THEATRE by W. S. Maugham (Chapters 1-2)

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

Complacency - a feeling of satisfaction, esp extreme self-satisfaction; smugness

three times running  - taking place three times

filthy - very dirty or obscene; muddy

supercilious - displaying arrogant pride, scorn, or indifference; contemptuous

military bearing -  the high level of military professionalism;

natural flamboyance natural brightness

stupendous –extremely large, great; astounding

staggered - to astound or overwhelm, as with shock; embarrass

natural homage – special respect; esteem

entanglement – state of confusion; involvement

concubinage - cohabitation without legal marriage; cohabitation

languorous - lacking spirit or liveliness; torment

flippant rejoinde frivolous answer

to risk smth - the possibility of incurring misfortune or loss; hazard

 a quick study – to learn smth by heart very quickly

 

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

Artistic allusions:

1) Sir Thomas Lawrence (13 April 1769 – 7 January 1830) was a leading English portrait painter and president of the Royal Academy. The portraitist was mentioned to emphasize the lightness, tenderness, and feminity of the main character.

2) Jean-Marc Nattier (March 17, 1685 – November 7, 1766) was a French painter. He is noted for his portraits of the ladies of King Louis XV's court in classical mythological attire. The author used this name to show all the beauty and fineness of Julia Lambert.

3) Sarah Siddons (1755 – 1831) was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. She was most famous for her portrayal of the Shakespearean character, Lady Macbeth, a character she made her own, and for famously fainting at the sight of the Elgin Marbles in London. 

This allusion occurs in the text because Sarah Siddons was an idol in the world of theatre, she was the most famous and conciderate actress.

4) Sarah Bernhardt (1844 – 1923) was a French stage and early film actress, and was referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known."  She developed a reputation as a serious dramatic actress, earning the nickname "The Divine Sarah."

This actress was very tallented and had all opportunities to be the great actress as Julia herself.

5) Charles John Kean (1811-1868) was born at Waterford, Ireland, the son of the actor Edmund Kean. Plump of figure, facially expressionless, and vocally nasal, Charles Kean was not well endowed to enter the profession in which he was bound to be compared—unfavourably—with his father.

All these allusions were used in thi8s novel help to be absorbed into the world of theatre to appreciate all the beauty and charm of it.

Literary allusions:

1) William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Historical allusions:

1) Sir Francis Robert Benson –  was a British actor-manager. He founded his own company in 1883 and produced all but two of Shakespeare's plays. From the first he devoted himself largely to the production of Shakespeare's plays.

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

Julia Lambert is the main character of Maugham’s novel “Theatre”. She is 46 year old woman with big brown eyes and very nice delightful "warm, ready" smile."She wasn’t a brilliant conversationalist, but her eyes were so bright, her manner so intelligent" She is an independent woman, in whom the sense of humor, the ability to judge people and to understand the circumstances are combined with being an adventurer.She was really a born actress and the fate gave her a great opportunity to develop her talent. Her clothes, made only in Paris, were very luxury. All Julia’s life was an acting. Jane Taitbout gave Julia her first lessons. She taught her all the arts that she had herself learnt at the Conservatoire and she talked to her of Reichenberg who had played ingenues till she was seventy, of Sarah Bernhardt and her golden voice, of Mounet-Sully and his majesty, and of Coquelin the greatest actor of them all. She recited to her the great tirades of Corneilly and Racine as she had learned to say them at the Francaise and taught her to say them in the same way. Jane Taitbout must always have been a very stagy actress, but she taught Julia to articulate with extreme distinctness, she taught her not to be afraid of her own voice, and she made deliberate that wonderful sense of timing which Julia had by instinct and which afterwards was one of her greatest gifts. When Julia was sixteen and went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in Gower Street she knew already much that they could teach her there. She won every prize that was open to her, and when she was finished with the school her good French got her almost immediately a small part in London as a French maid. It looked for a while as though her knowledge of French would specialize her in parts needing a foreign accent, for after this she was engaged to play an Austrian waitress.

Michael Gosselyn is the main character of Maugham’s novel “Theatre”.He is 52 years old. He had a very good figure, a great mass of curling chestnut hair and large deep blue eyes, a straight nose and small ears. The only thing that slightly spoiled him was the thinness of his mouth.He was the best- looking actor on the English stage. He was six foot tall and he had a military bearing. He was extremely handsome, so he had decided to go to the stage, rather than to connect his life with military career. He boasted that his weight had not changed since he was twenty, and for years, wet or fine, he had got up every morning at eight to put on shorts and a sweater and have a run round Regent's Park. Michael had started with Shakespeare. He had played Romeo at Cambridge.
Michael was a pedant, stern, and meticulously thorough in fulfilling all the formal requirements. The man adored his wife, Julia, her skills and ability to play on stage. When he was young his playing was poor, though he grew popular with the company. The man was good-humoured and kindly; he would take any amount of trouble to do anyone a service. However, Michael didn’t like spending money; neither had he ever given on credit.