THEATRE by W. S. Maugham (Chapters 15-18)

I. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases:

condescending letter – снисходительное письмо, pearl studs – жемчужные запонки, peevish – раздраженный, make head or tail of it – ничего не понимать, fatuous irony – глупая ирония, to get back on sb – отделаться от кого-то, song and dance – скандал, постоянные объяснения, to spend a lot on green fees – тратиться на аренду поля для гольфа, despicable – презренный, to give sb a treat – доставить удовольствие кому-то, to wheedle sb into – впутывать кого-то во что-то, prudishness – ханжество, to take liberties with sb – быть непозволительно фамильярным 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, укрощать кого-то, 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. – This metaphor refers to Julia. It was the moment when she wanted to hurt Tom’s feelings and reminded him to leave the maid tips, leaving the money in the envelope, but then the woman had a fear now that she had gone too far. Thus this metaphor describes Julia’s feelings in one of the most important moments in her life: it describes her love to the young man.

I'm not the woman to desert a sinking ship. – This metaphor refers to Dolly de Vries, who used it while speaking to Michael about his wife, Julia, and how her love affairs with Tom could adversely affect her career and her position in the society. During that conversation Michael suggested buying Dolly’s share out, as he thought the woman could suffer from Julia’s broken reputation. The man didn’t mind admitting that if his wife got herself unpleasantly talked about it might have some effect on the takings. He was her husband and he had to put up with it. But Dolly was in a different position altogether.

III. Give a character sketch of Dolly de Vries. Pay special attention to the description of hr 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 was a very rich admirer of Julia Lambert and at the same time her faithful companion throughout the actress’s life. We came to the conclusion (from Julia’s words and the old woman’s actions) that Dolly loved Julia and the last fell in love with the young man Tom, was jealous of her. The old woman didn’t like Tom, she even gave necessary inquiries and learned that he, in turn, had love affairs with an incompetent debutante Evis Crichton. 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.

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?

While they were in Taplow the young Tom didn’t notice Julia as his lover, what hurt her, and for what she decided to take revenge on him. Her revenge was refined: knowing how to hurt his feelings, she reminded him to leave the maid tips, leaving the money in the envelope. If the woman wanted to hurt the man, she succeeded, but I don’t think it was a right decision, as that money were the most humiliating thing the man could receive.

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, as people were saying rather disagreeable things about her.

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?

Michael suggested buying Dolly’s share out, as he thought the woman could suffer from Julia’s broken reputation. The man didn’t mind admitting that if his wife got herself unpleasantly talked about it might have some effect on the takings. He was her husband and he had to put up with it. But Dolly was in a different position altogether.

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?

Dolly knew that Tom’s father bought him a share in the firm and he became a junior partner. Then it seems a little strange that on that the young man should be able to have a flat, dress the way he does and take people to night clubs, as if his father bought him a partnership he wasn’t making him an allowance as well.

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

I think there were two reasons, as firstly, one or two of Dolly's remarks had been somewhat of a shock to Julia. It was disconcerting that gossip had so nearly reached the truth.  And secondly, the strange thing was that when she looked into her heart it was not Julia Lambert the woman who resented the affront, she didn't care for herself, it was the affront to Julia Lambert the actress that stung her. She had often felt that her talent, genius the critics called it, but that was a very grand word, her gift, if you like, was not really herself, not even part of her, but something outside that used her, Julia Lambert the woman, in order to express itself.

VI. Summarize the events of chapters 15-18.

While they were in Taplow the young Tom didn’t notice Julia as his lover, what hurt her, and for what she decided to take revenge on him. Her revenge was refined: knowing how to hurt his feelings, she reminded him to leave the maid tips, leaving the money in the envelope. The next day Tom returned all her presents, as the woman managed to hurt him. But Julia didn’t think that the young man would broke her up because of that, that’s why she decided to put on an act, saying that they had been too much to one another to part like that, and in the end she loved him. Thus after a little conversation Tom remained with her. Julia even bought him a flat, that was near to her, furnished it. Several times a week together they appeared in restaurants and night clubs, that’s why gossip had so nearly reached the truth about them. Julia got to know about that from Michael, who knew that from possessed with jealousy Dolly de Vries. Julia tried to find out from Dolly, who gossiped about her, and during the conversation knew that Tom promised some Evis Crichton the role in the play. Since that moment the woman understand that the young man didn’t love her, for him she was just a woman, from whom he could build the ropes.