nothing doing, my lad." And then aloud. "Romantic, of course, but uncomfortable."   Her thoughts are right at first. She understands how she mustn’t act. But her actions are so different from her thoughts. She yielded to temptation.

-"If you think that because you've given up your compartment to me I'm going to let you sleep with me, you're mistaken."

"Just as you say, of course. But why not?"

"I'm not that sort of terribly attractive woman."

"What sort of woman are you then?"

"A faithful wife and a devoted mother."

He gave a little sigh.

"Very well. Then I'll say good night to you."  She quietly told about the man’s wish, she understood that many men wanted her. But she couldn’t think that she could sleep with a stranger.

"But as time passed Julia's indignation was mitigated, and she had often thought of the adventure since with a good deal of pleasure. After all it had been fun.”  She perceived all this as an adventure. As she didn’t make something terrible. On the one hand, she had the right because her husband didn’t give her passion. He loved only himself. On the other hand, she is married. She must save her condition. I think she was wrong. It isn’t proper to sleep with a stranger, especially she is married. Moreover, she thought bad about such women, but anyway slept with that man.

8.         When did Julia see Tom Fennell again? Under what circumstances?

Tom called her and they agreed upon to meet in the theater

9.         What do you think attracted Julia to Tom? How old was he?

“But when she saw him, so slight, with his hectic flush and his blue eyes, so charmingly boyish, she felt a sudden pang.” He was about 18. As her son Roger was seventeen . “she  was old enough to be his mother.”

10.       Why do you think Tom was interested in grand people?

They were so bright, beautiful and famous. They can do everything. He wants to be like they.

11.       Do you approve or disapprove of Julia's love affair with Tom Fennell?

I disapprove her actions. It is ridiculous to my mind at her age to meet with so young man.

III. Make up a list of words and phrases which the author uses to show Julia's attitude towards Tom Fennell. Comment on their semantics and stylistic value.

 “She was troubled. It seemed to her that her voice did not sound quite natural.("What the devil's the matter with me? God, I can hardly breathe.")”   Her interior monologue helps to see her emotional experience, how she is afraid of her feelings.

("I'm a fool. I'm a bloody fool.") the repetition of the word “fool” strengthen her fear to him.

“kissed him as passionately”

 “She could have taken him in her arms then and there and kissed his blue eyes. She adored him.”

She has contradictory feelings. Her mind and her soul think differently. When she is without Tom, she understands all her consequences, she thinks reasonably. But at his present her exciting and loving feelings to him win.

IV. The author uses a number of theatrical allusions. Find them in the text and say what you know about them. (Consult the Oxford Guide to British and American Culture or any other culture dictionary).

Siddons- was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century.

Ellen Terry- was an English stage actress who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain.

Farquhar - was an Irish dramatist. He is noted for his contributions to late Restoration comedy, particularly for his plays The Recruiting Officer (1706) and The Beaux' Stratagem (1707).

Goldsmith- was an Anglo-Irish novelist, playwright and poet, who is best known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), his pastoral poem The Deserted Village (1770), and his plays The Good-Natur'd Man (1768) and She Stoops to Conquer (1771, first performed in 1773).

Alfred de Musset. - was a French dramatist, poet, and novelist.[1][2] Along with his poetry, he is known for writing La Confession d'un enfant du siècle (The Confession of a Child of the Century, autobiographical) from 1836

Clairon- French actress, whose real name was Clair Josèphe Hippolyte Leris, was born at Condé-sur-l'Escaut, Hainaut, the daughter of an army sergeant.

Bal de l'Opera

Verlaine-  Paul-Marie Verlaine (French pronunciation: [vɛʁˈlɛn]; 30 March 1844 – 8 January 1896) was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.

Madame Recamier - known as Juliette (French pronunciation: [ʒy.ljɛt]), was a French society leader, whose salon drew Parisians from the leading literary and political circles of the early 19th century.

V. In chapter 11 you can find the following phrase: "... like Venus rising from the waves." What is the source of this allusion? Comment on it and its stylistic effect.

“Julia tore off her clothes, and flung them with ample gestures all over the room. Then, stark naked, she skipped on to the bed, stood up on it for a moment, like Venus rising from the waves, and then throwing herself down stretched herself out.”

Venus is the second planet from the Sun. The planet is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky.  Julie is full of love and beauty. Tom makes her to feel younger than she is.

VI. Give a summary of chapters 11-13. (in written form)

Julia recollected her love affairs. A young man Tom, who admired Julia, insisted on the meet with the actress and invited her to have a cup of tea.  She agreed. Then in his flat they had their love affair for the first time. After that she remembered one Spaniard, with whom she had a fleeting affair in the train some years ago. Soon, Julia and Tom met again in the theater. Thus, Julia understood that she loved Tom and couldn’t refuse him. Shortly after, Tom invited Julia to the restaurant and after their supper they went to his flat one more time.