Question 1.
What does Chubukov first suspect about Lomov’s visit? Is he sincere when later calls Lomov “my angel, as if you were my own son”? Give reasons from the play.
Answer:
Initially, Chubukov suspects Lomov has come to borrow money, especially since Lomov is formally dressed. He is not sincere when he later tells Lomov that he has always loved him “like his own son,” because we learn Chubukov had already decided not to lend Lomov money. His attitude shifts only after Lomov asks for his daughter’s hand in marriage, making it clear that his affection was opportunistic and not genuine.
Question 2.
Chubukov says of Natalya: “….as if she won’t consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat…” Is this true?
Answer:
Yes, it is true that Natalya loves Lomov. This is shown when she gets extremely upset and starts crying upon learning that Lomov had come to propose to her, demonstrating clear affection for him.
Question 3.
- List all the words used by the characters to describe or insult each other.
- Think of five adjectives or adjectival phrases of your own for each character.
- Imagine what these characters might quarrel about next.
Answer:
1.
Some words and insults used among the characters:
- Chubukov: intriguer, grabber, old rat
- Natalya: lovesick cat, excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated
- Lomov: good neighbor, impudent, pettifogger, malicious, double-faced intriguer, rascal, blind hen, turnip ghost, villain, scarecrow, stuffed sausage
Adjectives for Chubukov:
- Opportunistic, Irritable, Manipulative, Flattering, Fickle
Adjectives for Natalya:
- Emotional, Stubborn, Sensitive, Proud, Traditional
Adjectives for Lomov:
- Nervous, Argumentative, Insecure, Formal, Hypochondriac
Given their nature, they might next quarrel about trivial things like the size of their garden plots, noise complaints, or even whose household has the better livestock.
Thinking About the Language
Question I.
- This play has been translated from Russian. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that seem more Russian than English?
Answer:
Expressions like “my angel,” “my beloved,” “my beauty,” used for adult men, are uncommon in English but may reflect Russian endearments. Phrases such as “all that sort of thing” without clarification, or “how may you be getting on?” in reported speech, also have a distinctly Russian feel. - Changes needed in reported speech examples:
- To report a declaration, we use: declared
- The adverb of place ‘here’ changes to: there
- When the verb in direct speech is present tense, it changes to: past tense
- Present continuous tense changes to: past continuous (e.g., ‘is getting’ becomes ‘was getting’)
- For respect in the original speech, we add the adverb: respectfully
- First person pronouns change to: he, him, their, or his in reported speech